5 Best Burial Insurance Companies of April 2025
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The best burial insurance companies at a glance
State Farm: Best for customer satisfaction.
AARP/New York Life: Best for low consumer complaints.
American Family: Best for bundling.
Ethos: Best for instant coverage.
Mutual of Omaha: Best for accessibility.
If you want to buy life insurance purely to cover your funeral costs, medical bills and other end-of-life expenses, look into burial insurance. Also known as final expense insurance, these policies are designed for seniors who need only a small amount of coverage, and not all insurers offer them.
To narrow down the list of the best burial insurance policies, our experts analyzed policy features, age and state availability, and added value — such as free life insurance riders. We also looked at payment options and the amount of coverage you can buy, which typically starts at $1,000 and maxes out at $50,000 for this type of life insurance.
» MORE: Is burial insurance worth it?
Why trust NerdWallet
Insurer | NerdWallet rating | Age eligibility |
Issue age: 45 to 80 (50 to 75 in NY). | ||
Issue age: 50 to 85 in most states (50 to 75 in NY). | ||
Issue age: 50 to 80. | ||
Issue age: 45 to 85 (50 to 75 in NY). | ||
Issue age: 65 to 85. | ||
NerdWallet rates insurers at the company level, not the policy level. This means our star rating reflects the company as a whole, and not its burial insurance policy specifically. | ||
Best burial life insurance policies for April 2025
Low number of complaints from consumers.
Ranked first in J.D. Power’s latest customer satisfaction study for life insurance.
Life insurance policies not available in Massachusetts or Rhode Island.
Some app restrictions for Android smartphones.
Company overview: State Farm consistently ranks No. 1 in J.D. Power’s annual customer satisfaction study for individual life insurance.
State Farm’s burial insurance policy earns cash value over time, and once you’ve accumulated enough, you can take out loans or withdraw money from that fund during your lifetime. Since State Farm is a mutual company, your policy might also pay out life insurance dividends based on financial performance.
» Read the full review: State Farm life insurance review
No medical exams required.
Fewer than the expected number of complaints to state regulators.
Anyone age 50 and up can get access through AARP membership.
Term life insurance premiums rise every five years.
Company overview: Open to AARP members as part of a partnership with New York Life, this policy is a type of group life insurance. You’re guaranteed to be accepted as long as you’re an AARP member who meets the age requirements, and coverage typically lasts your entire life. In most states, AARP also allows members’ spouses who are 45 to 85 (or 80 in some states) to apply for a policy. In New York, the age eligibility for spouses is slightly different: 50 to 75.
» Read the full review: AARP/New York Life insurance review
Fewer customer complaints than expected for a company its size.
Offers a variety of term and whole life options.
Not available in all states.
Company overview: American Family received fewer complaints to state regulators for a company of its size, making it a trustworthy choice. The company sells a range of insurance products, including vehicle insurance, property insurance and business insurance. In some cases, you can bundle your policies and save money.
» Read the full review: American Family insurance review
No medical exam required.
Fully digital application.
Offers both term and whole life insurance online.
No live chat feature, which is unusual for insurtechs.
Can't customize coverage with riders.
Company overview: Ethos’ whole life application takes five minutes to complete and coverage goes into effect once you pay the first premium, making this policy ideal for those who need a policy quickly. You don't need to take a life insurance medical exam. You stop paying premiums at age 100, and the coverage stays intact.
» Read the full review: Ethos life insurance review
Whole life insurance available without a medical exam.
Ranks highly in J.D. Power’s latest consumer satisfaction study.
No online quotes for term life insurance.
Company overview: Mutual of Omaha’s broad issue age range means people can get a policy at a younger age, when rates are likely to be cheaper. You can buy as little as $2,000 in coverage — making this option good for those who don’t need too much life insurance.
The insurer says it pays most claims within 24 hours, which can help your loved ones cover your funeral costs and any other immediate expenses when you die.
» Read the full review: Mutual of Omaha life insurance review
How we ranked the top life insurers
NerdWallet’s life insurance ratings are based on consumer experience, complaint index scores from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners for individual life insurance, and weighted averages of financial strength ratings, which indicate a company’s ability to pay future claims. Within the consumer experience category, we consider ease of communication and website transparency, which looks at the depth of policy details available online. To calculate each insurer’s rating, we adjusted the scores to a curved 5-point scale.
These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare life insurance quotes from several companies to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews.
Alternatives to the best burial insurance
Final expense policies are designed to help you cover the costs of your own funeral and burial, but they’re expensive and capped at small amounts so they don’t suit everyone. If you crunch the numbers and decide you need more life insurance, you can apply for a traditional term life insurance or permanent life insurance policy.
More about top-rated life insurance companies
Looking for a specific type of life insurance policy? Check out NerdWallet’s top picks across these categories:
Methodology
Life insurance ratings methodology
NerdWallet’s life insurance ratings are based on consumer experience, complaint index scores from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners for individual life insurance, and weighted averages of financial strength ratings, which indicate a company’s ability to pay future claims. Within the consumer experience category, we consider ease of communication and website transparency, which looks at the depth of policy details available online. To calculate each insurer’s rating, we adjusted the scores to a curved 5-point scale.
These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.
Insurer complaints methodology
NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2021-2023. To assess how insurers compare with one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, NerdWallet calculated a similar index for each insurer, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary, over the three-year period. NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC. Ratios are determined separately for auto, home (including renters and condo) and life insurance.
