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Final Expense & Burial Insurance in Texas

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Texas burial insurance (also known as final expense life insurance or funeral insurance) is a type of whole life policy that protects your family from common end-of-life expenses like funeral costs, medical bills, and anything else left behind by the deceased. A funeral insurance policy in the state of Texas can also help family members pay down mortgages, make car payments, and cover any other expected debt.

Buying burial insurance for seniors in Texas really isn’t that different from buying life insurance in other states, but there is some important information specific to Texas that you’ll need to know. We’ll go over this and more and show you why Funeral Advantage is the leading burial policy in the Lone Star state!

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The Funeral Rule

Federal law dictates basic laws surrounding burial services. Known as the Funeral Rule, these rules apply to every state and are enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

  • Pricing – Funeral homes must quote prices for products and services over the phone if requested. In person, they must provide a general price list, a casket price list, and a burial container price list (when applicable).
  • Contracts – An itemized statement of charges and estimates must be provided before a contract is signed.
  • Pre-Need Funeral Plans – FTC laws do not apply to the language of pre-need contracts. They do not govern payment options, costs, modifications, transfers, cancellations, or administrative fees.

Funeral & Burial Expectations in Texas

Each year, the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) puts together a general price list study that evaluates the changes in cost for final arrangements across the country. 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 West South Central district is composed of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas. This district reported the median cost of a funeral followed by burial to be $7,196 based on survey responses. Median costs included the following items:

  • Nondeclinable basic services fee
  • Removal/transfer of remains to funeral home
  • Embalming
  • Other preparation of the body
  • Use of facilities/staff for viewing
  • Use of facilities/staff for ceremony at funeral home
  • Hearse
  • Service car/van
  • Basic memorial printed package
  • Metal casket

In Texas, a death certificate must be filed with the local registrar within 10 days of death and is usually obtained by the funeral home or mortuary. Texas law states that if the death occurred in the past 25 years, a death certificate can only be requested by an immediate family member. In some cases, individuals who are not immediate family members may apply for a death certificate, such as a beneficiary on a life insurance policy. Anyone who is not an immediate family member must provide documentation showing they have a legitimate interest in the death certificate in order to apply.

Burial

If the final disposition of the body does not occur within 24 hours, Texas law states the body must be embalmed or refrigerated. No law requires a casket for burial, but you’ll want to check with your local funeral home and cemetery to see if they have any rules regarding what type of container they accept.

Cremation

According to the Texas Health & Safety Code, ashes may be scattered over “uninhabited public land, over a public waterway or sea, or on the private property of a consenting owner.” If you plan on scattering the ashes over water, check the federal Clean Water Act for specific rules and regulations. Learn more about the process of cremations.

Average Funeral Costs in Texas

While the NFDA states the median cost of an adult funeral with casket and vault is $8,755, this cost doesn’t include common funeral items like flowers, headstones, and transportation of family members. Caskets alone can cost thousands of dollars depending on the material used and the style of the container. The average funeral cost in Texas could be closer to $10,000 when these costs are taken into consideration.

In general, the cost of a funeral with burial has increased by almost 20% since 2006 according to the NFDA’s findings.

San Antonio

Funeral Home's General Price List (San Antonio) Prices
Basic Services of the Funeral Director & Staff $1,400
Extra Hours $100/hr
Embalming $650
Washing of Body $100
Transfer of Remains (within 25 miles) $275
Service Set-up $500
Off Premise Service $500
Flower Car $75
Direct Cremation (no service) $1,350
Forwarding Remains to Another Funeral Home $1,500
Sign-in Book $120
Cross $25

 

Fort Worth

Funeral Home's General Price List (Fort Worth) Prices
Basic Services of the Funeral Director & Staff $2,495
Embalming $995
Hearse (3 hours) $395
Staff & Equipment for Church Service $995
Evening Overtime (after 3 pm) $350
Forwarding Remains to Another Funeral Home $2,495
Flower Car $295
Direct Cremation (no service) $1,595
DVD Video Tribute $100
Clean-up Fee $295

 

As you can see, funeral costs in Texas vary widely depending on the city you live in and the funeral home you choose. Learn more about what’s included in the average funeral cost and questions to ask your local Texas funeral home.

