Prepaid Funerals around the Globe
Prepaid funerals aren’t just experiencing popularity in the consumer-driven United States; they are experiencing popularity around the world. As nations become wealthier and the cost of living increases, many cultures and countries are realizing the benefits of a prepaid funeral agreement. All around the world, families gather to pay their last respects and to celebrate the life of a loved on, and without the pressures of planning and paying for a funeral, families are free to mourn and celebrate as they see fit. The rules governing prepaid funeral agreements are generally the same around the world, as it is a fairly new endeavor.
Australia
As a testament to their understanding of the need for prepaid funerals, as well as the likelihood that predators would prey on the mourning family members, the Australian government passed the Prepaid Funeral Act of 2004. This act requires that the funeral home provide the contributor and recipient with copies of all important documents, including the full details of the funeral and the exact costs of the services to be provided. Prepaid funeral agreements in Australia allow you to choose to pay in one lump sum, or to set up a payment plan to ease the financial burden.
The average cost for a funeral in Australia is already up to $7,000, but Australian authorities are cracking down on unscrupulous funeral home directors. Unlike in the United States, Australian authorities are seeking mandatory certification by all funeral homes so that they can all be held accountable for ethics violations.
United States
The average price for a funeral in the United States is $6,000, making prepaid funerals a necessity rather than a helpful alternative. With the ever-expanding lower class, the need for affordable funerals has caused a dramatic spike in the number of individuals signing on for prepaid funeral agreements. Unlike in many other parts of the world, the funeral business in the United States is not regulated by the federal government. Instead, regulations vary by state, leaving an unscrupulous funeral director to set up shop in states with the most lenient prepaid funeral guidelines.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has probably made the most progress in terms of setting up safeguards to protect consumers from fraudulent funeral directors. Since 1993, the National Association of Funeral Directors has established the National Association for Pre-paid Funeral Plans to ensure that each customer receives exactly the funeral they planned and paid for. In the UK, the average funeral costs around £1,650 (GBP), or about $3,200 American dollars. With an overall cheaper cost of funerals and greater protections against fraud, the United Kingdom is the safest place to secure a prepaid funeral with minimum fear of fraud.
