2024 Burial Insurance if You Are Hospitalized
last updated on April 3, 2024If you’re looking for burial insurance if you are hospitalized, you need to be aware that your burial, cremation, final expense, and life insurance options are limited.
!!! READ THIS FIRST !!!
Being hospitalized can be a sign of a life-threatening health condition, and there are no insurance companies that offer 1st-day coverage to people who are currently hospitalized.
We recommend people who are in the hospital purchase a guaranteed issue life insurance that asks no health questions but does come with a 2-year waiting.
FOR EASIER NAVIGATION:
- What Is My Best Insurance Option If I’m Hospitalized?
- What You Must Understand About Guaranteed Issue Burial Insurance
- What Types of Burial Insurance Should I Avoid?
- What Type of Burial Insurance Is Best?
- If I’m Hospitalized, Do I Need a Medical Exam to Qualify for Burial Insurance?
- How Much Insurance Do I Need If I’m Hospitalized?
- How Should I Pay My Premiums?
- Hospitalization and Burial Insurance Riders
- Why Should I Get Guaranteed Issue Burial Insurance When I’m In a Hospital?
- Benefits of Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance
- The Best Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance Policy
- Other Common Uses for Final Expense Life Insurance if You Are Hospitalized
- How Can Funeral Funds Help Me?
What Is My Best Insurance Option If I’m Hospitalized?
If you are hospitalized due to any of the following conditions, guaranteed acceptance burial insurance with no health questions asked is your only option for life insurance coverage.
No life insurance company with first-day coverage would accept your application under these medical conditions.
Guaranteed issue policies have no health questions, so your application will be approved even with these high-risk conditions.
Best Option: Guaranteed issue burial insurance
REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY FOR BURIAL INSURANCE IF YOU ARE HOSPITALIZED
AGE – Most companies offering guaranteed issue burial insurance accept applicants 50-85 years old, although some companies have their age requirements.
STATE AVAILABILITY – Some insurance companies are not licensed in every state. Ensure the company is licensed in your state before applying for coverage.
ABILITY TO ENTER A LEGAL CONTRACT – Mental capacity to enter into a legal contract is one of the requirements to qualify for burial insurance.
If you have any cognitive impairment, such as advanced Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, and unable to give legal consent to an agreement, the company may reject your application.
WHAT YOU MUST UNDERSTAND ABOUT GUARANTEED ISSUE BURIAL INSURANCE
Most guaranteed acceptance life insurance companies will only require your age, gender, resident state information, and whether or not you use tobacco products. The application process is simple and straightforward.
A standard part of every guaranteed issue final expense life insurance no exam policy is a graded death benefit or limited benefit period.
Most companies will have a two-year waiting period for natural causes of death before the 100% death benefit will be available to your beneficiaries.
WHAT IS A GRADED DEATH BENEFIT?
A graded death benefit or limited benefit period is something every company includes in their plans to protect the company from having to pay large sums of money to people on their deathbed (those who will not be paying much into their policy).
A graded death benefit means there is a two to a four-year waiting period before they will give the full death benefit payout to the beneficiary.
If death occurs during the waiting period, the beneficiary will only receive a return of premium plus 7% to 10% interest. If death occurs from accidental causes during the waiting period, 100% death benefit will be paid out.
HOW DOES A GRADED DEATH BENEFIT WORK?
Death from accidental causes will not have a waiting period. The full death benefit amount will be paid to your beneficiaries.
If you die from natural causes or any reason other than an accident during the waiting period, your beneficiary will receive all premiums paid plus interest.
For example, you’re a 60-year-old female and pay $1,000 annually for your $25,000 guaranteed issue policy. If you are hospitalized for breast cancer and died one year after taking your policy, your beneficiaries will get $1,100.
If you pass away after waiting, your family will get the full $25,000.
WHAT IF I OUTLIVE THE GRADED DEATH BENEFIT PERIOD?
If you outlive the waiting period even for a day, your beneficiary will receive the 100% death benefit that you signed up for.
What Types Of Burial Insurance Should I Avoid?
| PLANS TO AVOID | WHY? |
|---|---|
| Term life | Premiums increase after 5 years. Coverage ends after 80. |
| Pre-paid funeral plans | Expensive |
| Universal life | Tied with stocks |
| No health questions policies | With 2-year waiting period |
| Plans offering "teaser rates" | $9.95 per unit plans or $1 buys $100,000 coverage |
| Over priced plans | Insurance from TV and junk mail |
| Plans that accept mail-in payments | Risky |
| Plans that accept Direct Express | High lapse rate |
| Plans that accept Credit Cards | High lapse rate |
What Type Of Burial Insurance Is Best?
| FUNERAL FUNDS PLAN BENEFITS | INCLUDED |
|---|---|
| 1st Day Coverage | YES |
| Rates NEVER Increase | YES |
| Coverage NEVER Decreases | YES |
| Easy to get approved | YES |
| No Medical Exam | YES |
| Same Day Approval | YES |
| Death Claims Pay Fast | YES |
| Builds cash value | YES |
| Coverage Up To Age 121 | YES |
If I’m Hospitalized, Do I Need A Medical Exam To Qualify For Burial Insurance?
