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No one wants to leave their loved ones with unforeseen expenses when they pass on. For many, the best solution is burial insurance, a type of life insurance policy designed to cover final expenses such as a funeral and cremation or burial. Our review of the best burial insurance companies rates policies based on their financial strength, number of available riders, coverage options, customer satisfaction and website functionality.
The 5 Best Burial Insurance Companies in 2020
- Mutual of Omaha: Best Overall
- Northwestern Mutual: Best Customer Experience
- Colonial Penn: Best for Early Enrollment
- New York Life: Best Final Expense Calculator
- Transamerica: Best Flexible Terms
| Reviews.com Score | Customer Experience Score | Financial Strength Score | Best for | |
| Mutual of Omaha | 4.2 | 4 | 5 | Best Overall |
| Northwestern Mutual | 5 | 5 | 5 | Customer Experience |
| Colonial Penn | 3.4 | 1 | 5 | Early Enrollment |
| New York Life | 4.2 | 4 | 5 | Final Expense Calculator |
| Transamerica | 4.4 | 2 | 5 | Flexible Terms |
*Data as of 11/2/20.
Mutual of Omaha: Best Overall
Among all the burial insurance companies we reviewed, Mutual of Omaha gets the highest marks across the board. The provider is well-respected for both customer satisfaction and financial stability. On the Mutual of Omaha website, you’ll find a streamlined quote process with a coverage calculator. Just keep in mind that benefits cap out at $25,000.
To learn more about this provider, check out our full review of Mutual of Omaha.
✓Best For: Purchasing a policy
✗ Not For: High coverage amounts
- AM Best: A+
- J.D. Power: 795
- NAIC: 0.59
Northwestern Mutual: Best Customer Experience
Northwestern Mutual is rated no. 1 by J.D. Power for all types of life insurance and generally receives stellar reviews from customers. The provider also has one of the lowest complaint rates from the NAIC. Unfortunately, you won’t find many details about Northwestern Mutual’s funeral insurance options online. Getting details about coverage in your area requires talking to an advisor.
To learn more about this provider, check out our full review of Northwestern Mutual.
✓Best For: Customer satisfaction
✗ Not For: Signing up online
- AM Best: A++
- J.D. Power: 810
- NAIC: 0.02
Colonial Penn: Best for Early Enrollment
Most burial insurance companies only offer coverage to those age 50 and older, but Colonial Penn opens up enrollment starting at age 40. In most states, policies can be purchased until the age of 75. Coverage is available in $10,000 increments up to a maximum benefit of $50,000. Unfortunately, no options are available to those looking for a smaller policy.
✓Best For: Enrolling before age 50
✗ Not For: Small benefit amounts
- AM Best: A-
- J.D. Power: N/A
- NAIC: 1.17
New York Life: Best Final Expense Calculator
If you’re not sure where to start in deciding how much funeral insurance to purchase, New York Life’s burial final expense calculator is invaluable. The calculator breaks down itemized expenses and allows you to adjust each cost individually to meet your needs. Once you decide how much coverage you need, however, you’ll need to ask an agent for a quote.
To learn more about this provider, check out our full review of New York Life.
✓Best For: Choosing the right coverage
✗ Not For: Online quotes
- AM Best: A++
- J.D. Power: 770
- NAIC: 0.22
Transamerica: Best Flexible Terms
Most burial insurance companies offer just one type of policy – if they advertise separate final expense insurance at all. Transamerica offers three different options for burial insurance with various terms designed to meet your specific needs. Benefit amounts are the most flexible out of the burial insurance companies we reviewed, with coverage starting at $1,000 and maxing out at $50,000.
To learn more about this provider, check out our full review of Transamerica.
✓Best For: Custom policy terms
✗ Not For: Customer service
- AM Best: A
- J.D. Power: 732
- NAIC: 1.26
Further Reading:
- The Best Life Insurance Companies for Seniors
- Types of Life Insurance Policies
- Whole Life vs. Term Life Insurance
Methodology
Reviews.com scores products, services and companies using five quantifiable criteria to help readers choose the best one for them. For the life insurance companies, our editorial team compared financial strength, number of riders offered, coverage options, customer satisfaction scores and website functionality from each company and averaged the scores to produce our very own Reviews.com rating. These ratings were produced with you, our readers, in mind, and are meant to be a helpful tool to simplify the process of choosing which life insurance company is best for you. Since life insurance rates vary widely among different profiles, we encourage you to continue researching options that fit your specific needs.
FAQs
About the Authors
Lisa Melillo is a personal finance writer for Reviews.com. Over the past seven years, she’s covered insurance, travel, and home-related topics for a variety of online publications and businesses.
