About Author: Kim Wilhelm

Kim Wilhelm is the co-founder of Final Expense Direct, an insurance agency based in Houston, TX, dedicated to helping seniors cover all end-of-life expenses.

Licensed since 1996, Kim started his career as an agent, helping thousands of individuals to secure final expense life insurance.  

In 2007, he and his wife, Ellen Jo Wilhelm, founded Final Expense Direct and quickly grew it into one of the largest final expense agencies in the U.S.  

When he isn’t working, Kim enjoys reading, walking, golfing, and rooting for the Houston Astros.  He is married to his wife, Ellen Jo, and lives in Missouri City, TX, a nearby suburb of Houston.

It just ain't right!

KIM WILHELM – CEO

I started Final Expense Insurance to help protect seniors from a lot of the shady characters in the final expense space. Some of these companies advertise low rates like $9.99 per month of final expense insurance so they can get seniors to call in, only to find out it’s for a measly $1,000 of coverage. It just ain’t right!

Professional Accolades

  • Licensed insurance agent since 1996
  • Has grown Final Expense Direct to over 50 employees
  • Led Final Expense Direct to Inc 5000 list in 2016, 2017, and 2018
  • 94% CEO approval on Glassdoor

Media

Mr. Wilhelm is available for interviews in the areas of business growth & leadership and final expense life insurance.  Please contact us for more details.

it may be limited but you can use FE policies to cover living benefits

Can Final Expense Policies Have Living Benefits?

You can technically use final expense policies to cover living benefits, but with its smaller payout, it may be a bit more limited than other plans—but not impossible. How Final Expense Payouts Work All life insurance policies provide a death benefit, or payout when the policyholder is no longer living. This money will then go

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don't be concerned about the low payouts of FE policies

Three Common Concerns About Final Expense Insurance

Even though final expense is a great insurance option, some people have concerns over the payout, pricing, and eligibility—but there’s an answer to these issues. 1) Low Payouts Compared to Other Plans Like all life insurance plans, final expense provides a death benefit, or payout, to chosen beneficiaries upon the policyholder’s death. You can set

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final expense insurance has a different emphasis than universal life

Final Expense vs. Universal Life Insurance

Each life insurance policy has its own appealing qualities, with different mechanisms in how it works. Some allow you to have a plan that will always stay with you if you pay your premiums, and others have unique investment features that you can take advantage of through the duration of your policy. Here we will

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beneficiaries of an FE policy can use the death benefit for anything

Beneficiaries: What to do with a Final Expense Death Benefit

Did you know that 70% of inherited wealth is lost by the second generation, 90% by the third, and if you spend recklessly enough, 100% within a few minutes? Final expense insurance’s death benefit can be up to $50,000 in extreme cases. At the very least, it’s $2,000. Typically, it’s $5,000 to $20,000. Here, these

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if you or a loved one has racked up debt, consider final expense insurance

Why Would I Need Final Expense Insurance?

Insurance of any kind is optional. But sometimes, what started out as optional becomes the only logical choice. And final expense insurance is no different. Final expense insurance is the way out of burdensome costs that your loved ones have to cover. It’s helpful in other ways, too. Here, we will look at some reasons

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final expense insurance is a type of whole life insurance

Final Expense vs. Whole Life Insurance

Final expense and whole life insurance are similar, but there’s a difference that makes them ideal for separate demographics. We will look at what you can do with the death benefit, how to get the most out of your policy and examine how a final expense candidate might not be right for a whole life

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submit a claim to get your death benefit reimbursement

When Will My Beneficiaries Receive the Death Benefit?

When you pass away, arranging funeral payments becomes an urgent matter. Funerals typically take place anywhere between two days and two weeks, so your beneficiaries will need to get the death benefit as soon as possible. Funeral costs often require an upfront payment. But here we’ll look into what goes into receiving the death benefit.

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Top 3 Tips to Follow While Planning Your Funeral

Planning your funeral is one of the most detailed plans you’ll ever make because it will be one of your last. There’s only one shot at getting it right because once you’re gone, there’s no going back. Here are some tips for making funeral planning faster, easier, and much less intimidating. 1) Coming to terms

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some final expense policies have waiting periods and some don't

Does Final Expense Have a Waiting Period?

Waiting periods are common for many insurance policies due to financial reasons. However, there are some policies that don’t have waiting periods at all, and some have waiting periods where benefits are still accessible to a lesser extent. Here, we will explore scenarios in which final expense insurance has a waiting period. The Logic Behind

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