Best Final Expense Insurance Companies (2026)

The best final expense insurance company for you depends mostly on your health. If you can't answer health questions, guaranteed issue plans from Gerber Life, Corebridge and Colonial Penn accept you within their age limits, but a natural death in the first two years pays back only your premiums plus a percentage or interest. If your health qualifies, simplified issue plans such as Mutual of Omaha Living Promise and Foresters PlanRight can pay the full benefit from the first day.

We're a matching service, not an insurer; licensed agents we connect you with may offer policies from some of these companies. See how we review companies.

How did we choose these companies?

We compared 10 companies that sell small whole life or burial-size policies, using only what each company, its rating agencies and the NAIC publish. For each one we looked at:

• Product fit: whether the policy is whole life with level premiums and a burial-size benefit.
• Underwriting and waiting periods: health questions or none, and any graded benefit in the first years.
• Issue ages and coverage limits: the youngest and oldest ages and the smallest and largest face amounts.
• Financial strength: AM Best, S&P, Moody's or Fitch ratings, with dates.
• Complaints and transparency: NAIC complaint data where published, and whether the terms are posted before you apply.

We don't give star ratings or scores, and no company paid to be included. The full criteria are on our methodology page.

Which companies stand out, and for what?

Each pick below is a strong option for one kind of buyer, based on the company's published terms. None is right for everyone.

Guaranteed acceptance: Gerber Life and Corebridge

Gerber Life and Corebridge are strong options if you want coverage with no health questions. Gerber Life Guaranteed Life takes applicants aged 50 to 80 (50 to 75 in New York) for $5,000 to $25,000. A death from anything other than an accident in the first two years (one year in North Dakota) pays 110% of earned premiums. Gerber Life has been rated A+ (Superior) by AM Best since an upgrade in February 2024.

Corebridge Guaranteed Issue Whole Life, issued by American General Life, covers ages 50 to 80 for $5,000 to $25,000. A natural death in the first two years pays 110% to 120% of premiums, and accidental death pays the full amount. Corebridge's ratings page, updated April 8, 2026, lists American General Life at S&P A+, Moody's A2, AM Best A and Fitch A+. The same page shows AM Best's rating under review and S&P's on CreditWatch Negative, so check the current status before you buy.

Level benefit from day one if you pass the health questions: Mutual of Omaha and Foresters

If you can answer health questions, Mutual of Omaha Living Promise is a strong option. Its Level Benefit plan covers ages 45 to 85 for $2,000 to $50,000 per the client highlights sheet, with no waiting period. A producer guide lists a $40,000 level maximum, so confirm the current limit with the agent. The issuer, United of Omaha, is rated A+ by AM Best and S&P and A1 by Moody's.

Foresters PlanRight covers ages 50 to 85 for $5,000 to $35,000, with lower maximums after age 80 and on its Standard and Basic plans. Your answers place you in Preferred, Standard or Basic. Preferred and Standard pay the full benefit from the start; only Basic has a two-year graded period, and Basic stops at age 80. AM Best affirmed Foresters at A (Excellent) on October 10, 2025. Its individual life complaint index on the NAIC Consumer Insurance Search was 1.63 for 2025, above the 1.00 baseline.

Americo Eagle Select tiers 1 and 2 also have no graded period, for ages 40 to 85 (40 to 75 for smokers on tier 2). Smokers on these tiers pay non-smoker rates for three years; if they don't show they've quit, the death benefit drops in year 4 unless they choose a higher premium.

Higher coverage amounts: Transamerica and Americo

Transamerica publishes the highest limits here. Transamerica's FE Express Solution is simplified issue for ages 18 to 85, with coverage up to $100,000 for ages 18 to 75 and $25,000 for ages 76 to 85. Its January 2024 brochure listed a $50,000 maximum for ages 18 to 75, so confirm the current limit with the agent. Transamerica Life's individual life complaint index was 4.48 in 2025, well above the 1.00 baseline, so weigh that alongside the limits.

Americo Eagle Select tiers 1 and 2 offer $5,000 to $50,000 at ages 40 to 75, and up to $40,000 at ages 76 to 85. That $50,000 top is the same as Mutual of Omaha's level plan (per its highlights sheet) and Globe Life's largest whole life amount. Americo reports an AM Best A (Excellent) rating as of January 2026.

Older applicants: plans that issue up to age 85

If you are in your early 80s, check which plans still accept you. Six companies here issue up to age 85: Colonial Penn (guaranteed acceptance, 50 to 85 in most states), Mutual of Omaha's Level Benefit plan, Foresters PlanRight (Basic stops at 80), Americo tiers 1 and 2, Transamerica FE Express, and Lincoln Heritage Funeral Advantage, whose quote page invites ages 40 to 85. Maximums often shrink at those ages: Transamerica allows up to $25,000 after 75, Americo $40,000, and Foresters Preferred $15,000 after 80. Gerber Life, Corebridge, Mutual of Omaha's Graded plan and Transamerica's graded plan stop at 80. Our guide to final expense insurance for seniors over 70 covers this in more depth.

Prices posted up front: Colonial Penn, Corebridge and Lincoln Heritage

If you want a price before you share your details, these three companies post a starting price on their final expense pages:

• Colonial Penn: Guaranteed Acceptance Whole Life premiums start at $9.95 a month. Coverage is sold in units at a fixed price per unit, and each unit buys less coverage the older you are when you buy.
• Corebridge Direct: Guaranteed Issue Whole Life rates start at $22 a month for a woman and $32 a month for a man, at age 50 with $5,000 of coverage.
• Lincoln Heritage: Funeral Advantage rates start at $15 a month, per its program details page.

These starting prices are for different ages and coverage amounts, so they don't show which plan costs less for you. Ask each company for a quote at your age for the same coverage amount.

How do the 10 companies compare?

This table uses each company's published terms. Ratings are financial strength opinions, not reviews of customer service.

Some details don't fit in the table. Lincoln Heritage Funeral Advantage includes funeral planning and price-shopping help for your family. Royal Neighbors of America sells simplified, graded and guaranteed versions of one product line, and the coverage range depends on which version you qualify for. Globe Life sells direct, but its adult term plan ends at age 80 or 90, so ask for the whole life plan by name.

How should you choose a final expense company?

Start with your health, because it decides which plans you can get. Then compare price and terms among those plans.

1. Try simplified issue first. If you can answer the health questions, a level plan pays the full benefit from day one. Guaranteed issue is a fallback, not a first choice. Our guide to guaranteed issue vs. simplified issue explains the difference.
2. Check the age and state limits. Several plans stop at 80, and many are not sold in New York or certain other states.
3. Size the benefit to real costs. Use our funeral cost calculator so you don't over- or under-buy.
4. Read the graded terms in writing. Know what a natural death in years 1 and 2 would pay.
5. Look up the issuing company. Search its exact legal name on the NAIC Consumer Insurance Search for current complaint data.

For more background, see what final expense insurance is and how it works or browse all company reviews.