Help With Funeral Costs in Texas

Many families are often unaware of just how expensive a funeral can cost. Most people don’t have enough set aside to cover the expenses of their loved one’s final arrangements. Fortunately, there are several ways to prepare in advance for these costs depending on your specific situation.

Life Insurance

There are two main types of life insurance that can help cover the high cost of funerals in Texas: term insurance and whole life insurance. With term insurance, you can typically expect a lower rate depending on your sex, age, and overall health. Keep in mind that term insurance is only good for a specific period of time. Once this period expires, you have to purchase another term policy if you wish to stay covered (often at a much higher rate than your first policy since so much time has passed). In addition, you often have to re-qualify for the same type of insurance you had previously. This can be difficult especially if your health has changed.

Another life insurance option is whole life insurance. Unlike term insurance, whole life insurance has no specific period of time and stays in-force until the insured passes away (as long as premiums are paid). Premiums are usually higher for whole life insurance, but if you take a policy early on while you’re still in good health, you can get a good rate that can’t be increased even if your health changes.

A specific type of whole life insurance called final expense insurance is perfect for Texas families wanting help with funeral costs. A final expense policy – also called burial insurance or funeral insurance – specifically focuses on protecting surviving loved ones from common end-of-life expenses. Final expense insurance usually has a face amount of $20,000 or less – just enough to cover funeral or cremation costs.

You can get a free, no obligation final expense quote below.

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Pre-need Insurance

Many pre-need plans can be purchased directly from the funeral home you’re interested in using for your final arrangements. Depending on the type of plan selected, you’ll be given a range of guaranteed and non-guaranteed services. Typically the cost of your guaranteed services will always be covered by the funeral provider regardless of how much your pre-need plan covers because they are forecasting how inflation will affect their prices (which is why pre-need plans can be so expensive).

If you decide to purchase a pre-need plan, be sure to compare several local funeral homes’ prices to make sure you choose the most affordable provider. Your pre-need plan will go a lot further with Funeral Home A if their prices are significantly lower than Funeral Home B.

Before committing to pre-need insurance, make a list of detailed questions you can ask the funeral home, including what happens to interest income, what happens if the funeral home goes out of business, and whether or not you can cancel your plan.

Funeral Advantage

Funeral Advantage is a smart choice for Texan families wanting to protect their families from rising funeral and cremation costs. It’s a final expense program offered by Lincoln Heritage that can be used anywhere in the United States. Funeral Advantage is not affiliated with any particular funeral home or funeral style, making it the perfect final arrangements option.

A burial insurance policy from Funeral Advantage includes a free membership to the Funeral Consumer Guardian Society® - a nonprofit, consumer advocate organization whose sole mission is to help its members save hundreds, even thousands of dollars on funeral costs. When the time comes, every member’s family gets a dedicated representative who will help them price shop funeral homes in their area. Only Funeral Advantage has access to the Funeral Consumer Guardian Society. Best of all, there’s no medical exam to qualify – just answer health questions on the application.

Average Overall Costs/Rates for Final Expense Insurance in Texas

Final expense insurance rates typically aren’t determined by where you live because most companies offer coverage nationwide. Your insurance rate will depend on your sex, age, coverage amount, and overall health. While most policies are between $10,000 and $20,000, you may be able to find a life insurance company that offers a $50,000 policy.

In general, male rates are more expensive than female rates because the life expectancy of men is typically shorter than that of women. Your rates will also be higher if you are a tobacco user. Tobacco use can cause your life insurance cost to go up as much as 30% or more depending on your age.

The biggest determining factor for how expensive your rate will be is your current health and health history. Many Texas life insurance companies will follow the same underwriting guidelines they do in other states, though they may have state-specific plans available. Check with your local life insurance agent to see what your options are. If you’ve had any significant health issues or are taking any serious medications, you may not qualify for a standard final expense plan. Luckily, many insurance companies offer final expense plans for people who aren’t healthy enough to qualify for a standard plan. In these cases, the monthly premium is usually higher and there is a waiting period before the full benefit is eligible for payout.

