Free Guide to AARP Burial Insurance Options

Understanding AARP Burial Insurance and How It Works

Burial insurance, also called final expense insurance or funeral insurance, is a type of life insurance designed to help cover the costs associated with death. AARP offers burial insurance options through partner insurance companies, which means AARP members can explore these plans through AARP's platform. This type of insurance typically provides a death benefit that goes to beneficiaries to pay for funeral services, cremation, burial plots, headstones, and related expenses.

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The basic concept is straightforward: you pay premiums over time, and when you pass away, the insurance company pays out a set amount of money to whoever you name as your beneficiary. That person can then use the funds for funeral and burial costs, or for any other expenses they face. Unlike some other insurance products, burial insurance does not require a medical exam in most cases, which makes it accessible to people with existing health conditions.

AARP burial insurance plans typically range from $5,000 to $25,000 in death benefits, though some plans may offer different amounts. The premiums you pay depend on several factors, including your age, gender, health status, the amount of coverage you want, and whether you smoke. Younger people generally pay less per month than older people for the same coverage amount.

One important distinction: burial insurance is different from pre-need funeral plans. A pre-need plan is an agreement you make directly with a funeral home to lock in prices for specific services. Burial insurance is actual life insurance that provides cash to your family, giving them flexibility to choose any funeral home or make other decisions.

Practical takeaway: Before exploring any burial insurance option, list the funeral and burial costs you want to cover. Typical funeral expenses range from $7,000 to $12,000, which can help you determine how much coverage might be useful for your situation.

Key Differences Between AARP Burial Insurance Plans

AARP partners with multiple insurance companies to offer burial insurance products, and these plans have different features and structures. Understanding the differences helps you compare options and understand what each plan includes.

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One major difference is whether the plan requires underwriting. Some AARP burial insurance plans use simplified underwriting, meaning you answer health questions but do not need a medical exam. Other plans may use full underwriting, which involves more detailed health questions. A third type, called guaranteed issue burial insurance, requires no health questions at all—anyone within the age range can enroll. However, guaranteed issue plans typically cost more per month because the insurance company takes on more risk.

Another difference is the rate structure. Some plans have level premiums, meaning your monthly payment stays the same throughout your life. Other plans have increasing premiums, where your payment goes up as you age. Level premium plans cost more initially but provide predictability, while increasing premium plans start lower but become more expensive over time.

AARP burial insurance plans also differ in their waiting periods. A waiting period is a set amount of time after you enroll during which the insurance company will not pay out the full death benefit if you die from natural causes. Waiting periods typically range from none to three years, depending on the plan. Some plans may have longer waiting periods or different waiting periods for different causes of death. Accidental death is often covered immediately without a waiting period.

Coverage amounts vary as well. Some plans start at $5,000 and go up to $15,000, while others may offer higher amounts. You can usually increase or decrease your coverage, though this may require additional underwriting.

Practical takeaway: Make a simple comparison chart listing the premiums, coverage amounts, waiting periods, and underwriting type for each plan you are considering. This visual comparison makes it easier to see which plan might fit your needs and budget.

How to Understand Premium Costs and What Affects Your Rate

The cost of AARP burial insurance depends on several specific factors that insurance companies evaluate. Your age is the single biggest factor—a 50-year-old will pay significantly less per month than an 80-year-old for the same coverage amount. This is because older people are statistically more likely to file a claim sooner.

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Your health status also affects your premium. If you have conditions like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or respiratory problems, you will likely pay more than someone without those conditions. Some plans ask detailed health questions to assess your risk, while others do not ask health questions at all. Plans that do not require health questions (guaranteed issue plans) typically charge higher premiums across the board to account for the unknown health status of enrollees.

Tobacco use significantly increases premiums—sometimes doubling the cost. If you smoke cigarettes, use cigars, pipes, or chewing tobacco, or use nicotine replacement products, insurance companies will classify you as a tobacco user and charge tobacco rates. Some plans define tobacco use differently, so it is worth understanding the specific definition in each plan you consider.

Your gender affects your rate as well. Women typically pay less than men for the same coverage because, on average, women live longer. This is standard across the insurance industry.

The coverage amount you choose directly impacts your cost. Choosing a $10,000 benefit costs less per month than choosing a $20,000 benefit. However, the per-thousand cost may be similar, so the relationship is predictable.

Some plans offer rate locks, meaning your premium will never increase due to age. Other plans have guaranteed premiums, which means your rate is set when you enroll and will not change based on changes in your health. However, some plans do increase premiums as you age, even if your health stays the same.

Practical takeaway: Get a quote from at least two different AARP burial insurance plans so you can see how these factors affect your personal rate. Most companies allow you to get a rate quote online without committing to anything, so compare before deciding.

Medical Underwriting: What to Expect and How It Affects Approval

When you explore a burial insurance plan through AARP, you will need to answer health questions. How detailed these questions are depends on the type of plan. Understanding the underwriting process helps you know what information to prepare and what to expect.

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Simplified underwriting plans ask a series of yes-or-no health questions. These questions typically cover major health conditions you have been diagnosed with, medications you take, hospital visits you have had, and whether you have applied for life insurance elsewhere in the past year. Most people can answer these questions in a few minutes. If you answer no to all health questions, you may be approved within hours or a day.

If you answer yes to any health question, the insurance company reviews your answers more carefully. They may request medical records from your doctor, or they may contact your doctor directly to ask about your condition. This process takes longer—typically one to two weeks. The insurance company uses this information to decide whether to approve you and at what rate.

Full underwriting plans involve more extensive health questions and may require a medical exam. Depending on the plan, this could be a phone interview with a nurse, a visit from a nurse to your home, or a visit to a lab for blood work and other tests. Full underwriting takes longer but provides the insurance company with more detailed health information.

Guaranteed issue plans ask no health questions at all. With these plans, anyone within the age range (usually 40 to 85 or 50 to 85) can enroll without providing any health history. This makes approval very fast—often the same day. The trade-off is that guaranteed issue plans have higher premiums and longer waiting periods, because the insurance company has no health information to assess risk.

If you are denied coverage, some plans may offer alternatives. You might be offered coverage at a higher premium, or you might be offered a lower benefit amount at your requested premium. AARP plans should clearly explain any denial and your options.

Practical takeaway: Before applying, gather a list of any medications you take and any hospitalizations or major diagnoses you have had in the past five years. Having this information ready will make the application process faster and more accurate.

The Waiting Period Explained: When Your Coverage Becomes Active

Most AARP burial insurance plans include a waiting period, also called an elimination period or incontestability period. This is an important feature to understand because it affects when the full death benefit will be paid out.

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A waiting period means that if you die from natural causes during the waiting period,