Final Expense and Burial Insurance in West Virginia
In 2021, the national median cost of a funeral with a burial was $9,420, including the price of a vault. The cost of cremation was $6,971. The figures come from a study conducted by the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA). While funeral costs are not matching inflation rates, they are nonetheless increasing: Over the last five years, the price for a funeral with burial has risen by 6.6%, while the price for a funeral with cremation has risen by 11.3%.
The NFDA also reports the average price of funerals in each state.
This article will focus on funeral prices in West Virginia.
How to Get Burial Insurance in West Virginia
Ensuring that your final expenses are covered is an important part of protecting your loved ones against financial difficulties. As the price of funerals continues to rise, it makes sense to provide them with the resources to make your funeral as easy and stress-free as possible.
To find the policy that best suits your needs, you will need to find the right insurance company. Search for one that has built a great reputation over the years of loyally attending to its clients. Remember, you want to do business with a company that will be there when you need it.
Once you’ve found the right insurer, it’s time to reach out and get a quote. The insurance company will look at your age, sex, and health to give you a customized quote. Lincoln Heritage is a well-known insurance company that has served its clients for years. If you would like to speak to them, start by requesting a quote to see what your monthly premiums would be.
Funeral and Burial Expectations in West Virginia
The median cost of a funeral in West Virginia is $7,847. That price includes a casket that costs $1,500 and a vault price (national average) of $1,507. The other things that make up the cost are:
- A non-declinable basic services fee
- Removal and/or transfer of remains to the funeral home
- Embalming
- Other preparation of the body
- Use of the facilities and staff for the viewing
- Use of the facilities and staff for the funeral ceremony
- Use of the service car or van
- Printed materials such as the memorial package
- Vault
- Cremation fee (if the funeral home uses a third party)
- Cremation casket
- Urn
Death Certificate
In West Virginia, it is not necessary to hire a funeral director. The state law permits anyone to take possession of the deceased’s body. And anyone who takes possession of the body can file the death certificate. And the state allows people the right to create a Medical Power of Attorney, which designates who will handle their funeral arrangements.
The death certificate must be filed within five days of the death and before the final disposition. The deceased’s doctor or the medical examiner has two days after the death to fill out the death certificate with the time, date, and causes of death and get it to whoever is filing it.
Burial Requirements
West Virginia is one of the most lenient states when it comes to burial rules. It does not have mandates that the body is embalmed, buried, or cremated within a certain amount of time. The state also does not have restrictions for burying a body on private land, but it would be wise to contact local authorities before doing so.
Cremation
To cremate a body in West Virginia, you must first get written permission from the medical examiner or the county coroner. And although West Virginia does not have laws about how a body must be cremated, some crematories may require that a funeral director arranges the procedure.
If you want to spread the ashes, you won’t have many rules to follow. You can spread them on private land or in a scattering cemetery, or you can spread them on public land. You may want to get permission to spread them on public property to protect yourself. If you spread the ashes at sea, you are required to do so at least three miles from the shore. And spreading ashes by air is permitted, but remember to remove the ashes from the urn before doing so.
Average Funeral Costs in West Virginia
West Virginia cities all have varying costs when it comes to funerals. The price you pay will not only depend on which city you live in but also on what kind of service you have. For instance, if you request special mementos or nice flower arrangements, the cost will go up.
But to give you an idea of the cost, here are two cities in West Virginia and what you can expect to pay for funerals in them.
The average cost of a funeral in Charleston is $8,381. The general prices in Charleston are:
| Service | Average Cost |
| Basic services | $2,328 |
| Visitation and viewing | $541 |
| Ceremony | $553 |
| Graveside service | $58 |
| Remains transportation | $321 |
| Direct burial | $293 |
| Direct cremation | $1,943 |
| Embalming | $772 |
| Vault | $1,572 |
The average price for a funeral in Clarksburg is $8,533. The general prices in Clarksburg are:
| Service | Average Cost |
| Basic services | $2,032 |
| Visitation and viewing | $385 |
| Ceremony | $440 |
| Graveside Service | $190 |
| Remains transportation | $231 |
| Direct burial | $847 |
| Direct cremation | $1,967 |
| Embalming | $869 |
| Vault | $1,572 |
Funerals cost vary from city to city, so it’s important that you speak to several funeral homes in your city to learn about the average costs you can expect to pay.
A Note About Vaults
You will likely have to purchase a vault when burying a loved one because many cemeteries require it. A vault, also called an outer grave liner, prevents the soil from collapsing when machinery runes over it or from the weight of the soil. You will have several choices when it comes to vaults and each options comes with a different price.
Here are your options:
- Basic, unlined concrete grave liner: $400 and $1,500
- Basic plastic- or steel-reinforced sealed concrete vault: $600-$2,000
- Double-reinforced vault of heavy concrete lined with plastic, porcelain enamel, or metal: $2,000-$4,000
- Premium metal burial vaults or vaults covered with a veneer of fake marble or granite: $2,000-$16,000+
- Protective urn vaults for cremains: $125-$900+
Help With Funeral Costs in West Virginia
The rising costs of funerals mean that more and more people are looking for ways to help their loved ones pay the costs of their funerals. Here are a few ways that you can ensure that your final expenses are covered so your loved ones won’t have to foot the bill.
