If you're over 60, funeral insurance is one option to support your family after you pass away. However, there may be better ways to cover the cost of your funeral.
Funeral insurance can help pay for your funeral expenses ahead of time.
Policies usually have a benefit of $5,000 to $15,000, and a maximum age of about 80.
It's not the only option out there, and there may be better ones to suit your needs.
What is funeral insurance?
Funeral insurance is a type of life insurance policy designed to help cover the costs of a funeral. You pay regular premiums, and when you die, your beneficiaries receive a lump sum payment to cover funeral expenses like burial costs, cremation fees, and funeral director fees. This can ease the financial burden on your loved ones during a difficult time.
Is funeral insurance worth it?
Funeral insurance is sometimes worth it, but it's definitely not for everyone. Funeral insurance can give you peace of mind to know that your funeral costs will be looked after from day one of your coverage, aside from exclusions or waiting periods like terminal illnesses. However, If you have funeral insurance for a long time, you may end up paying a lot more in premiums than you get in benefits - in that case you might be better off with one of the alternatives to funeral insurance.
Funeral insurance alternatives
There are a range of funeral insurance alternatives, some formal and some informal. They have their pros and cons, so aren't necessarily better or worse than funeral insurance, just different.
Prepaid funeral plan: This is the most common alternative to funeral insurance, allowing you to pre-pay for your funeral. It lets you lock in today's prices, protecting you from future price increases. It also caps the amount you'll have to pay.
Life insurance: A life insurance policy can provide a lump sum payment to your beneficiaries, which can be used to cover funeral expenses and other financial needs.
Savings account: You can set aside money in a savings account specifically for your funeral expenses.
Funeral Bond: A funeral bond is a bit like a savings account that's only allowed to be spent on a funeral. You buy them from funeral directors, friendly societies or life insurance companies.
Funeral insurance vs a pre-paid funeral
Pre-paid funerals are the main alternative to funeral insurance, so it's worth considering which is right for you. A pre-paid funeral plan lets you pay for a funeral over 3 years or so. This locks in today's prices and guarantees you won't pay more than the cost of a funeral in insurance premiums.
Pre-paid funerals will require to be able to pay the full cost of the funeral within a couple of years, often with an upfront deposit of 30% or more. If you can't manage that cost over the course of 3 years, then funeral insurance might be the best alternative for you.
Cost of a funeral in Australia
There can be a range of expenses for a funeral. These costs vary depending on how big it is and how elaborate you want it to be. Main costs include:
A cemetery plot, coffin, gravestone, hearse and funeral director, if you plan to be buried (estimated cost range: $4,000-$15,000).
A service, celebrant, urn and flowers if you plan to be cremated (estimated cost range: $2,000-$8,000).
Venue hire and catering, if there is to be a wake (estimated cost: $1,000).
Newspaper notices, obituaries and a death certificate (costs vary).
The added costs of cultural and religious requirements (costs vary).
Some of the key benefits of seniors funeral insurance can include:
Easy to apply. You can get a quote and take out a policy quickly and easily over the phone or online.
Guaranteed acceptance. Some policies will guarantee acceptance for people even up to 80 years of age.
No medical examinations. Funeral insurance generally won't require you to submit a medical history or undergo a medical assessment for pre-existing conditions. However, there are exceptions, which can be found below.
Fast payout when you die. Your benefit is generally paid out to your dependents within 2 business days of your death.
Lump sum payment. A cash payment is issued to your beneficiary to cover your final expenses. Many policies we compare let you choose a benefit amount from $5,000 to $15,000 in intervals of $1,000.
Accidental death cover. You will receive payment of the full benefit if you die due to an accident in the first year of holding your policy.
Terminal illness. If you are diagnosed with a terminal illness after the first year of holding your policy you will get a payout.
Never pay more in premiums than your sum insured. You may want to look for policies offering a "value guarantee", where the amount you pay in premiums doesn't exceed how much you're insured for.
How much does funeral insurance cost?
​​If the idea of your loved ones having to fork out between $4,000 and $15,000 at the time of your passing sounds dreary, then funeral insurance could be an ideal solution.
Seniors funeral insurance in Australia is usually higher and can cost from $16 per week for a 60-year-old looking for $8,000 worth of cover up to $29 for a 70-year-old.
Age restrictions usually apply when it comes to funeral insurance. The normal age range for eligibility is 45 to 79, but the maximum age varies between insurers and plans do exist that cater for older seniors, although medical assessment may be required.
Here are the age requirements for 3 funeral insurance brands:
Need more help choosing funeral insurance? Speak to an expert today
Frequently asked questions
That's up to you to decide based on your circumstances. Each of the insurers compared on Finder offer maximum cover of up to $15,000. When shopping around for the best cover for you, it's a good idea to look at price, policy features and the underwriter.
There is usually no medical underwriting involved with funeral insurance. However the exception is after a certain age (depending on the insurer), when a medical examination will be required before cover is offered. The only health question normally asked is whether you are a smoker. If you smoke, you will pay a higher premium.
Unfortunately, most insurers set a maximum entry age of 79 or 80 for new funeral policies. That's the case for 8 brands we reviewed on Finder. You may wish to speak with a financial adviser to see what life cover options may be available to you. One option you may have is a pre-paid funeral plan.
Funeral insurance will pay you out for a terminal illness after the policy's waiting period. This is usually a 12-month period, depending on the policy.
During the first 12 months of your policy, most insurers will only pay a benefit if you die as the result of an accident. If you are diagnosed with a terminal illness during that 12-month period, most policies will offer a refund on your premium payments.
Both have their merits. An over-50s life insurance policy pays out a lump sum when you die, and this can be put towards funeral costs along with other future expenses for your family. However, if you take out an over-50s policy in your early 60s and don't die for another 20 years or so, you could end up paying quite a bit more than you'd get when you die.
Funeral plans can be more straightforward products with faster payout times (typically, within a couple of days of a claim). You could also consider no-frills options like prepaid funeral plans, which are growing in popularity.
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To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Tim Bennett as part of our fact-checking process.
James Martin was the insurance editor at Finder. He has written on a range of insurance and finance topics for over 7 years. James often shares his insurance expertise as a media spokesperson and has appeared on Prime 7 News, Insurance News, 7NEWS and The Guardian. An experienced journalist, James' work has featured in publications including The Irish Times, Companies100 and In Business. He holds a Tier 1 General Insurance (General Advice) certification and a Tier 1 Generic Knowledge certification, both of which meet the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146). See full bio
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James has written 190 Finder guides across topics including:
With Funeral Plan from Guardian Insurance, protect your loved ones against the financial burden that they may have to endure when you pass away. The lump sum benefit can help pay your funeral expenses and any other expenses that may arise.
Looking for cheap funeral insurance? Avoid getting ripped off or paying more than you need with this handy guide.
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i have moved to new address and lost paperwork an cannot remember who i have my funeral policy with, can you help me
Hi Joy,
Thank you for your question.
Please note finder.com.au is a comparison and information service and not actually an insurer.
You might want to review you bank records as it should display your insurers name next to the debit for your premiums.
All the best,
Zubair