You are NOT required to take a medical exam to qualify for burial insurance if you are hospitalized.
When you apply for burial insurance, you only have to answer some basic questions about your health. The application process is simple; you don’t need to provide medical records or blood and urine samples.
You’ll get the official approval from the insurance company often within minutes!
Here are some common situations where guaranteed issue life insurance may be appropriate:
- Terminal illness (your life expectancy is 24 months or less)
- You have cancer within the last 24 months
- End-stage kidney disease requiring dialysis
- Diagnosed with AIDS or HIV
- Alzheimer’s or dementia
- Congestive heart failure (CHF)
- Heart attack within the previous 12 months
- A circulatory surgery within the previous 12 months
- Full blown stroke (TIA mini-strokes do not count) within the previous 12 months
- Diabetic coma or insulin shock within the last 24 months
- Amputation due to diabetes
- Angina (chest pain) within the last 12 months
- Had a heart surgery within the previous 12 months
- Been recommended to have or had an organ transplant
- Oxygen use (only OK for sleep apnea)
- Currently in the hospital, skilled nursing facility, or hospice care
- Confined to a wheelchair or bed because of chronic illness
- Needing assistance with any activities of daily living such as eating, bathing, dressing, transferring and continence
How Much Insurance Do I Need If I’m Hospitalized?
The amount of burial insurance you should buy varies depending on your personal and financial circumstances. However, burial insurance should cover the cost of your funeral, burial, and final expenses.
The first step to figuring out how much burial insurance you need is to know your end-of-life expenses. Your funeral cost is often the biggest single expense you need to pay. Other end-of-life expenses to consider are your outstanding medical bills, living expenses, credit card bills, and other debts.
Here’s an example of a funeral cost breakdown from the National Funeral Directors Association.
| AVERAGE FUNERAL COST WITH VIEWING AND BURIAL | |
|---|---|
| Non-declinable basic services | $2,300 |
| Removal/ transfer of remains to funeral home | $350 |
| Embalming & preparation of the body | $1,050 |
| Use of facilities for viewing & funeral ceremony | $965 |
| Hearse | $325 |
| Service car/van | $150 |
| Basic memorial printed package | $183 |
| Metal casket | $2,500 |
| Vault | $1,572 |
| Median Cost of a Funeral With Viewing and Burial | $9,420 |
| AVERAGE FUNERAL COST WITH VIEWING AND CREMATION | |
|---|---|
| Non-declinable basic services fee | $2,300 |
| Removal/ transfer of remains to funeral home | $350 |
| Embalming & preparation of the body | $1,050 |
| Use of facilities for viewing & funeral ceremony | $965 |
| Service car/van | $150 |
| Basic memorial printed package | $183 |
| Cremation fee (if firm uses a third-party crematory) | $368 |
| Cremation Casket | $1,310 |
| Urn | $295 |
| Median Cost of a Funeral with Viewing and Cremation | $6,970 |
| Rental Casket | $995 |
| Alternate Cremation Container | $150 |
How Should I Pay My Premiums?
The best way to pay your premium is through a savings or checking account. We recommend you set a bank draft from your savings or checking account. That way, the bank will automatically pay your premium each month, and you don’t need to worry about your policy lapsing due to non-payment.
Hospitalization And Burial Insurance Riders
Insurance policy riders add benefits to your policy. Adding insurance riders will enhance your policy to fit your needs. Some riders are built into your policy, while others can be added at an additional cost. Most riders are affordable, and it involves little to no underwriting.
Here’s a list of common burial insurance riders:
| FUNERAL FUNDS ADD-ONS | AVAILABILITY |
|---|---|
| Terminal Illness Add-On Benefit | Included with most plans |
| Nursing Home Care Add-On Benefit | Included with most plans |
Why Should I Get Guaranteed Issue Burial Insurance When I’m In A Hospital?
People are in hospital due to different medical conditions and circumstances. Some are hospitalized temporarily, while others are due to terminal illness.
Buying a GI policy may mean you need to live for two years before you are fully covered for a natural cause of death. If you purchase coverage now, you start working on the waiting period immediately, and chances are you will outlive the waiting period.
If you outlive the waiting period by a single day, your beneficiaries will get the full death benefit from the life insurance company. While your family may not receive a large amount of cash from the policy, it will be enough to cover the funeral cost.
Having a life insurance policy to cover the cost of your funeral, as well as other medical bills and debts that you may have, can be the best gift you can leave to your family. Ensuring that your family won’t struggle financially when you pass away can offer peace of mind to all.
Postponing your application for burial insurance if you are hospitalized is not wise. Your health may decline at any moment, and you could develop other serious medical conditions in the future.
Buying burial insurance makes more financial sense because it has little risk, and you will never lose money with this plan. Even if you live less than the waiting period, your beneficiaries will still receive the entire amount you paid into the policy plus interest.
