22 years as a Duluth funeral director. Now an insurance agent.
Price the Funeral First, Then the Policy
Karin Lindquist prices it out with you first. Then she finds a final expense plan for that amount.
For years I watched families sit across my desk, grieving, and see the prices for the first time. I would rather you see them now, at your own kitchen table.
Karin Lindquist, owner
Funeral Cost Planner
Pick the kind of goodbye you picture. Uncheck what you would skip. The total uses sample prices from funeral homes around the Twin Ports.
Two words people ask about. Most cemeteries here require an A concrete box or liner that the casket goes into. It keeps the ground from sinking. Cemeteries set the rule, not the law. and charge for The cemetery's fee to dig the grave and fill it after the burial. It is separate from the price of the plot. the grave.
Three Kinds of Final Expense Policies
Which one you can get depends mostly on your health today. Karin asks a few plain questions and tells you where you likely fit.
| Detail | Level means the full amount pays from the first day the policy is in force. | Graded means the full amount phases in. Before then, the policy usually refunds what you paid plus a set percent. | Guaranteed issue means no health questions. Anyone in the age range can get it, with a waiting period. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who it suits | People in fair to good health | People with some health conditions | People who cannot qualify for the others |
| Health questions | A short list | A shorter list | None |
| Waiting period | None | Usually two years for the full amount | Usually two years for the full amount |
| Monthly price | Lowest of the three | In the middle | Highest for the same amount |
Accidental death usually pays in full from day one on all three. Details depend on the insurer and the policy.
Karin Comes to You
Up the hill, out to Cloquet, or across the bridge to Superior. Winter too.
What Families Say
Karin told us what a funeral really costs in Duluth. We bought a smaller policy than the one on TV and it covered everything.
Linda P. Hermantown
Dad has a heart condition. She was honest that he would have a waiting period and explained why.
Greg A. Cloquet
She drove to Two Harbors in February. That says enough.
Marlys J. Two Harbors
Sample reviews written for this demo. Your site shows your real Google reviews, word for word.
Where Karin Visits
Duluth and the towns around the head of the lake, on both sides of the bridge.
- Duluth
- Hermantown
- Proctor
- Cloquet
- Esko
- Two Harbors
- Silver Bay
- Superior WI
Questions Families Ask
Why price the funeral before the policy?
Because the policy is only there to pay for it. When you know the funeral you want and about what it costs here, you buy the amount you need and no more.
Can I get a policy if I have health problems?
Often, yes. Coverage, price and approval depend on your age, your health and the insurer. Some plans ask no health questions but have a waiting period, usually two years, before the full amount pays.
Is prepaying the funeral home better than insurance?
It can be. A prepaid plan locks in some prices at one funeral home. A policy pays your family in cash, so they can use any funeral home or cover other bills. Karin lays out both honestly.
Will my family have to pay anything up front?
Funeral homes usually want payment before the service. Your family can often assign the policy to the funeral home, so the insurer pays it directly once the claim is approved.
Can I see a funeral home's prices before I decide?
Yes. Under the federal Funeral Rule, every funeral home must give you a written price list when you ask in person, and share prices over the phone.
A Quiet Talk, No Pressure
Karin answers her own phone on weekdays. If she is out on a visit, leave your name and she calls back the same afternoon.
Coverage, price and approval depend on your age, your health and the insurer. Graded and guaranteed issue plans have a waiting period, usually two years, before the full death benefit pays for death from natural causes.
Licensed in Minnesota and Wisconsin as a life insurance producer. License numbers shown here on the live site. North Shore Final Plans is an independent agency and is not a funeral home.