Here is a summary of what you can expect to pay in premiums based on your age and sex:

 

Monthly Premium Rates for Men*

$5,000 Death Benefit
Age Determined 'In Good Health' by Insurer No Health Questions Asked
50 $16 $20
55 $19 $24
60 $23 $29
65 $29 $35
70 $38 $44
75 $51 $63
80 $65 $82

* Estimated rates do not reflect the rates of any particular life insurance company.

$10,000 Death Benefit
Age Determined 'In Good Health' by Insurer No Health Questions Asked
50 $30 $40
55 $35 $46
60 $43 $57
65 $56 $68
70 $74 $88
75 $100 $125
80 $126 $162

* Estimated rates do not reflect the rates of any particular life insurance company.

 

Monthly Premium Rates for Women*

$5,000 Death Benefit
Age Determined 'In Good Health' by Insurer No Health Questions Asked
50 $14 $15
55 $16 $18
60 $18 $24
65 $22 $28
70 $28 $35
75 $38 $46
80 $48 $64

* Estimated rates do not reflect the rates of any particular life insurance company.

$10,000 Death Benefit
Age Determined 'In Good Health' by Insurer No Health Questions Asked
50 $25 $28
55 $28 $36
60 $33 $45
65 $41 $55
70 $53 $69
75 $72 $90
80 $93 $126

* Estimated rates do not reflect the rates of any particular life insurance company.

 

Leading Causes of Death in Texas

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the following are the leading causes of death in Texas (2016):

Reason (2016) Deaths
1. Heart Disease 43,772
2. Cancer 40,195
3. Stroke 10,673
4. Accidents 10,536
5. Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease 10,107
6. Alzheimer's Disease 9,135
7. Diabetes 5,470
8. Septicemia 4,230
9. Kidney Disease 4,125
10. Chronic Liver Disease/Cirrhosis 3,880

Heart disease – also known as cardiovascular disease – is the #1 cause of death in Texas and includes conditions such as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and stroke.

The good news is that many insurance companies will cover you even with these conditions. Heart disease usually qualifies someone under a modified plan where premiums are higher and a wait period is present. If the insured passes away during this wait period, all of the premiums paid into the policy are returned plus a small additional percentage.

No matter what health conditions you may have, it’s never too late to try and apply for a life insurance plan to help protect your loved ones from the financial burden that will come with your passing.

 

No Exam in Texas

 

Depending on your current or past health, you may not be comfortable taking a medical exam to qualify for life insurance. Many companies offer a guaranteed product that doesn’t require a medical exam and doesn’t ask any health questions. But these plans are usually the most expensive life insurance plans on the market because the insurance company is assuming the risk of covering someone without knowing how sick they may be.

Other insurance companies – like Lincoln Heritage Life Insurance Company – offer standard final expense life insurance without a medical exam. To qualify for this type of insurance, applicants answer health questions on the application. These plans are usually cheaper than guaranteed plans because the insurance company assumes less risk.

 

Free Look Period

According to the Texas Department of Insurance, the free look period for life insurance policies issued in Texas is 10-20 days. Cancelling during this time frame entitles you to a full refund, but any cancellation beyond this free look period does not require the insurer to refund any premiums you’ve paid.

 

How to Get Burial Insurance in Texas

If you’re interested in protecting your loved ones from experiencing a financial burden when you pass, you should get a free, no obligation burial insurance quote from Lincoln Heritage Funeral Advantage – the leader in final expense insurance. Every Funeral Advantage plan comes with free funeral planning through the Funeral Consumer Guardian Society. This benefit is only available through Funeral Advantage and can help save your family hundreds – even thousands – of dollars on your funeral costs.

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Lincoln Heritage Life Insurance Company Locations in Texas

Ed Long Group
9535 Forest Ln Ste 119
Dallas, TX 75243
972-814-6608

Diamond Memorial
12520 Cutten Rd.
Houston, TX 77066
(832) 666-2179

Seay Financial Group
6640 Camp Bowie Blvd Ste 800
Fort Worth, TX 76116
(817) 529-2335

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