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What Questions Should I Ask Before Entering into a Preneed Funeral Contract?
Before you enter into a preneed contract with a funeral service provider, it pays to do some research in advance. Before you even sit down to discuss goods and services, […]
Before you enter into a preneed contract with a funeral service provider, it pays to do some research in advance. Before you even sit down to discuss goods and services, determine whether the service provider is licensed (if licensing is required in your state) and if there are any complaints on file with the state. You can also check with the Better Business Bureau. Reliable businesses generally have an A+ or A rating, which generally means that they have been in business for a while, are financially solvent, and have few customer complaints on file.
Once you have chosen a funeral service provider that you wish to do business with, ask the following questions before you sign a contract with them. Any provider who is reluctant to discuss these issues with you or offers evasive answers probably does not have your best interests at heart.
- If I decide to cancel the contract, can I get all of my money back? If not, what portion of what I pay in advance is refundable?
- Can I change the contract if I change my mind about the services I want (for example, cremation versus burial)?
- If I change the contract and purchase a less expensive plan, will any price difference be refunded to me?
- What happens if I move to another city or state and want to be buried there? Can I transfer the contract to another funeral home?
- Are the prices of all items and services I am purchasing guaranteed? If not, what items may change in price and by how much?
- Can any of the items I want to purchase (for example, a casket or urn) be purchased in advance? If so, where will they be stored?
- What will happen if items for which I prepaid are no longer available when I die? Will my survivors have to assume any increased costs?
- What happens if there isn’t enough money to pay for my funeral when I die?
- What happens if you sell the company or it goes out of business?
- Who do I contact to check on the status of my policy or trust?
Make sure, too, that the answers you receive from the service provider are accurately described in the contract presented to you. Verbal assurances will not protect you if there is a dispute later on.
Sources
“Preneed Funeral & Burial Contracts – What You Need to Know”. FuneralWise. https://www.funeralwise.com/funeral-cost/prepaid-funeral-contracts/
