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How Burial Insurance Can Help Seniors in Illinois Save

Updated on Sept 11, 2025 • 6 min read

Funeral costs across America are rising, and seniors in Illinois are already burdened with above-average end-of-life expenses. Looking for a way to cover these rising costs ahead of time, seniors are turning to burial insurance in Illinois.


An affordable, reliable type of whole life insurance, burial insurance is the best way for seniors to cover funerals, cremations, burial plots, and other end-of-life expenses. As a leading burial insurance agency, Final Expense Benefits is here to help seniors find quality coverage, regardless of budget or health conditions.

To learn more about your options for burial insurance in Illinois, contact Final Expense Benefits at (866) 786-0725 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. To see how much coverage you need or how much it could cost, check our free online funeral cost calculator and personalized quoting tool.

Key takeaways

The average cost of a funeral in Illinois is $9,184, plus burial plot costs, a significant expense usually due up front.

Seniors in Illinois can cover funeral costs ahead of time with burial insurance.

Some states, like New York, have strict life insurance laws restricting access to coverage, but seniors enjoy many options for burial insurance in Illinois.

Final Expense Benefits works with over 20 of the top life insurance companies and can help you secure great coverage, regardless of health or budget.

Average Cost of a Funeral in Illinois

Just like the rest of the United States, funeral costs in Illinois are rising, with no end in sight. Costs for funerals in Illinois vary by the type of funeral, desired services, and more. Per Funeralocity, the average cost of a funeral in Illinois ranges from:

Springfield, Illinois, USA downtown city skyline with the state capital building.

These prices are for basic services and may vary depending on your location, desired funeral amenities, and more. Check our funeral cost calculator for more information.

Thankfully, seniors have a few options to cover end-of-life expenses ahead of time. The most reliable is burial insurance, which is designed with seniors in mind, with forgiving medical requirements and benefit payouts ideal for covering funeral costs.

1

Top Funeral Homes in Illinois

Here are some of the most popular funeral homes in Illinois:

Funeral Home Location Phone Number Customer Rating
Maryville, IL
4.9 / 5
Mount Vernon, IL
4.6 / 5
Carthage, IL
4.6 / 5
Belleville, IL
4.4 / 5
Freeport, IL
4.3 / 5

2

Average Illinois Funeral Cost Breakdown

Funeral costs in Illinois vary by your preferred funeral type and services. Traditional funerals are the most expensive funeral type, due to extensive costs for funeral home rentals, caskets, burial costs, and more. Remember that you are entitled to a detailed cost breakdown from your selected funeral home under the FTC funeral rule.

 

Here’s a breakdown of traditional funeral costs in Illinois:

  • Basic services
    General service fees from funeral homes include charges for funeral directors, necessary permits, and more.
  • Transport
    Funeral transportation costs include fees for transporting a body from a morgue and delivering a casket to a cemetery in a hearse. These costs will rise if a shuttle service for funeral attendees is required.
  • Service preparation
    Traditional open-casket funerals require expensive services to prepare the body for the memorial service, including embalming, clothing, and makeup.
  • Memorial service
    Memorial service fees include memorial officiants, flowers, decorations, funeral home rentals, and more. Costs will increase if you host a large gathering or have the funeral catered.
  • Casket
    Casket costs vary by material and casket construction quality, but an average wooden casket costs about $3,500.
  • Burial plot
    Burial plot costs vary widely by location. For example, the average cemetery cost of a cemetery plot will be much higher in densely populated urban areas like Chicago than in rural parts of Illinois.

 

Seniors can cover these costs and more with the right burial insurance policy. Burial insurance in Illinois is affordable and accessible, with few regulations. Illinois’ simple burial insurance laws help make policies and providers more reliable. Here’s how they work:

Illinois Burial Insurance Laws

Some states, such as New York, have strict life insurance laws that exclude seniors from most burial insurance options. Thankfully, Illinois’ life insurance laws are simple and do not restrict access to policies.

 

Laws for burial insurance in Illinois promote trust and healthy sales practices, allowing seniors to choose from all of Final Expense Benefits’ top-rated partner providers. Here are Illinois’ burial insurance requirements and how they work:

An aerial view of a green landscape under a cloudy sky on a sunny day
  • Incontestability clause
    Illinois state law forbids insurers from voiding life insurance policies after they have been in effect for two years, unless the policyholder fails to pay premiums.
  • Grace period
    Illinois requires insurers to provide policyholders a 30-day grace period for monthly premium payments.
  • Free look period
    New policyholders are granted a minimum of 10 days after receiving a paper copy of their life insurance policy to decide if they want to keep it. If they do not, they are required to be able to return the policy for a full refund.

 

Funeral costs in Illinois are high, but burial insurance rates are low, partially thanks to these common-sense, simple life insurance regulations.

The Best Funeral Insurance for Seniors: Burial Insurance in Illinois

Also called final expense insurance, burial insurance is a type of whole life insurance designed with seniors’ budget, health, and coverage needs in mind. It’s an affordable, reliable, and accessible way for seniors to secure lifelong coverage, providing benefits that grow in cash value and are ideal for covering their needs.