Term Insurance
Term life insurance is one way that people ensure that their funeral costs are covered. Term life is a type of insurance policy that is good for only a pre-determined amount of time. You can get term life insurance policies in increments of 10, 20, and even 30 years. But here’s the caveat: Once that term ends, you are no longer insured and will have to purchase a new policy. But at that time you are older and your health may have declined, so your premiums will go up in cost.
Final Expense Insurance
If you prefer life insurance that does not expire after a term, you should look at whole life insurance. These policies are good until you pass as long as the premiums are paid. Final expense insurance is a form of whole life insurance. The difference between final expense insurance, also known as burial insurance and funeral insurance, is that the face value of the policy is typically $20,000 or less. In other words, the policy payout is typically just enough to pay for a funeral and any outstanding bills.
Pre-need Insurance
A less-known way to prepay for your funeral is with pre-need insurance. This method is not like having a typical insurance policy because you purchase it through a funeral home. A pre-need insurance policy is an agreement with a funeral home where you prepay for your funeral and after you pass, the funds will be used for your funeral expenses. There are two types of pre-need insurance.
The first is guaranteed pre-need insurance. With this type of policy, you are assured that the funeral you plan with the funeral home will be done, no matter how much the costs increase. This policy is more expensive because you are paying the cost of the funeral plus projected inflation rates.
You can also purchase non-guaranteed pre-need insurance. With this type of policy, you pay today’s rate for your planned funeral, and at the time you pass, your loved ones will have to decide whether to make up the difference because of the increased costs or plan a less expensive funeral and use only the funds that you paid.
When looking at these plans, it’s important to choose the funeral home wisely. Look for one that has been in business for a long time and is financially stable. Also, you should ask the funeral director some questions. For instance, what happens if you pass in another state? Or what would happen to your money if the funeral home went out of business?
Government Assistance
If you are having trouble paying for a funeral, local and federal governments may be able to help. The federal government offers a one-time payment of $255 via the Social Security Administration to help pay the costs. Surviving spouses and children of the deceased may qualify for this payment.
Additionally, West Virginia has a program for indigent people to help with burial expenses. The state offers up to $1,000, depending on the financial status of the deceased and their family.
Average Overall Rates for Final Expense Insurance in West Virginia
Final expense insurance is a great tool that will allow you to ensure that your burial expenses, plus any outstanding final bills, are covered. When you have one of these policies, your loved ones won’t have to come up with thousands of dollars for your funeral expenses.
Here are some examples of the premiums you might pay. Remember, your premium will be based on your age, sex, and current health status.
Monthly Premium Rates for Men*
| $5,000 Death Benefit | ||
| Age | Determined 'In Good Health' by Insurer | No Health Questions Asked |
| 50 | $16 | $20 |
| 55 | $19 | $24 |
| 60 | $23 | $29 |
| 65 | $29 | $35 |
| 70 | $38 | $44 |
| 75 | $51 | $63 |
| 80 | $65 | $82 |
* Estimated rates do not reflect the rates of any particular life insurance company.
| $10,000 Death Benefit | ||
| Age | Determined 'In Good Health' by Insurer | No Health Questions Asked |
| 50 | $30 | $40 |
| 55 | $35 | $46 |
| 60 | $43 | $57 |
| 65 | $56 | $68 |
| 70 | $74 | $88 |
| 75 | $100 | $125 |
| 80 | $126 | $162 |
* Estimated rates do not reflect the rates of any particular life insurance company.
Monthly Premium Rates for Women*
| $5,000 Death Benefit | ||
| Age | Determined 'In Good Health' by Insurer | No Health Questions Asked |
| 50 | $14 | $15 |
| 55 | $16 | $18 |
| 60 | $18 | $24 |
| 65 | $22 | $28 |
| 70 | $28 | $35 |
| 75 | $38 | $46 |
| 80 | $48 | $64 |
* Estimated rates do not reflect the rates of any particular life insurance company.
| $10,000 Death Benefit | ||
| Age | Determined 'In Good Health' by Insurer | No Health Questions Asked |
| 50 | $25 | $28 |
| 55 | $28 | $36 |
| 60 | $33 | $45 |
| 65 | $41 | $55 |
| 70 | $53 | $69 |
| 75 | $72 | $90 |
| 80 | $93 | $126 |
* Estimated rates do not reflect the rates of any particular life insurance company.
Leading Causes of Death in West Virginia
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the leading causes of death in West Virginia are:
- Heart disease
- Cancer
- Accidents
- Chronic lower respiratory diseases
- COVID
- Diabetes
- Stroke
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Kidney disease
- Influenza/pneumonia
No Exam in Arkansas
Not everyone wants to take a medical exam to get insurance. The good news is that if you’re one of those people, you have the option to purchase final expense insurance without submitting to a medical exam. Rather than taking the exam, you only have to answer a few questions about your current health.
Free Look Period
If you purchase an insurance policy in West Virginia, the state mandates that you receive a 10-day free look period. That means from the date of the issuance of the policy, you will have ten days to look over the policy and decide whether you want to keep it. If you decide that you don’t, you must be given a full refund by the insurance company.