Life is full of uncertainties and you never know what is going to come next. The idea of your loved ones passing away can be difficult to even think about.
However, we are all mortals. And as difficult as it might be, it is important to always be prepared even for the worst. Nowadays, you are going to hear many interchangeable terms for burial insurance such as “funeral insurance”, “senior life insurance” and whatnot.
However, all of these terms mean the same. There is a common confusion and you even see people asking that can I buy burial insurance for my parents? IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A SHORT ANSWER – THEN YES YOU CAN. However, to do so, you first need to take their consent.
Buying burial insurance can be a great way to cover up the expenses that your parents may leave behind.
Burial insurance can also provide you peace of mind while you are coping up. The last thing you would want in such a situation is to worry about financial matters. With that being said, buying an insurance plan for your loved ones is not black and white. With a plethora of policies in front of you, the one you choose depends on your requirements and financial condition.
In general, when purchasing burial insurance, the one thing you need to prioritize is support. After all, one of the main reasons to purchase burial insurance is because you want to avoid financial burden.
Burial insurance protects your parents from unforeseen expenses and also enables you to have a safe haven to resort to. Bills and debts are just some of the few problems you may encounter after your parents pass away.
Sky-rocketing medical bills and expenses along the way are just a couple of other things you need to worry about. This is why to avoid future problems, it becomes a necessity for you to go for burial insurance. With the number of coverage plans out there, confusion is common. Let’s explore more about how I can get burial insurance for my parents.here are some major factors to consider.
STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO BUY BURIAL INSURANCE FOR PARENTS1) DETERMINE THE OVERALL COST AND EXPENSES
The first step to finding out the type of insurance plan you should buy is to identify the overall cost. On average, you can expect a funeral to cost around $9,000, which in itself is a huge amount. However, that is not the only expense that you would need to bear. The style of service, transportation of the remains are just a couple of other factors needed to keep in mind. Moreover, tombstone cost, funeral home, and burial plot are just a couple more major expenses that you would have to add.
We understand that thinking all of this through can be quite difficult. The idea of parting ways with your parents alone is something that we do not even want to talk about.
However, this is only going to help you in the future and ease your burden. To get a rough estimate of how much these things would cost, you should start going to funeral homes. They will provide you with an accurate estimate of the amount you need to expect. Once that is done, the next step for you is to evaluate the existing medical bills. After evaluating all of that you will have a rough estimate for the insurance plan you need.
2) FINDING THE RIGHT POLICY
As we mentioned earlier that you are not short on options when purchasing an insurance plan. However, once you have a rough estimate of the overall cost and expenses, this step can become easier for you. Before proceeding with any coverage, you first need to ensure that it offers you what you are looking for. Even after all the calculations, people often find themselves making the wrong decision when purchasing an insurance plan. To find the right policy, your top priority should be to completely evaluate your other requirements.
Those other requirements do not only include burial expenses. But also, you need to ask whether the plan you are going for covers other expenses such as medical bills or not. This is a common mistake that people make. To avoid that, you need to thoroughly ask what the insurance covers. When asking “can I buy burial insurance for my parents” you need to also look at what it covers. If your insurance plan does not cover certain expenses, especially the ones necessary to you, then do not buy it. So, be vary of the fact that the cheaper insurance plan is not always the best.
3) DETERMINING WHO PAYS FOR THE INSURANCE
Deciding who pays for the insurance is a step that comes next. Regardless of which parent you are purchasing the insurance for, one thing that is a must – consent. Your parents need to first wholeheartedly agree before for being insured. Once they do, there is a great chance that they would also go through a series of medical tests. Although this always does not happen it is still worth mentioning and some insurance companies prefer that. However, what people do not know is that when purchasing insurance for anyone else, you need “insurable interest”. This is not something you have to worry about if you are getting insurance for your parents. Most family members automatically have that.
Mostly, medical tests and insurable interest requirements are only presented if you are applying for larger policies. Small policies normally do not put you through the hassle. However, knowing how things work is still important.
4) WHERE TO APPLY?
If you are wondering where to apply, then do not worry. There are countless options for you to choose from. You can start by checking in with your local insurance company. That is going to give you a rough idea of what to expect. Once you do that, you could start exploring companies that offer bigger policies. Your top priority should be to first evaluate what you want the insurance to cover. Only after that, speak to the insurance companies. Doing so would help you save time as well. You can directly let the insurance company know what you are looking for. If their insurance policies do offer coverage for it, then discuss the price. If not, you can always try at other places. In case you still find yourself short on options, you can ask from people around you. Your accountant might be the one who could introduce you to an insurance agent. Searching online and asking your friends can also be extremely helpful.
HOW MUCH COVERAGE AMOUNT SHOULD I GO FOR?
If you are still facing difficulties to decide the coverage you should go for, then do not worry. As we mentioned, you can easily get the funeral cost by going to funeral homes. Once you do that, then all you need to do is add up the remaining expenses. The remaining expenses may include the debts of your parents, medical bills, or other additional expenses they may leave behind. When you add up the cost of the funeral, that alone costs around $9,000. This is undoubtedly a huge amount and not something that you might be able to arrange at a moments’ notice. Furthermore, you also need to carefully evaluate whether the insurance company is willing to cover the debt costs in that.
With so much going on, dealing with the debt your parents have left behind can become extremely difficult for you. Therefore, this is one aspect that you do not want to miss out on. Roughly, when you are applying for burial insurance, you should expect the insurance to cover anywhere around $20,000 at least. And this is just a rough figure, because of course, the expenses of each family may vary. However, we do hope that you now have a clue about what to go for.
CONCLUSION
Thinking about the death of a loved one, especially parents is not something most people ever want to talk about. We know that such thoughts can be extremely difficult to process but being prepared for the inevitable is also important. It often happens that people find themselves in a world of financial troubles after their parents pass away. From countless medical expenses to the burial costs, everything hits like a truck to your bank account. In some cases, people even have to end up taking a loan to bear with all the costs.
Under such circumstances, when you are already grieving, the last thing you would want is financial trouble. Burial insurance can give you and your loved ones peace of mind. Applying for burial insurance is not a problem. However, knowing which plan to go for can be confusing. Moreover, the plethora of aspects you also have to consider can also get a bit tedious. Therefore, we hope all your questions are now cleared. This guide will help you find a suitable insurance plan easily and without much hassle. But first you need to find out whether you need burial insurance for your parents or not.