What a funeral costs in Tennessee
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 Tennessee, about 41.4% 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 Tennessee
If a life insurer licensed in Tennessee becomes insolvent, the Tennessee Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association covers up to $300,000 in death benefits and $100,000 in cash value per insured life. Source: Tennessee Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association FAQ
You have 10 days after receiving a new individual life insurance policy to review it and return it for a refund. Source: Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance: Life Insurance Awareness Month consumer tips
Questions or complaints about an insurer or agent go to the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (800-342-4029). Funeral homes are licensed by the Tennessee Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers / Burial Services.
Help paying for a funeral
Tennessee counties are authorized, but not required, to pay burial or cremation expenses for a poor person who dies in the county with no means to pay; before paying, the county requires an affidavit showing the cost and that the claimant has no other way to be paid. Source: University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service: Disposition of Unclaimed Dead Bodies (T.C.A. 5-9-101, 5-9-311)
Veterans may qualify for VA burial allowances and a free burial in a national or state veterans cemetery — see benefits for Tennessee 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 Tennessee if the insurance company fails?
The Tennessee Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association protects Tennessee 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee gives you a free-look period of 10 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 Tennessee?
About 41.4% of deaths in Tennessee 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 Tennessee?
The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance licenses insurers and agents and handles consumer complaints; its consumer line is 800-342-4029. Funeral homes are licensed by the Tennessee Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers / Burial Services.
See final expense optionsSources
- Tennessee Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association FAQ
- Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance: Life Insurance Awareness Month consumer tips
- NFDA 2025 Cremation & Burial Report, state table (final 2020 data)
- National Funeral Directors Association — statistics
- University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service: Disposition of Unclaimed Dead Bodies (T.C.A. 5-9-101, 5-9-311)
- Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance