Mar. 7, 2007

The older of our two children, who is 8 years old, is legally deaf, blind, and handicapped. Are there non-profit or not-for-profit insurance companies that offer small policies to cover burial costs for the handicapped?

Rob, North Carolina

I am not aware of any companies that specifically sell life insurance policies for handicapped individuals.

However, if your goal is to buy a funeral insurance policy — that is, a small, face-value life insurance policy that covers funeral costs — you may want to consider whether other ways to pay for a funeral might better meet your needs.

Funeral insurance often requires you to pay the premium in one lump sum, and many policies require premiums that, over time, end up being quite close to the amount the policy will pay out.

Term life insurance for children is often touted as a way to pay for burial expenses; it is less expensive than funeral coverage, but you will need to shop around to find the policy with the lowest premium. If you can afford it, you might consider putting money into savings or investments that will be used to pay funeral expenses.

For more information, read Life insurance for children.

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Disclaimer: We are journalists, not financial planners or insurance brokers. Nothing we say should be interpreted as a recommendation to buy or sell any insurance product, or to provide other financial or legal advice.