Some personal experiences that might be useful for you when dealing with bereaved clients.

by Ruth Matthews on 10·10·2022

What I have recently learned about funerals that could be useful for you and your clients.

It is inevitable that everyone will have a funeral at some point, and the closer you get, the more you think about them.

Some of your clients may have spent some time planning their funeral and might even have put plans in place.  It is worth finding out if they have, as they may not be prepared for the costs involved.

Having recently lost a loved one, I have gained an understanding of the whole funeral process.  This is when I realised that even people who make plans might, unfortunately, not be as well prepared as they may think they are.

In my case, there was a funeral plan in place. 

10 years ago, my mother-in-law decided she wanted to pay for her funeral upfront – she didn’t want any of the family to be left with the cost and financial burden at what would be an already upsetting time, it put her mind at ease knowing that everything was paid for.  

She also did not want to save an amount of money in her bank account towards the costs for fear of dipping into the funds.  So off she went to the first funeral directors’ office she could find, told them she wanted to pay for her funeral upfront and in turn they provided her with a funeral plan.  I remember her telling us that they asked her to pick out a coffin and she closed her eyes and got a pen, pointed and whatever it landed on was what she picked, which made me laugh!

Once she passed, the funeral process began and, having never been through the process of arranging a funeral before, we learned a lot as we went along.

Firstly, we needed to register the death within 5 days (this is 8 days in Scotland) to get a ‘certificate for a burial’ or get an application for cremation (we had just thought that this was done automatically by the hospital or funeral director but apparently not).

Next, we went along to the funeral directors and handed them a copy of the funeral plan they had set up.  Little did we know we were in for a shock.  We were informed that the funeral plan would not cover the total costs and prices had risen substantially from when it was taken out.  We would have an extra £1,500 to pay towards the burial.

Not only that, but the cost for a headstone was also not included within the plan and this could be another £1,200 plus on top. 

We found out that only the price of the funeral directors services had been guaranteed, not the cemetery fees, third party costs, etc. Thankfully, my mother-in-law had left some cash which was enough to cover the difference but this is not what she would have wanted.

This led me to wonder how many clients and families out there could be left in the same boat, thinking everything was covered when it might not be.

I know that funerals are not something that everyone wants to talk about but just going by my experience, I would urge you to prompt your clients on how they intend to pay for their funeral and to check to see if any funeral plans are in place.  This way you can double check what all is included and if it meets their wishes now as these may have changed from when they took out the plan. 

Also, check the value of the plan now against the average price of a funeral now to ascertain if the client may need to make any alternative arrangements to try and make up any difference.  The following link can provide you with an idea of the cost of funerals in different areas: https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/family-and-care/death-and-bereavement/how-much-does-a-funeral-cost#average-cost-of-a-funeral

As for funeral plans, I still think there is a place for them as long as everything is taken into account and explained properly.  The following link provides a useful outline of their Pros and Cons for your reference:  https://funeralplanningauthority.co.uk/guides/the-pros-and-cons-of-pre-paid-funeral-plans/

This is the sort of ‘added value’ that you bring to a relationship with a client that will make them appreciate your involvement over someone who isn’t able to demonstrate that they care.