Golden Memorial is the final expense insurance practice of Martin Eichhorn, an independent licensed agent. Lincoln Heritage is one of the insurance carriers he is appointed to represent. Golden Memorial is the agency you work with; Lincoln Heritage is the company that issues the policy.
The short answer: Golden Memorial and Lincoln Heritage are two different things doing two different jobs. Golden Memorial (also operating as Eichhorn Group / Martin Eichhorn & Associates Insurance Services) is the agency — the licensed agent you talk to. Lincoln Heritage Life Insurance Company is a carrier — the insurer that underwrites and pays the claim on a Lincoln Heritage Funeral Advantage policy. Martin is appointed with Lincoln Heritage and several other carriers, so he can show you how their offers compare rather than only one company's product.
Golden Memorial is the final expense practice of Martin Eichhorn, a licensed insurance agent serving Illinois families and clients in several other states. It operates as an independent agency, which is the detail that matters most when you are comparing burial insurance.
An independent agency is appointed with multiple carriers. That means when Martin reviews your health answers and budget, he is choosing from a shelf of products, not defending one brand. He explains what each policy actually pays for, what the waiting period is if there is one, and what happens at claim time.
The practice is small on purpose. Martin answers his own phone at (224) 578-2989, and most clients handle the whole process by phone and email rather than through a call center queue.
Lincoln Heritage Life Insurance Company is a life insurer that specializes in final expense coverage. Its flagship product line is Lincoln Heritage Funeral Advantage, a whole life policy designed to cover funeral, burial and cremation costs.
Two features come up in almost every conversation about Lincoln Heritage:
As with any carrier, the specific benefit amounts, waiting periods and premium classes are set by Lincoln Heritage and vary by state, age and health answers. Those terms are set by the carrier, and the agency works within them.
It is an appointment, not a merger and not a franchise.
When an insurance carrier appoints an agent, the carrier authorizes that agent to solicit and service its policies in a given state. The agent remains independent — free to hold appointments with other carriers at the same time — and the carrier remains responsible for underwriting, issuing the policy, and paying claims.
Practically, that split shows up in three places:
| Step | Golden Memorial (agency) | Lincoln Heritage (carrier) |
|---|---|---|
| Explaining options and comparing carriers | Yes | No |
| Taking the application and health questions | Yes | No |
| Underwriting and approving the policy | No | Yes |
| Setting premium rates and waiting periods | No | Yes |
| Paying the claim to your beneficiary | No | Yes |
| Helping your family file the claim | Yes | Yes |
Because it tells you who to hold responsible for what.
If a policy is declined, the carrier underwrote it — the carrier makes that decision. If a premium changes, the carrier's rate class governs it. If a claim is delayed, the carrier processes it, though a good agent will chase it for the family.
What the agency controls is the part you experience most: which carriers you see in the first place, how honestly the trade-offs are explained, and whether anyone picks up the phone three years later when your bank account changes and a draft fails.
That last point matters. A policy can lapse when payment details go stale — a closed bank account, a moved address, a changed card. An agent who stays in contact is one more chance for that to be caught before a policy lapses. Buying direct is a perfectly reasonable choice too; it simply shifts that follow-up to you.
Final expense premiums are filed by the carrier, and the rate for a given policy is set by that filing rather than by the distribution channel. Agents are generally compensated by the carrier rather than by the applicant, though compensation arrangements vary. If any fee applies to your situation, ask about it before you apply and get the answer in writing.
Three checks, all free and all public:
An agent who is comfortable with those three checks is an agent worth working with. If someone discourages you from running them, that is your answer.
Four questions cover most of the decision:
Martin runs through all four for every carrier he presents, including Lincoln Heritage, so the comparison is apples to apples.
No. Golden Memorial is an independent insurance agency operated by Martin Eichhorn. Lincoln Heritage is a separate insurance carrier that the agency is appointed to represent. The agency sells and services policies; the carrier underwrites them and pays claims.
No. He is an independent licensed agent who holds an appointment with Lincoln Heritage along with other carriers. That independence is what allows him to compare carriers rather than present a single company's product.
Yes. Lincoln Heritage policies can be purchased through any appointed agent or directly from the carrier. The premium for the same policy is the same either way, because rates are filed by the carrier.
It is Lincoln Heritage's final expense whole life product line, designed to cover funeral, burial and cremation costs. It generally uses simplified underwriting with health questions rather than a medical exam, and many policies include access to a funeral planning and price-comparison service.
Use the Illinois Department of Insurance licensee lookup. Search the agent's name, confirm the license type and that the status is active, and confirm the carrier appointments listed. It takes a couple of minutes and costs nothing.
Golden Memorial and Martin Eichhorn are independent licensed insurance agents. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the government or Medicare. Plan availability varies by area and year. Assistance is provided by a licensed agent. Policy benefits, premiums and waiting periods are set by the issuing carrier. Nothing on this page is a quote or an offer of insurance.
Questions about how this works for your family? Call (224) 578-2989 or reach out to Martin directly. Related reading: Eichhorn insurance and final expense guidance for Illinois families and seguro de gastos finales.
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