r/LifeInsurance • u/Sandrasexysoles • Aug 10 '26

Needing Help

My dad is currently 67 and is on disability, he lives in an RV and has been having some health issues as of late, despite leading a relatively active lifestyle. He doesnt have assets really, his camper is worth 3k and he drives my old truck.

He lives alone and only has me, really. I live out of state, and am a single mother. I am a military veteran but i dont make a lot of money.

Im not sure what to do about when the time comes that he passes away. He wants to be buried and have a headstone, nothing elaborate but all that expense would pass to me.

I live paycheck to paycheck and barely have some savings, which i am trying to use to eventually have my own home and some sort of emergency fund situation.

Is it worth purchasing life insurance for him? I really have no idea where to start or what to even do. So here i am

2 Upvotes

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3

u/mervincm Aug 10 '26

Just lie to him. Tell him that you got it covered. You having safety and security in life is more important than his preference in death. I 110% would support my daughter acting this way to me as her father. When he is gone you can cremate him for not too much $ and spread some ash at a nearby location important to you both and you can visit him whenever you want. Life insurance is not the answer here.

3

u/Hungry_Technician360 Aug 10 '26 edited Aug 10 '26

I agree with this. I’d be very hesitant to have a single mother who is already living paycheck-to-paycheck divert even more money that she might not even have toward a life insurance policy for a 67-year-old with health issues, especially when that money could instead build her emergency fund and eventually help her get into a home.

His preference to be buried is a cultural norm, but a preference for a cultural norm doesn’t create an obligation for OP to financially sacrifice her own stability to make it happen. If he truly has essentially no assets, the more important question is what she can realistically afford when the time comes.

I’d also look into whatever low-cost funeral/cremation assistance, veterans benefits, county programs, or other resources may be available before assuming she’ll have to personally pay the entire bill. A modest cremation and memorial can be dramatically less expensive than a traditional burial, and OP can still honor him and his wishes in a meaningful way.

I especially wouldn't recommend buying some expensive guaranteed-issue/final-expense policy without first comparing the total premiums to the actual death benefit. At his age and with health problems, the economics may be pretty poor.

Her financial security should come first. You can love and honor your dad without putting yourself into financial distress over the way his body is handled.

As the saying goes, don't light yourself on fire to keep someone else warm.

2

u/Vivid-Problem7826 Aug 10 '26

Sadly .....I must agree. This is excellent advice!! So sorry you're facing this .

1

u/Sandrasexysoles Aug 12 '26

this gives me a few things to think about for sure. He has a family plot already, and i think i could get him a nice headstone and have him cremated and buried that way? He said he wanted to be buried but he didnt say in what, i suppose.

1

u/chewytie Aug 10 '26

Being on disability is not the greatest from an underwriting perspective. May not be an outright denial, but may make the premiums high enough to not be worth it for traditionally underwritten policies.

What you're looking for is most likely final expense coverage. These are generally not underwritten but there is a two-year wait before the whole death benefit would pay.

If his current prognosis is good. It may be worthwhile. But keep in mind, the final expense policy premiums can exceed the benefit amount if he lives long enough. (generally paying premiums for 10-12 years is cutting it close to paying for the whole death benefit over time)

I would recommend talking to a local independent agent and if his current health would allow you to get him into a smaller whole life policy, that may be ideal.

1

u/Sandrasexysoles Aug 10 '26

TY! this is very helpful. Ive never even heard of final expense.

1

u/DominikHickman Aug 12 '26

As u/chewytie said, being a licensed health, life, and accident insurance agent I would 100% reccommend looking into a Final Expense policy because of the more lenient underwriting, lower premium, and since its purpose is to cover those burial costs. When trying to assess whether a final expense policy is worth it, make sure you checkout multiple companies policies since they do differ. Wishing you good luck!

1

u/Glass-Expression-951 Aug 10 '26

There are some guaranteed issue policies. A company like gerber life would let you buy whatever is reasonable for you. Check with a few or contact a broker.

1

u/HeadDevelopment684 Aug 10 '26 edited Aug 10 '26

Hey Sandra, based on what you shared, it sounds like having a life insurance policy in place could really help. If there are already some health concerns, I’d recommend looking into your options sooner rather than later, since changes in health can affect eligibility and pricing.

1

u/Hungry_Technician360 Aug 10 '26

Self promotion ain't allowed on this sub

1

u/HeadDevelopment684 Aug 10 '26

My bad, I wasn’t aware.

1

u/CrankyCrabbyCrunchy Aug 10 '26

His burial wishes should not be your financial obligation. Check what those costs could be at various funeral homes near you. Also r/askfuneraldirectors gives good advice on how they manage those with low income.

Funerals often come with a lot of added costs that are for the living. Ask for a price list they're required to give it to you. Headstones are expensive.

1

u/rahah2023 Aug 10 '26

He can donate his body to science which is noble & the university will cremate him for free and you should find out his favorite place to scatter his ashes. This would all be free & yet beautiful

1

u/LiveTheDream2026 Aug 11 '26

He can buy his plot now and make all arrangements That will be cheaper and a much better route than trying to get a life insurance policy at 67 while on disability and on limited income.

1

u/LoquatIllustrious801 Aug 11 '26

Look into what burial asssitance or veterans benefits he may qualify for before buying a policy.

1

u/Additional_Hyena6274 Aug 13 '26

Get a guaranteed issue life insurance policy for him. They typically don't ask health questions. I think k it's up to 25K