A guaranteed acceptance life insurance may be a little more expensive than other plans with full medical underwriting, but you don’t need to worry about being denied coverage because you’re in a hospital.
Your approval is guaranteed; whatever happens to you tomorrow, you have insurance protection.
Benefits Of Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance
NO MEDICAL EXAM OR HEALTH QUESTIONS
Guaranteed issue life insurance plan will be your best option if you are hospitalized because you are not required to answer health questions; there’s no medical exam either!
All you have to do is sign on the application over the phone or on your computer or laptop, we will send it to the insurance company, and it’s approved in a couple of minutes.
EASY TO QUALIFY – SIMPLE APPLICATION PROCESS
When you apply for a guaranteed issue plan, you only need to provide your personal information, beneficiary, and payment information. You will easily qualify for this plan, and all you need is the ability to sign your name on the application for coverage.
The company will not check your health history, check your prescription history, or pull your medical records. Your policy will be issued and mailed to you within a couple of days.
LEVEL PREMIUM
A guaranteed acceptance policy’s best benefit is that the monthly premium is fixed. Your monthly insurance bill will never increase because you locked in your premium at your current age and will remain for the rest of your life.
As long as you pay the monthly premiums on time it will never increase for any reason.
YOUR DEATH BENEFIT WILL NEVER DECREASE
Your death benefit is a fixed amount and is guaranteed to never decrease. Your beneficiaries will receive the 100% death benefit payout when you pass away after the waiting period.
NOT CANCELLABLE
Some policyholders complain about their life insurance canceling because of age or worsening health conditions. Guaranteed issue burial insurance, if you are hospitalized, will never cancel because of advancing age or declining health, as long as premiums are paid on time.
CASH VALUE ACCUMULATION
Guaranteed acceptance burial insurance is whole life insurance that accumulates cash value over the years. This accumulated cash value can be used for premium payment, or you can borrow the cash value to be used for whatever purpose you want.
YOU CAN PURCHASE MINIMAL COVERAGE
If you want to buy burial insurance to pay for your funeral and burial expenses, guaranteed issue policies allow you to buy as little as you need. You can choose between $2,000 to a maximum of $25,000.
HOW MUCH CAN YOU GET FROM A GUARANTEED ISSUE POLICY?
There is a wide range of guaranteed issue coverage options, from $2,000 to a maximum of $25,000. Your death benefit is fixed and will never decrease for any reason.
This death benefit is also not subject to Federal tax if paid to your beneficiary when you pass away.
We highly recommend that you let us compare premiums from several insurance companies before deciding to purchase a plan, as premiums among insurance carriers can differ significantly.
The Best Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance Policy
The best-guaranteed acceptance burial insurance policy will not have you wait more than two years to take effect. Some plans have three or even four-year waiting periods. 3-4 year waiting period plans are terrible, and you should avoid these plans.
Two years is the shortest period possible before your coverage is in full force. You don’t have to wait for more than that.
With guaranteed issue burial insurance, your application will be quick and easy because there are no medical exams or health questions. You may even be approved for coverage in 15 minutes!
Other Common Uses For Final Expense Life Insurance If You Are Hospitalized
All of these examples are appropriate uses for Final Expense Life Insurance:
- Burial insurance plan if you are hospitalized
- Cremation insurance plan if you are hospitalized
- Funeral home insurance plan if you are hospitalized
- Final Expense insurance plan if you are hospitalized
- Prepaid funeral plan insurance if you are hospitalized
- Mortgage payment protection plan if you are hospitalized Mortgage payoff life insurance plan if you are hospitalized
- Deceased spouse’s income replacement plan if you are hospitalized
- Legacy insurance gift plan to family or loved ones if you are hospitalized
- Medical or doctor bill life insurance plan if you are hospitalized
We can help you with any of the plans above. Your pricing will depend on your age, health, and coverage amount for each program option.
How Can Funeral Funds Help Me?
Finding a policy if you’re hospitalized needn’t be frustrating; working with an independent agency like Funeral Funds will make the process easier and quicker.
We will work with you every step to find the plan that fits your financial requirements and budget. You don’t have to waste your precious time searching for multiple insurance companies because we will do the work for you.
We work with many A+ rated insurance carriers that specialize in covering high-risk clients like you. We will search all those companies and match you up with the best burial insurance company that gives the best rate.
We will assist you in securing the coverage you need at a rate you can afford. So, if you are looking for hospitalized funeral, burial, or life insurance hospitalized. Fill out our quote form on this page or call us at (888) 862-9456, and we can give you accurate funeral insurance quotes.
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2 Comments
Pamela Nelson
My name is Pamela Nelson and I am the Power of Attorney for a friend who lives in a nursing home in Kentucky, but was recently hospitalized. I am looking to speak with someone who can help me with purchasing a policy that will cover his burial and life end expenses. Thank you.
Funeral Funds
Pamela – Here is an article we wrote about people in nursing homes. https://funeralfunds.com/burial-insurance-nursing-home-residents/