Rates are locked at the policy’s start, and average benefit payouts range from about $5,000 to $50,000, meaning burial insurance offers reliable coverage.

 

Chicago, Illinois, USA downtown city skyline from the south side at twilight.

Seniors in good health normally qualify for no-wait policies, thanks to the relaxed medical underwriting requirements most providers offer. For seniors with major pre-existing health conditions, guaranteed and modified policies are available, though they are pricier and provide smaller benefits. 


We typically recommend seniors apply early, while they are still in good health and can secure the best rates. But how much does burial insurance cost?

Rates for $10,000 Burial Insurance in Illinois

Rates for burial insurance in Illinois are affordable. Here are sample rates from one of Final Expense Benefits’ top partner life insurance providers, Mutual of Omaha, for a typical $10,000 burial insurance policy:

Age Monthly Rate (Male) Monthly Rate (Female)
50
$31
$24
55
$36
$28
60
$44
$33
65
$57
$41
70
$75
$53
75
$100
$72
80
$140
$98

These rates are calculated for a $10,000 burial insurance policy from Mutual of Omaha, using a non-smoking applicant with no pre-existing health conditions.

If you’re interested in quality burial insurance in Illinois from Mutual of Omaha or any of our other partner providers, contact Final Expense Benefits today, or check our free online quote tool for a personalized pricing estimate.

How Final Expense Benefits Helps You Find Burial Insurance in Illinois

As a leading life insurance brokerage, Final Expense Benefits is here to connect seniors to coverage from over 20 of the top burial insurance companies on the market. We work with only the best providers so that we can help you find quality, reliable, and affordable coverage.

 

Life insurance brokerages do the hard part for you – we can help you shop for policies from any of our life insurance partners, can help you pick out the best rates, and even handle your application for you. Call us at (866) 786-0725 from the comfort of your own home, and we can help you get quality, affordable burial insurance the easy way.

Best Burial Insurance in Illinois

Illinois seniors can select from any of Final Expense Benefits’ top-rated partners. All of our life insurance partners offer quality coverage, but here are some of our most popular picks for senior burial insurance in Illinois:

  • Aetna Accendo
    Backed by the resources of CVS Health, Aetna Accendo offers low-cost burial insurance with relaxed medical underwriting. With simple health requirements and low rates, Aetna Accendo makes a great choice for seniors with pre-existing health conditions.
The view of Baha'i House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, United States.

Best for: Seniors with pre-existing health concerns seeking flexible coverage.

  • American Amicable
    A smaller provider, American Amicable offers a variety of high-quality, affordable burial insurance policies. They also provide a variety of optional life insurance riders, allowing seniors with diverse health needs to customize their coverage.
    Best for: Seniors with complex health needs looking for customizable coverage.
  • Mutual of Omaha
    Mutual of Omaha is one of our top partner burial insurance providers, offering quality policies, low rates, and acclaimed customer service. Mutual of Omaha is a great choice, especially for seniors in good health seeking low rates.
    Best for: Seniors in good health looking for low rates.

Final Thoughts

Seniors in Illinois seeking low-cost coverage for their end-of-life expenses should get burial insurance. These policies provide growing cash value, benefits perfect for covering seniors’ needs, and affordable rates, perfect for seniors looking for reliable peace of mind.

 

Seniors seeking burial insurance in Illinois should contact Final Expense Benefits. We work with over 20 of the top burial insurance providers in Illinois and can help you secure coverage at any budget.

A tractor cultivating a beautiful wheat field against the blue sky.

To learn more about your options for burial insurance in Illinois, call us at (866) 786-0725 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. Check our free online funeral cost calculator and quoting tool to see how much coverage you may need or how much it could cost.

FAQ

How much does a funeral cost in Illinois?

The average cost of a funeral in Illinois is $9,184, and the average burial plot in Illinois costs $2,811. Prices vary by location, desired services, and more. For an accurate, personalized funeral cost estimate, check our free funeral cost calculator.

How can I lower funeral costs in Illinois?

Seniors can lower funeral costs in Illinois by using government resources like Social Security, Veterans Affairs resources, or by using non-traditional funeral services like direct burial, green burials, or burial at sea. However, the most reliable way to cover funeral costs is burial insurance.

Are there specific Chicago burial insurance laws?

Chicago doesn’t have any specific life insurance regulations different from Illinois’ requirements, and seniors enjoy a wide range of options for burial insurance in Chicago. Call us to learn more.

What is burial insurance?

A low-type of whole life insurance, burial insurance offers seniors accessible, reliable coverage. Average burial insurance payouts range from $5,000 to $50,000, plenty to cover the average cost of funerals in Illinois.

How much is burial insurance in Illinois?

Rates for burial insurance in Illinois vary by applicant age and health conditions, plus the value of the policy’s payout. Monthly rates for the typical $10,000 burial insurance policy range between $30 and $150 for seniors ages 50 to 80. Check our free online quoting tool for an accurate, personalized pricing estimate.

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