When you plan a funeral you are in a very emotional state of mind. This is why there are many bad faith funeral homes that exploit your vulnerability and scam you of your hard-earned money. They will either push services that you don’t need as essential or emotionally blackmail you into spending more on funeral items like caskets. This is why you need to be aware of how to spot funeral scams before you have the need for one. Of course, like any other business, you will find good funeral directors in Kendall, FL who won’t be trying any of the following scams with you. So, with these guidelines, you can not only spot a funeral scam but also judge how good the funeral home you are talking to is.
1. Ask for a pricing list
As per the law, funeral homes are supposed to give you an itemized list of everything they have, whether service or product. There should be three pricing lists: one of all goods and services offered by the funeral home, all caskets that they have including the simplest ones, and all kinds of grave liners and outer burial containers. The way funeral homes try to scam people is by offering “deals” instead of individual price points. To avoid that, never fall for the “deals” even when they promise lowered prices of expensive caskets. They do so by increasing the price of other services. Hence it is only by going through individual price points can you do the funeral at a cost that is acceptable to you.
2. Know your rights
Since very few people know much about funeral laws, many unscrupulous funeral homes scam people by making them believe that they have to buy “certain” items or services, or they will be breaking a law. Some also add up bogus charges on top of their basic fee and unless the consumer is aware of the local laws and individual service price, they get away with it. Here are some of the basic laws regarding funerals you should know and which good funeral directors in Kendall, FL will make you aware of.
It is not necessary to embalm the body if the funeral is going to be held within 24 hours. If your funeral is going to be after 24 hours, you can keep the body in refrigeration or with dry ice without embalming it.
It is not necessary to hold a funeral in a funeral home. At-home funerals where the body is preserved as per the law are ok. Embalming however can’t be done at home as it requires a license and a special working environment.
You can get the death certificate by yourself, it is not compulsory that the funeral director has to do it. But you have to do so within five days of the death occurring and before the body is laid to rest. Home burial is also allowed in Florida. The only restriction is that it has to be smaller than 2 acres and there shouldn’t be any sale of merchandise or burial plots. But to be on the safe side, always consult your local zoning law to establish a family cemetery or burying the body on your private land.
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