Final Expense & Burial Insurance in Ohio

When you are planning a funeral or preparing your own final arrangements, understanding the various costs and life insurance options can be difficult. The National Association of Funeral Directors (NFDA) has says the average cost of a funeral is roughly $9,000. But a burial can cost much more than this depending on the style of service, the casket used, the funeral home you choose, and transportation of friends and family. Burial insurance – otherwise known as funeral insurance – can help cover some of these costs.

This type of final expense insurance helps ensure you receive the service you want without financially burdening your loved ones. Burial insurance can be used for a variety of things, such as unpaid medical bills, credit card debt, and other final expenses you’ll leave behind. Funeral costs and regulations vary from state to state, but this article will specifically go over everything you need to know for the state of Ohio.

Funeral & Burial Expectations in Ohio

Each year, the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) releases a general price list study that looks at the various funeral averages across the nation. To conduct the study, states are broken up into districts and the NFDA mails a survey to more than 5,000 NFDA-member funeral home owners. Almost 20% responded with important cost information, statistics, and trends in their specific area.

The East North Central district is composed of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. This district reported the median cost of a funeral followed by burial to be roughly $8,000 based on survey responses.

Once someone has passed away, there are several things that need to be taken care of within a short period of time. Depending on the final arrangement, some of these items are more time-sensitive than others.

Death Certificates

In Ohio, every death must be recorded and whoever is in charge of the body, whether it’s the funeral director, or a family member, must present the death certificate to a medical professional.

Ohio law mandates they have 48 hours to complete the certificate and return it. Once completed, that certificate is filed with the local registrar. If you request the certificate immediately, the easiest way to ensure its distribution is to order the certificates at the time of death.

A person cannot be buried or cremated until the death certificate filing has been completed.

Embalming and Refrigeration

Unlike other states, Ohio law does not require embalming whether you chose a burial or a cremation as your selection. A funeral director may advise embalming if a viewing is requested and refrigeration may be required if the body will be used for visitation at a future date. These factors can change depending upon how soon you choose to proceed with the funeral service.

The Ohio Health Department can require the body of a person who died of a communicable disease to be buried or cremated in less than 24-hours.

Burial Requirements

As more land becomes occupied with burial plots, the cost of burials in the state of Ohio has increased in recent years. We can safely estimate the full-service cost of a burial to be somewhere between $2,800 and $10,000 depending on the materials used, the type of service held, and the funeral home used for the service.

Most bodies are buried in established cemeteries in Ohio, but arrangements for burial on private land can be made.

Cremation Services

Cremation now accounts for almost 25% of all funerals in the state of Ohio. A full-service cremation can cost up to $5,000 or more in the state of Ohio.

Some crematories require that you use a funeral director to arrange cremation. There is typically a waiting period of 24 hours before cremation may occur, unless a communicable disease was factored into the death.

There are no laws controlling where the ashes are kept after cremation. Most ashes are stored in urns or cremation mausoleums on the cemetery grounds. Some families choose to have portions of the ashes inserted into jewelry or mementos. If the ashes will be scattered, check to make sure there are no local laws restricting where this can be done.

 

Average Funeral Costs in Ohio

Final expenses in the state of Ohio average about $8,000 including casket and burial. For those electing cremation, the average cost is around $5,000. The exact costs may be more or less depending on the option you choose.

 

Service Type	Description	Price Range
Direct Cremation	No viewing or ceremony	$600 - $4,000
Immediate Burial	No viewing or ceremony	$1,500 - $2,400
Cremation Memorial	Includes facility fees, viewing, & service	$2,000 - $4,000
Full Service	Includes facility fees, embalming, viewing, hearse, & graveside service	$6,500 - $10,000

 

You have the option of purchasing funeral products locally as well as through online retailers. Ohio law mandates that funeral homes have to use caskets and other products bought elsewhere. You can also rent a casket from a funeral home for use during the service.

 

Product	Description	Price Range
Casket	Available in a variety of materials & finishes	$1,900 - $3,000
Casket Rental	May or may not include cost of alternative container for cremation or burial	$900 - $2,000
Alternative Containers	Used for cremation or eco-friendly burial	$300 - $900
Urn	For cremation remains	$250 - $500
Cemetery Plot	Single space for a casket or cremated remains	$1,000 - $2,000
Grave Marker	Available in a variety of styles & materials	$900 - $1,800

 

Naturally, funeral costs vary per region around Ohio. In more densely populated cities in Ohio, the costs are going to be more expensive, especially per cemetery plot.

