Known across the nation as a “Sportsman’s Paradise” and for its rich, unique Cajun culture, Louisiana is known for many great things. What doesn’t get talked about enough, especially amongst seniors and retirees, is the vast selection of burial insurance carriers in the Pelican State.
In short, burial insurance—also known as final expense insurance or funeral insurance—refers to an affordable form of whole life insurance meant to cover end-of-life costs.
Final Expense Benefits has partnered up with some of the biggest providers on the life insurance market to help you and your loved ones find the right policies that best suit your budget and health needs.
Get familiar with the options available in your state, use our free online quoting tool, learn more about burial coverage, and call us at (866) 786-0725, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.
Key takeaways
- Not including additional burial plot costs, the average funeral in Louisiana is $8,653—a total that can be handled with burial insurance.
- Funeral costs in Louisiana are slightly higher than the national average.
- Final expense providers such as Mutual of Omaha, Americo, and Aetna Accendo can offer policies with competitive rates.
- Like many other states, Louisiana does not have any specific laws that affect the ability to apply for and/or use burial insurance.
Average Cost of a Funeral in Louisiana
In general, you can expect to pay slightly above the national average from anywhere around 1-6% for funerals and cremations in Louisiana.
According to Funeralocity, you can expect the following prices (on average):
- Traditional Funeral with burial service: $8,653 + $2,701 state-average burial plot cost
- Direct burial: $3,000
- Full Service Cremation: $6,378
- Direct cremation: $2,312
Prices for basic services may vary depending on location, desired funeral amenities, and more. Check out Final Expense Benefits’ funeral cost calculator for more information.
Top Funeral Homes in Louisiana
Louisiana is home to many top-rated funeral homes—take a look at some select locations below (contact them for more accurate LA funeral cost estimates):
| Funeral Home | Location | Phone Number | Average Customer Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Franklin, LA |
5.0 / 5.0 |
||
|
Lafayette, LA |
4.7 / 5.0 |
||
|
Baton Rouge, LA |
4.5 / 5.0 |
||
|
Monroe, LA |
4.3 / 5.0 |
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|
New Orleans, LA |
4.0 / 5.0 |
In addition to traditional burial and cremation, natural burial sites are limited in Louisiana. Those types of burial methods allow for the deceased to decompose naturally, typically require fewer resources and steps, and can be a more affordable option in comparison to traditional burial and cremation methods.
Louisiana Funeral Cost Breakdown
There are many parts to a memorial service, which ultimately increase costs. Here are some of the main services and products that you and your loved ones will have to keep in mind when planning to use your final expense insurance policy:
- Basic Services: usually includes expenses such as licensing, funeral director fees, relevant permits, and more. Average costs for these services in Louisiana are around $2,282.
- Transportation: such fees here include the hearse responsible for transporting the body of the dearly departed and the general delivery to the burial site. The Pelican State’s price for this service averages around $900.
- Service Preparation: most traditional funerals require body preparation for the deceased. In the state of Louisiana, embalming or refrigeration is required if bodies are not scheduled for burial or cremation within 30 hours of initial death. Services cost $1,106.
- Funeral Service: charges for funeral home rentals, memorial decorations, and more. Louisiana averages around $865 for this sort of amenity.
- Casket: the national median cost for a standard wooden casket is approximately $3,500. No state law in Louisiana requires you or your loved ones to purchase a casket for burial or cremation. However, it’s considered best practice to contact burial sites beforehand, as they may have their own rules.
- Burial Plot: average burial plot costs here average around $2,701. The price of a burial plot is ultimately going to vary depending on what type of site (single, companion, family, cremation) and where (rural, urban) you plan to lay the dearly departed to rest.
All of these components can be covered with a solid burial insurance policy. Average final expense insurance plans payout anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000. And in Louisiana, you don’t have to worry about any laws, rules, or regulations affecting accessibility to such life insurance coverage.
Louisiana Funeral Rules and Regulations
In some areas of the US, there are state-specific laws relating to burial insurance. Take a look at some of the unique laws and how they might affect seniors in Louisiana:
Free Look Period
Under Louisiana law, life insurance providers are mandated to grant new policyholders a free look period of at least 10-days. The free look period is the required time during which a new life insurance policyholder can terminate a coverage plan without incurring penalties and receive a refund if a payment was made during a 10-day period. Additionally, policyholders in Louisiana have a 30-day late payment grace period to pay missed premiums before the issuing company can legally cancel a policy for nonpayment.
FTC Funeral Rule
Across every state, the Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule entitles everyone to price transparency when it comes to funeral-related products and services by requiring funeral homes to provide written itemized pricing for final expense products and services. This rule is federally mandated for all providers across the US.
Embalming Requirements
In Louisiana, bodies of the deceased must either be embalmed or refrigerated if burial or cremation isn’t scheduled to occur within 30 hours of initial death.
Private Property Burials
All bodies in the state must be buried in established cemeteries. If you or a loved one is interested in burying a body on private land, consider looking into establishing a family cemetery. In that case, you’ll want to check in with the county/town clerk to ensure that you comply with all local zoning laws and rulings before contacting the Louisiana Cemetery Board.
