What happens if I have a funeral or burial insurance policy, but the policy covers only part of the funeral expenses, and I have to pay the rest?
The COVID-19 incident period ended on May 11, 2023. FEMA will continue to provide funeral assistance until Sept. 30, 2025, to those who have lost loved ones due to this pandemic.
If you incurred COVID-19-related funeral expenses on or after January 20, 2020, and those expenses exceeded the funding intended to pay the costs, FEMA may evaluate your receipts and other documentation for eligible costs not covered by those funds to ensure there is no duplication of benefits. For example, if you incur expenses for a $10,000 funeral, where the funeral or burial insurance covered only $8,000, you may be eligible for up to $2,000 in COVID-19 Funeral Assistance.
Any funding designated specifically for funeral costs is considered a duplication and is not eligible for reimbursement. This includes burial or funeral insurance, a pre-planned or pre-paid funeral contract, a pre-paid trust for funeral expenses, or an irrevocable trust for Medicaid.