Final Expense & Burial Insurance in Indiana

In Indiana, the average cost for a burial and funeral is $5,600. This price tag doesn’t include the casket, flowers, and other miscellaneous things typically involved in a funeral. When you add up all the extras, final arrangements can easily top $9,000. And if you pass unexpectedly without an insurance policy, your family may struggle to pay those expenses.

Final expense insurance, also known as funeral insurance or burial insurance, can ease the burden to those left behind. In addition, it can help pay for other things like final utility bills, credit card balances, outstanding medical expenses, or other debts. And it will help ensure that you get the funeral that you desire.

Although it’s possible to purchase final expense insurance in all states, each state has different rules and regulations pertaining to funerals. Read along as we guide you through Indiana’s funeral rules.

Funeral & Burial Expectations in Indiana

Each state has rules about what happens to a body after death. These rules cover embalming, cremation, and burial. Here’s what you need to know about Indiana and its regulations.

Death Certificates

Indiana uses a system called the Indiana Death Registration System (IDRS) to record all deaths in the state. The funeral director is responsible for initiating the process. Once they complete their portion, the paperwork is released to the medical certifier, who can be the local coroner, physician, or health officer. This person enters the medical portion of the information and their unique PIN number. The death certificate is then transferred to the local health department. Once it is approved by that department, it is transferred to the State Department of Health for acceptance, then recorded and filed.

Embalming and Refrigeration

There are no laws in Indiana that require a body be embalmed. Refrigeration can be used when necessary, but no law guides the use of it.

Burial Requirements

Different states have various laws surround the burial of bodies, and Indiana is no different. The state doesn’t require you to use a casket, although the cemetery you choose might. But if you decide you want a casket, funeral homes are required to accept a casket brought from another establishment.

Indiana law does require that burials take place in an established cemetery within a “reasonable” period of time. (The state doesn’t define what that means.) If someone wants to bury a body on private land, they will have to work with local authorities to establish a cemetery on that land before doing so.

Cremation Services

In Indiana, the decision about burying or cremating a body can be made by the following people in this order:

1. The deceased (if they made their intentions known)
2. Someone who possesses a health care power of attorney
3. A spouse (If the spouse had filed for divorce or was separated from the deceased at the time of death, they no longer have this authority)
4. Children
5. Parents
6. Someone in the next degree of kinship

If you decide to scatter the ashes in Indiana, you will need to file a form documenting the disposition of the ashes with the county recorder within ten days.

 

Average Funeral Costs in Indiana

Funeral costs in Indiana vary greatly, and you will find them from $2,695 to $7,195 – but that doesn’t include things like a casket, transportation, flowers, or memorial services. And the costs from city to city also vary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Service Costs by Type

Service Type	Description	Average Cost	Price Range
Direct Cremation	No viewing or ceremony	$1,747	$1,395-$3,495
Immediate Burial	No viewing or ceremony	$2,100	$1,945-$3,260
Cremation Memorial	Includes facility fees, viewing, & service	$1,795	$1,595-$2,410
Full Service	Includes facility fees, viewing, embalming	$3,597	$2,695-$7,195

 

Indianapolis

Service Type	Average Cost	Price Range
Direct Cremation	$1,550	$1,395 - $1,995
Immediate Burial	$2,050	$1,995 - $3,010
Cremation Memorial	$1,830	$1,755 - $2,750
Full Burial	$5,820	$2,695 - $7,195

 

Lafayette

Service Type	Average Cost	Price Range
Direct Cremation	$1,950	$1,800 - $3,495
Immediate Burial	$3,300	$2,340 - $4,235
Cremation Memorial	$2,500	$2,297 - $3,700
Full Burial	$6,800	$4,505 - $7,975

 

Elkhart

Service Type	Average Cost	Price Range
Direct Cremation	$2,150	$1,875 - $2,840
Immediate Burial	$3,350	$3,260 - $3,540
Cremation Memorial	$3,550	$2,245 - $5,995
Full Burial	$7,300	$6,995 - $9,890

 

 

Help with Funeral Costs in Indiana

The cost of funerals goes up every year, but you can take some steps now to lighten the burden for your loved ones. After all, it will be a difficult time in their lives – the added stress of trying to figure out how to pay for a funeral can be avoided with a little planning.

