Finding the best funeral plans

Finding the best of anything may prove more difficult than it first seems. Although the wonders of the internet have brought to everyone the ability to scour results for practically any combination of wishes, confusion may still reign and marketing itself may add still further grey areas.

All this is certainly true when it comes to identifying the best funeral plans – not least because prepaid funeral plans and so-called funeral insurance (over 50s life insurance under a different name) are entirely different, yet sometimes marketed under the same banner headings.

Add to this the need to choose a funeral plan that is suited to your individual needs, requirements and circumstances, rather than by price alone, and you may want to turn to the expertise and experience offered by an established comparison website of the best funeral plans.

What to look out for

·         confidence is a key when buying any service, but especially involving something as sensitive as funeral services – you want no awkwardness or nasty surprises when the time finally comes, so it is essential to know just what your funeral plan covers, down to the very last detail;

·         that is important, too, when you are buying a prepaid funeral plan – you want a guarantee that what you are paying for now is guaranteed to be delivered when the time comes;

·         prepayment helps you to avoid the spiralling costs of dying in the UK – in their Cost of Dying report for 2018, published on the 28^th of September, insurers Sun Life reported that the total cost of dying stands at an all-time high of £9,204 and is expected to rocket still further in the coming years;

·         at the same time, however, you need to stay alert to just what is – and what is not – included in your prepaid funeral plan, since few can do more than guarantee the cost of the funeral director’s services, even though some may also cover the cost of minister’s and cremation fees, or offer a fixed contribution to the cost of burial;

·         that degree of trust and transparency is something which registered members of the Funeral Planning Authority (FPA) are obliged to offer – so, be sure to choose your prepaid funeral plan from a provider registered by the FPA;

·         FPA membership also imposes a burden on providers to ensure that the money you have paid in advance remains securely protected until the time for your funeral comes around;

·         this is achieved by the funds being placed in an entirely separate, independent trust fund or applied to the purchase of a whole of life insurance policy in your name, to the value of the plan you have bought;

·         the funeral plan provider secures a separate contract with the funeral directors concerned to guarantee the provision of future services at the price you have agreed today;

·         to ensure you choose the best funeral plan to suit your needs and circumstances you might also want the reassurance of every effort being made to transfer the funds you have paid to an alternative funeral director in the event of the firm you originally choose going out of business before your death.

Finally, remember that what is the best funeral plan for you may be completely different to that of your friends, neighbours or colleagues. Finding the best funeral plan is based on your own unique personal preferences and financial circumstances. So, when choosing your plan, make sure that you fully understand what and what isn’t covered and how much the plan costs. That way you can make an informed decision.