What a funeral costs in North Dakota
NFDA doesn't publish funeral prices by state. Nationally, the median cost of a funeral with viewing and burial was $8,300 in 2023, and $6,280 for a funeral with viewing and cremation. Cemetery costs such as a plot, vault, and headstone are extra, and prices vary widely between funeral homes.
In North Dakota, about 52.4% of deaths resulted in cremation as of 2020. Source: NFDA 2025 Cremation & Burial Report, state table (final 2020 data)
Federal law (the FTC Funeral Rule) requires funeral homes to give you an itemized price list, so you can compare. Estimate your own total with our funeral cost calculator.
Consumer protections in North Dakota
If a life insurer licensed in North Dakota becomes insolvent, the North Dakota Life & Health Insurance Guaranty Association covers up to $300,000 in death benefits and $100,000 in cash value per insured life. Source: North Dakota Life & Health Insurance Guaranty Association FAQ
You have 20 days after receiving a new individual life insurance policy to review it and return it for a refund. Source: N.D. Cent. Code § 26.1-33-02.1: Life insurance policies and certificates, right to return
Questions or complaints about an insurer or agent go to the North Dakota Insurance & Securities Department (701-328-2440). Funeral homes are licensed by the North Dakota State Board of Funeral Service.
Help paying for a funeral
County human service zones, such as Stutsman County's, run a General Assistance burial program that helps pay burial expenses for indigent people when no other means to pay is available; North Dakota law expects surviving family members to cover a relative's burial costs first. Source: Stutsman County Human Service Zone: Economic Assistance
Veterans may qualify for VA burial allowances and a free burial in a national or state veterans cemetery — see benefits for North Dakota veterans. A small final expense policy is one way families make sure the rest is covered; learn how final expense insurance works and how guaranteed issue waiting periods work.
Frequently asked questions
What happens to my life insurance in North Dakota if the insurance company fails?
The North Dakota Life & Health Insurance Guaranty Association protects North Dakota policyholders if a licensed insurer becomes insolvent, up to $300,000 in life insurance death benefits and $100,000 in cash value per insured life under state law. Coverage above those limits isn't protected.
See final expense optionsHow long do I have to cancel a new life insurance policy in North Dakota?
North Dakota gives you a free-look period of 20 days to review a new individual life insurance policy and return it for a refund. Check your policy for the exact terms.
See final expense optionsHow common is cremation in North Dakota?
About 52.4% of deaths in North Dakota resulted in cremation as of 2020, according to NFDA 2025 Cremation & Burial Report, state table (final 2020 data).
See final expense optionsWho regulates life insurance in North Dakota?
The North Dakota Insurance & Securities Department licenses insurers and agents and handles consumer complaints; its consumer line is 701-328-2440. Funeral homes are licensed by the North Dakota State Board of Funeral Service.
See final expense optionsSources
- North Dakota Life & Health Insurance Guaranty Association FAQ
- N.D. Cent. Code § 26.1-33-02.1: Life insurance policies and certificates, right to return
- NFDA 2025 Cremation & Burial Report, state table (final 2020 data)
- National Funeral Directors Association — statistics
- Stutsman County Human Service Zone: Economic Assistance
- North Dakota Insurance & Securities Department