Funeral Expense Insurance, 23 CAR pt. 91

Ark. Code Ann.§ 23-64-202(c) requires the Arkansas Insurance Department to define funeral expense insurance and establish general requirements to sell funeral expense insurance. The last time the definition was revised was in 2011 when the maximum benefit was raised from $10,000 to $15,000. At that time, funeral home reports indicated an average funeral cost of $8,805, including approximately $1,060 for items associated with a funeral but not sold by funeral home such as obituary charges, cemetery charges, sales taxes, etc. Funeral directors in Arkansas report today’s average traditional funeral service to be between $10,000 and $12,000 with many services between $13,000 to $17,000. These averages do not include related costs such as flowers, obituary charges, and cemetery costs. Raising the maximum benefit limit from $15,000 to $25,000 allows funeral expense insurers to not only sell policies that cover the costs of today’s funerals but also the costs of funerals that may occur 20, 30, or more years from now.

The department held a public hearing on August 19, 2025. The public comment period expired on August 19, 2025. The agency indicated it received no public comments. 8

• Rule packet: B.3.a. AOS Arkansas Unclaimed Property Administrative Rules and Acts 2025 No. 430
• ALC summary agenda Oct 16, 2025
• ALC agenda Oct 16, 2025
• ALC meeting video Oct 16, 2025
• Arkansas Register, November 2025