How much does burial insurance cost in Texas?

For $10,000 of level-benefit coverage, a non-tobacco Texan in reasonable health generally pays about $32–$55 a month at age 50, $45–$78 at 60, $70–$125 at 70, and $135–$235 at 80. Tobacco use typically adds 40–70%. Rates are state-filed, so no agent can discount them.

Do I need a medical exam for burial insurance in Texas?

No. Simplified-issue final expense uses health questions plus a prescription-history and MIB check — no blood draw, no paramed visit. Most applications are approved or declined within minutes to a few days.

What is the difference between level and graded benefits?

A level-benefit policy pays the full face amount from day one. A graded or guaranteed-issue policy pays only a partial benefit — or a return of premiums plus roughly 10% interest — for non-accidental death in the first two years, and costs 30–50% more per dollar of coverage.

What ages can buy burial insurance in Texas?

Most carriers issue from age 50 to 85, with a few starting at 45 and Gerber Life's guaranteed-issue plan ending at 80. Face amounts run $5,000 to $40,000; above that, a small fully underwritten whole life policy is usually cheaper per dollar.

Is there a Texas state burial benefit?

No. Texas has no state funeral program, and the Social Security lump-sum death payment is $255, paid only to an eligible spouse or child. Mailers that look like government notices are lead generation, not a public benefit.

Can the insurer cancel my policy or raise the premium?

No. Final expense is whole life: the premium is level for life, the death benefit never decreases, and coverage cannot be canceled for health changes once issued and premiums are paid. Texas also gives you a free-look window (commonly 30 days on senior-marketed products) for a full refund.

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Burial & final expense · Texas

Burial Insurance in Texas

Burial insurance in Texas costs a healthy 60-year-old roughly $45–$78 a month for $10,000 of level-benefit coverage — no medical exam, premiums locked for life. Below are Texas rates by age, how level and graded benefits differ, and which carriers underwrite common senior health conditions best.

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Key takeaways

Burial (final expense) insurance is small whole life — typically $5,000–$40,000, issue ages 50–85, health questions but no exam.
Most Texas families need $10,000–$20,000: funeral plus plot, opening/closing, headstone, and unpaid medical bills.
If you can answer "no" to the knockout questions, buy a level-benefit policy — guaranteed issue costs 30–50% more and pays nothing but premiums back for two years.
Premiums are state-filed and level for life; the carrier cannot raise them or cancel for health changes.
The benefit is cash to your beneficiary, not a funeral home credit — a pre-need contract is a different, non-portable product.

What does burial insurance cost in Texas?

Monthly premiums for $10,000 of level-benefit final expense whole life, non-tobacco, reasonable health. These are illustrative planning ranges drawn from current A-rated carrier filings, not a quote — tobacco use typically adds 40–70%.

Sample monthly Texas burial insurance premiums for $10,000 of coverage
Issue age	Female	Male
50	$32–$44	$40–$55
60	$45–$62	$58–$78
70	$70–$95	$92–$125
80	$135–$180	$175–$235

Rates and policy forms are filed with the Texas Department of Insurance. Funeral cost medians come from the National Funeral Directors Association.

Burial insurance estimate calculator

Pick a benefit amount and your age to see a planning range for level-benefit final expense coverage in Texas. Estimates only — your real rate depends on health answers and prescriptions.

Benefit amountAge (50–85)

Applicant

Estimated monthly premium

$58–$79

$10,000 level benefit · age 65 · female · non-tobacco

Annual (midpoint): $816
Cost per $1,000 of benefit: $6–$8/mo
Guaranteed issue instead: +30–50% ($75–$118)

Get a real quote for $10,000

Ranges interpolate the state-filed carrier pricing shown in the table above and assume level-benefit underwriting. Height/weight, insulin history, and recent cardiac events can move you to graded or guaranteed-issue pricing. This is an educational estimate, not an offer of insurance.

Level, graded, or guaranteed issue?

This one decision moves the price more than any other. The most common mistake in the Texas senior market is a healthy 68-year-old with controlled blood pressure buying a guaranteed-issue policy off a TV ad — graded pricing for a body that would sail through simplified-issue underwriting.

Level benefit

Full face amount from day one. Health questions plus a prescription check, no exam. Lowest cost. Most Texans 50–85 in reasonable health qualify.