 

Term Insurance

Term life insurance is a type of life insurance that is only good for a designated period of time. And once that period ends, you will have to apply for a new policy. But when you reapply, you will be older, and your health may have declined — both of which will cause your premiums to go up.

 

For instance, if you’re 60 years old when you buy a 10-year term life insurance policy, it will expire when you turn 70. At that time, you will have to reapply and pay higher premiums than you did for the past 10 years. Term life insurance is the least expensive life insurance policy, but your premiums will rise every time you have to renew your policy.

 

Final Expense Insurance

Whole life insurance is a permanent type of policy that lasts as long as you pay the premiums, and final expense insurance is a type of whole life policy. With this type of insurance, you will get one rate and keep that rate for as long as you have the policy. The payouts aren’t as high as other types of life insurance because they are meant specifically to pay for burial expenses and any other debt left behind by the deceased.

 

Pre-Need Plans

Another way to make sure your final expenses are covered is by paying for a pre-needs plan. This type of coverage is made with the funeral home of your choice. To arrange it, you will sit down with the funeral director at the funeral home and plan everything you want for your final arrangements. The funeral director will give you a price based on your wishes. The policy will be guaranteed — meaning that no matter what happens, the funeral home will provide the exact services you requested. You can also get a non-guaranteed pre-need plan, but your loved ones may have to add money to get the service you planned if prices go up.

 

If you decide to buy a pre-need plan, you should get clarifications on the funeral home’s policies before you sign an agreement. Perhaps most importantly, what happens to your money if the funeral home goes out of business or if you die in another state?

 

Government Assistance

The state of Indiana has a burial assistance program for people who fall under the following categories at the time of their death:

• Disabled
• Blind
• Aged
• Disabled working
• On SSI for disability
• In a residential care assistance program

 

The state doesn’t specify what amounts this state-funded program pays, but either the funeral home or the cemetery (not both) must submit a claim for someone who falls into one of the categories listed above.

Assistance for Veterans: All military veterans, their spouses, and dependent children are entitled to a free burial in a national cemetery. If the death is non-service related, the VA will pay up to $780 in burial expenses, provided that the deceased was hospitalized by the VA at the time of death. If not, the VA will pay $300 toward expenses.

Assistance for Disaster Victims: If someone dies as a result of a natural disaster, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will help with the cost of a casket or urn, services, transportation, death certificates, burial plot or cremation niche, cremation, and a marker or headstone provided you provide sufficient documentation.

 

Average Overall Rates for Final Expense Insurance in Indiana

When investing in a final expense life insurance policy, your age, sex, and health status will determine the amount of your premiums. Generally, men pay more for health insurance than women, and younger people pay less than those who are older.

 

You won’t have to take a health exam when buying burial insurance, but if you decide to answer a few questions about your health, your premium will be less. But it’s entirely up to you – you don’t have to answer any questions if you prefer not to.

 

 

Monthly Premium Rates for Men*

 

Monthly Premium Rates for Women*

Leading Causes of Death in Indiana

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, the top ten causes of death in Indiana are:

• Heart disease
• Cancer
• Chronic lower respiratory disease
• Accidents
• Stroke
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Diabetes
• Kidney disease
• Septicemia
• Suicide

No Exam in Indiana

When buying final expense insurance, you won’t have to undergo a medical exam. Instead, you will have the options of answering a few questions online about your health.

 

Free Look Period

Unlike many other states, Indiana doesn’t provide consumers with a legally mandated “free look” period. This is a period where buyers can book an insurance policy and cancel for a full refund if they do so in the allotted time. Regardless, most insurance companies provide a free look period of seven to 30 days. Be sure to ask about one before you sign.

How to Get Burial Insurance in Indiana

When buying life insurance in Indiana, your first step is to look for a company that you trust. Your insurance provider should have a solid reputation and substantial industry experience.

 

Next, think about the amount of coverage you need. Do you want to pay for your final expenses, or would you rather purchase a larger policy to leave a little something for your loved ones?

 

Finally, think about what kind of premiums you can afford. When buying a final expense insurance policy, you can save on your premiums if you answer a few health questions online.

And don’t forget to ask about extra benefits. For instance, Lincoln Heritage offers Funeral Advantage, a family support services plan for the loved ones of the deceased. These experts will help them save money while planning and implementing a funeral.