Shopping for final expense coverage as a couple
When one spouse starts thinking about funeral costs, the other is usually not far behind. Final expense insurance is a smaller whole life policy meant for funeral costs and final bills, and each policy insures one person. So Tennessee couples who want both funerals covered usually compare a plan for each spouse.
The two policies do not have to match. One spouse may want more coverage, one may use tobacco and the other not, and your health histories may point to different plan types.
Each spouse answers for their own health
Each person being insured answers their own health questions. Many insurers ask about diagnosis dates, hospital stays, medications such as insulin, oxygen use, tobacco use and whether help is needed with daily activities. Because the answers differ, one spouse may qualify for a level benefit plan, with the full benefit usually paid from the first day, while the other is offered a graded plan.
The spouse on a graded plan would have a waiting period: if death from natural causes came in the first two or three years, the policy would pay a reduced amount. And if one of you could not meet any insurer's health questions, a guaranteed issue plan could still cover that spouse, with a limited benefit for a natural-cause death in the first two years. Accidental death is usually paid in full from the start on all of these.
Talk to a licensed agent: (949) 807-3995
Buying a policy for your husband or wife
Sometimes one spouse handles the household paperwork and wants to set up coverage for the other. That works, with two conditions. The person insured must agree to the policy and usually takes part in the application by answering the health questions and signing, and the buyer needs an insurable interest. It is usually easiest when both of you are on the call together, so each person can answer their own questions.
Choosing amounts and beneficiaries
Each spouse's number can start from the same benchmark. The National Funeral Directors Association reported in its 2023 General Price List Study that the national median funeral cost $8,300 with viewing and burial, or $6,280 with viewing and cremation. Add cemetery, plot, monument or marker costs if they apply, since the medians leave those out. Face amounts often run from a few thousand dollars up to about $50,000.
Premiums are usually level, and each policy stays in force as long as its premiums are paid, so look at the two premiums together before you decide.
- Decide whether each of you wants burial or cremation
- Pick a face amount for each spouse, not one number for both
- Name each other as beneficiary, and consider who comes next
- Check that both premiums together fit your budget
Calling together from Tennessee
On the call, the agent takes each spouse in turn: date of birth, tobacco use and the insurers' health questions. Quotes from several insurers are then compared for both of you, and the right fit for one spouse may come from a different insurer than the other. You can each apply by phone on the same call, and the quote is free with no obligation.
Because Tennessee spans two time zones, the hours depend on where you live: Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm Central time in Middle and West Tennessee, or 9am to 9pm Eastern time in East Tennessee. Eterna's licensed agents help Tennessee residents compare plans from several insurers, and plans, prices and availability vary by state, insurer, age and health. The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance lets you look up an agent's license at https://www.tn.gov/commerce/insurance-division.html.
