Typical funeral directors

A caution to those with pre-arrangements and/or burial insurance.
Dad bought burial insurance in the amount of $150 on him,my mother and thier 5 children in 1947. Premiums have been paid annualy including through 2013 without fail. Dad passed in 57,sister in 61,brother in 67,brother in 92,mother in 2010 and sister in 2013. At the death of sister in 61 and each of 2 that followed,mom bought additional insurance on all survivers through the same funeral home that sold origional and handled every family member's arrangements. In each case there was a lot of money due and paid over and above insurance($8,200 for mom and $7,900 for sis,don't recall amts for earlier ones). After sis passed this year I found the origional policy amoung her records.
The policy is brief and states that all expenses except cematery plot,opening and closeing grave are to be furnished by the home previding they are alowed to handle the arrangements. All transportation of body within state of Texas,prep of body,suit or dress,casket,outside box for casket,use of chapel,casket spray is stated and sums up with "All details that comprise a normal funeral except cemitary fees." No benifits are payiable to another home handling arrangements.
Excuses excuses. Although name of home remains the same,they credited the $150 toward charges and origional director/owner was in charge of first 3,they denigh any overcharges were paid. Texas Attorney General"consumer protection agency"says they can't intervine nor advise in any way. Private attorney says I must foot his bill regardles of outcome and doesn't know of precedent that can be applied while litigating it. Pretty bitter pill to swollow knowing how meger mom's existance was. Remember she was widowed in 57 on a farm with 5 children. What I wouldn't give to have my family standing with me now.

da.bees, I See this every Day! As a Final Expense Insurance Agent! Let Me say from the Start.......
PREPAYED CONTRACTS SOLD BY A FUNERAL HOME.....
are NOT INSURANCE!!!!!!!
Short of you going up the funeral home with a shorten Cotton Hoe handle and whip the everliving Crap out of the whole Lot there probably isn't much that can be done. EXCEPT.......
Call Austin,,, There is a State Board of Funeral Directors It may take a little digging. Plead your case and see what gets done.
I am in Texas too! Please Call I will visit with you about it and tell you a True story....You'll find instering. My #512-577-3837.
Later,
John A.

It's really the kind of scummy behavior I have come to expect these days from all corners of society and business, sadly. :evil:

When FIL passed away, the funeral home made all the arrangements from the prepaid policy. After the funeral, the director said that there was an excess in the account - which was refunded to the family. Must have been a more honest funeral home than most.

Next time, when they tell you you want this and this and this, ask yourself...Why?

When my BIL talked to a couple of funeral homes about prepaying for my MIL he got a ridiculous quote from the first one. Their response was "if you don"t give it to us Medicare will take it". Maybe so, but why would we want to give it to them?

Maybe not typical, but all too typical. There are a lot of shady operators in the funeral business, and pre-paid funeral packages are one of the worst scams out there.

When Grandma died, the funeral director sat us (FIL & me) down, and prceeded to tell us about this plan and THAT plan.....at a cost of several thousand $$$. We FINALLY got a chance to tell him (when he paused for air....), that Grandma had a policy that they bought way back in the 1950's. It was still good, and we didn't owe a cent. The FD wasn't happy, but he honored it.

Negative Advertising -

If you don't have copies of the bills for the "extra" charges, do whatever necessary to get copies from the funeral home.

Once you have them, tell the funeral home if they don't refund, you will take out a full page ad in every local paper/publication showing the policy and the "extra" charges.

Don't put any words in the ad. Just publish the policy and copies of the charges.

If you decide to sue, you can publish a copy of the suit, too. Again, don't put anything but copies of the suit in the ad.

Also, funeral homes are generally regulated. There should be some kind of regulatory board you can file a complaint with.

Insurance is a regulated industry. Why? To try to require some amount of fiscal responsibility at the insurance company, so they don't lose the money or spend the money or steal the money....so there is still some money there when your claim comes due.

Perhaps there was an actual insurance policy behind this, but if it was just a service contract with a funeral home there is no way to be sure that they will still be in business when you pass away. My home town has had 5 different Funeral Dirctors in my lifetime.

It is like a 50 year warranty with a roofing company! What are the odds that Joe the roofer will still be roofing in 30 years?

There are reasons why we need rules, laws and regulations in our society.

When my MIL passed last year, that also was the experience we had with the funeral home. When everything was done, there was a small excess--only about $200, but the funeral home sent my wife a check for that amount. All in all, we were very pleased with the services of that small town funeral home. It kind of helped restore my faith in SOME people.

Prepaid funerals are like those car warranties that you buy they're a suckers game.If the funeral home that originally sold the funeral went out of business and the new owners started a new company even with the same name then they don't have to pay any of the liabilities incurred by the original company.