Home Funeral Requirements
Louisiana is one of 10 states that have restrictions on home funerals due to funeral director requirements. By state law, you must use a funeral director in Louisiana, and they must oversee the final disposition of a body. All human remains are required to be “disposed of and prepared through a funeral establishment and under the supervision of a licensed funeral home or embalmer.”
On top of that, despite requiring a funeral director to carry out disposition arrangements, Louisiana law also determines who has the right to make final decisions about a person’s body and funeral services. Those rights and responsibilities go to the following people (in order of priority):
- Whoever is appointed via instructions prior to someone’s death
- The deceased’s surviving spouse
- The deceased’s adult children
- The deceased’s adult grandchildren
- The deceased’s parents
- The deceased’s siblings
- The next of kin
- A public administrator
How Do Burial Rates in Louisiana Compare to National Rates?
In Louisiana, burial insurance can be found and purchased through many providers at any budget for any age and any condition. Here are some sample burial insurance rates statewide and how they compare with nationwide averages:
Sample National Burial Insurance Rates
| Company | Male 50 y/o | Male 60 y/o | Male 70 y/o | Female 50 y/o | Female 60 y/o | Female 70 y/o |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
$31 |
$44 |
$75 |
$24 |
$33 |
$53 |
|
|
$34 |
$51 |
$73 |
$27 |
$41 |
$58 |
|
|
$32 |
$47 |
$79 |
$27 |
$38 |
$60 |
|
|
$40 |
$52 |
$86 |
$34 |
$41 |
$66 |
|
|
$31 |
$43 |
$70 |
$24 |
$33 |
$53 |
For $10K policies with non-smoking applicants and no-pre-existing conditions.
Sample Burial Rates in Louisiana
| Company | Male 50 y/o | Male 60 y/o | Male 70 y/o | Female 50 y/o | Female 60 y/o | Female 70 y/o |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
$31 |
$44 |
$75 |
$24 |
$33 |
$53 |
|
|
$34 |
$50 |
$70 |
$27 |
$40 |
$56 |
|
|
$32 |
$47 |
$79 |
$27 |
$38 |
$60 |
|
|
$31 |
$43 |
$71 |
$26 |
$35 |
$53 |
|
|
$31 |
$43 |
$70 |
$24 |
$33 |
$53 |
For $10K policies with non-smoking applicants and no-pre-existing conditions.
Interested in learning about how you can cover end-of-life costs? Use our online quoting tool or call us at (866) 786-0725, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, and learn more about burial insurance today.
Best Burial Insurance Companies in Louisiana
Take a look at some of Final Expense Benefits’ burial insurance providers—all available in the state of Louisiana:
- Mutual of Omaha
Mutual of Omaha offers some of the best overall customer service and final expense insurance coverage at competitive rates.
- Aetna Accendo
Aetna Accendo offers burial coverage backed by CVS Health, cheaper rates for seniors age 60 and older, and provides simplified medical underwriting guidelines—an ideal choice for applicants with pre-existing conditions.
- American Amicable
American Amicable has proven itself as a reliable provider over its storied history, not just a strong choice for seniors but also a strong choice for smoking applicants seeking whole life insurance. - Americo
With a wide array of life insurance riders to add on to your policy, Americo continually proves themself to be one of the most flexible providers on the insurance market. - Transamerica
Transamerica, a Final Expense Benefits partner and one of the nation’s largest funeral insurance providers, offers reliable options for seniors seeking burial coverage.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re looking to settle down near Bourbon Street or by Tiger Stadium, seniors looking to ensure their own peace of mind ought to get final expense coverage. With affordable policies and a rich market full of options, there’s a policy right for you and your loved ones, regardless of budget or condition.
Should you choose to take proactive steps, Final Expense Benefits is here to help educate and guide you along every step of the burial insurance application process and beyond.
Learn how you can start applying for a policy today in the Pelican State—call Final Expense Benefits at (866) 786-0725, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.
FAQ
What is burial insurance?
Also known as final expense insurance or funeral insurance, burial insurance is a type of affordable whole life insurance that assists seniors in covering funeral expenses such as caskets, urns, memorial services, and more.
What does the average funeral cost in Louisiana?
Generally, funeral costs in Louisiana are slightly more expensive than the rest of the US. Traditional funerals with full burial service will cost around $8,653 before burial plot costs, which is 1% above the national average. Direct burials are around $3,000, which is 6% more expensive than the national average.
What does the average cremation cost in Louisiana?
Cremation costs in Louisiana are slightly more expensive than the rest of the country. Full service cremations average around $6,378, about 2% higher than the US national average. Direct cremations average around $2,312, which is about 5% higher than the national average.
Are green burials allowed in Louisiana?
Yes—green burials are allowed in Louisiana. However, green burials—also known as natural, conservation, or eco-burials—are unregulated in the state, so it’s essential to ask funeral homes, cemeteries, and crematories about their policies.