Columbus

Service Type	Average Cost	Price Range
Direct Cremation	$995	$500 - $1,500
Immediate Burial	$1,295	$900 - $1,700
Cremation Memorial	$2,595	$2,000 - $3,000
Full Burial	$2,795	$2,300 - $3,100

 

Cleveland

Service Type	Average Cost	Price Range
Direct Cremation	$995	$500 - $1,500
Immediate Burial	$2,295	$1,800 - $2,800
Cremation Memorial	$3,521	$3,000 - $4,000
Full Burial	$4,995	$4,000- $6,000

 

Toledo

Service Type	Average Cost	Price Range
Direct Cremation	$2,100	$1,500 - $2,500
Immediate Burial	$2,400	$1,800 - $3,000
Cremation Memorial	$3,775	$2,800 - $4,700
Full Burial	$3,795	$3,500 - $5,000

Help With Funeral Costs in Ohio

Once a loved one has passed away, the last thing you want to worry about is the money required to ensure they receive a proper burial or cremation service. It’s not something we want to plan for, which is why the shock and surprise of the high cost can financially devastate families. With support from a trusted insurance agent, you can ensure your family is able to shoulder the costs of the burial.

Life Insurance

Ohio families that are concerned about funeral costs should consider taking out a life insurance policy to help their loved ones cover the costs. There are two main types of life insurance: term insurance and whole life insurance.

Term insurance is typically for younger people whose income would need to be replaced if they passed away. These are large policies – typically hundreds of thousands of dollars – and typically require a medical exam to qualify. They last for a set period of time and expire once the period ends, which can make re-qualifying difficult if your health changes.

Whole life insurance is designed to last your entire life as long as premiums are paid. Your rate won’t change even if your health does. Premiums vary based on age, sex, overall health, and coverage amount applied for. These policies are typically less than $50,000 making them an affordable option.

Final Expense Insurance

Final expense insurance is a specific type of whole life insurance that helps families cover the high cost of burials and cremation. The average policy is usually between $10,000 - $15,000 and doesn’t require a medical exam to qualify. Coverage is issued based on answers to health questions on the application.

Funeral Advantage from Lincoln Heritage™ is the leading final expense plan in the country and is a great option for Ohio residents. It provides you with a cash payout that can be used at any funeral home for any kind of funeral arrangement. Every Funeral Advantage™ policy comes with a free membership to the Funeral Consumer Guardian Society®: a not-for-profit consumer advocate organization that helps members save money. We’ll help your loved ones price-shop funeral services in their area, review the final funeral contract, and help them understand all of their options beforehand.

Government Assistance

There is minimal support offered by the government for eligible parties, with a $255 lump-sum benefit paid to either the spouse or the dependent children of the deceased person, but only if they qualify. Veteran funeral benefits can be found at your local VA office.

 

Average Overall Costs/Rates for Final Expense Insurance in Ohio

 

Monthly Premium Rates for Men*

 

Monthly Premium Rates for Women*

Leading Causes of Death in Ohio

The leading cause of death in the state of Ohio closely resembles the national average statistics in the U.S. today. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, the top 8 causes are as follows:

1. Heart Disease
2. Cancer
3. Lower Respiratory Disease
4. Accidents
5. Stroke
6. Alzheimer’s Disease
7. Diabetes
8. Influenza

No Exam in Ohio

Depending on the type of life insurance you are applying for, you may not be required to take a medical exam. Term insurance usually requires an exam and certain whole life policies do too. Low face amount policies – like final expense insurance – can often be issued by answering health questions on the application. No exam is required for these types of policies.

Free Look Period

The free look period is the portion of time in which anyone can refuse an insurance contract for any reason and receive a full refund of any money paid into it. Ohio is a rare state: it has no free look period. But that doesn’t mean insurers won’t give you the opportunity to review your contract and decide if it is something you want to keep.

How to Get Burial Insurance in Ohio

In essence, burial insurance is just another form of life insurance. Its designed purpose is to pay for the expenses that are incurred when making final arrangements. The first part of securing the burial insurance policy you want is to find a provider you trust. You want to look for a company that has a lot of experience and comes with a history of financial stability.

As you compare the policies available to you, look at the coverage amount needed to cover the average cost of a funeral in Ohio, as well as any debts you may leave behind. Research each type of policy to see what additional benefits are included, like family support services, to ensure your loved ones are cared for during the planning process.

Contact our team here at Lincoln Heritage today for a free, no-obligation quote on burial insurance. See why people all over the state of Ohio are choosing the Funeral Advantage program.