Graded benefit

Partial benefit (often 30–40%) in year one, full benefit from year three. A middle tier for applicants who miss level underwriting.

Guaranteed issue

No health questions, but non-accidental death in years 1–2 returns premiums plus about 10% interest. Costs 30–50% more. Buy only if knockout answers rule out the rest.

Typical knockout questions: nursing home, hospice, or home health care now; oxygen for a lung condition; dialysis; organ transplant, ALS, AIDS, or metastatic cancer; stroke or heart attack in the past 12–24 months; insulin started before age 50; terminal diagnosis. The Texas burial insurance buyer's guide walks through each one in detail.

How much coverage do Texas families actually need?

Funeral and viewing: $8,000–$12,000

NFDA median for a funeral with viewing and burial. Austin, Dallas, and Houston run above the state median; rural counties below.

Cemetery costs: $2,000–$5,000

The plot plus opening and closing fees are billed separately from the funeral home, and families routinely miss them.

Headstone and travel: $1,500–$4,000

Marker, engraving, and airfare for out-of-state children arriving on short notice.

Cleanup bills: $2,000–$5,000

Unpaid medical balances, a credit card, and a month or two of household bills while the estate settles.

That lands most Texas households at $10,000–$20,000. Above roughly $40,000, compare a small fully underwritten Texas whole life policy — it is often cheaper per dollar of death benefit if your health allows it.

Which carriers are most competitive for Texas burial insurance?

Richard Parslow is independent (NPN 20873424, Texas license 3076729) and shops 30+ carriers. Because final-expense rates are state-filed, the shopping is really about whose underwriting grid treats your medications and history most kindly.

Mutual of Omaha

Level benefit up to age 85, forgiving on controlled diabetes and blood-pressure meds. Fast e-app decisions.

Aetna (CVS Health)

Competitive $10k–$25k level pricing at ages 60–75; accepts several cardiac histories outside the 12-month window.

Royal Neighbors

Strong female rates and a living-benefit rider at no extra premium on most final-expense plans.

Foresters Financial

Member benefits on top of the death benefit; reasonable underwriting for COPD and past cancer.

Americo

Useful middle tier when a level-benefit decline is likely but guaranteed issue would be overpriced.

Gerber Life

True guaranteed issue, ages 50–80, no health questions — the fallback when knockout answers rule everything else out.

Burial insurance questions Texans ask

How much does burial insurance cost in Texas?: For $10,000 of level-benefit coverage, a non-tobacco Texan in reasonable health generally pays about $32–$55 a month at age 50, $45–$78 at 60, $70–$125 at 70, and $135–$235 at 80. Tobacco use typically adds 40–70%. Rates are state-filed, so no agent can discount them.
Do I need a medical exam for burial insurance in Texas?: No. Simplified-issue final expense uses health questions plus a prescription-history and MIB check — no blood draw, no paramed visit. Most applications are approved or declined within minutes to a few days.
What is the difference between level and graded benefits?: A level-benefit policy pays the full face amount from day one. A graded or guaranteed-issue policy pays only a partial benefit — or a return of premiums plus roughly 10% interest — for non-accidental death in the first two years, and costs 30–50% more per dollar of coverage.
What ages can buy burial insurance in Texas?: Most carriers issue from age 50 to 85, with a few starting at 45 and Gerber Life's guaranteed-issue plan ending at 80. Face amounts run $5,000 to $40,000; above that, a small fully underwritten whole life policy is usually cheaper per dollar.
Is there a Texas state burial benefit?: No. Texas has no state funeral program, and the Social Security lump-sum death payment is $255, paid only to an eligible spouse or child. Mailers that look like government notices are lead generation, not a public benefit.
Can the insurer cancel my policy or raise the premium?: No. Final expense is whole life: the premium is level for life, the death benefit never decreases, and coverage cannot be canceled for health changes once issued and premiums are paid. Texas also gives you a free-look window (commonly 30 days on senior-marketed products) for a full refund.

Keep reading

Burial insurance in Texas: complete senior buyer's guide — knockout questions, red flags, and pre-need contracts.
Whole life insurance in Texas — when a larger underwritten policy costs less per dollar.
Term life insurance in Texas — the cheaper answer if you are under 60 and healthy.
Texas life insurance product navigator — four questions to see which product family fits.

Price your Texas burial policy

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