# Funeral insurance V funeral plan.



## Eddie1875 (May 29, 2013)

I would be interested to hear peoples opinions as to what is the best to have.


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

I have sufficient funds in my (our) bank to pay for my funeral when and where it will occurs.

I personally see no point in paying a company for a specific plan, as for example, if that is in Spain, I may not be here, or it may be decided something other than a pre-set plan is required. If one has the funds they can decide.

Most funerals are overpriced, as people either do not feel they are physiologically able, or that to negotiate would in some way be insulting to the deceased or their memory. A funeral is a service and as such, one can get a better deal if they choose to try.

Some years ago I had to bury my brother. I shopped around, 3 funeral directors, and on the third attempt got the ‘first funeral’ for 50% of the first quote.


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

I wonder if some of those Companies offering plans will be around when you need them

There does seem to be a trend in the UK for expensive funerals. Lots having the full works, carriage, geezer walking in front etc. Bit like a Gangster or a soap opera. and everyone seems to have those booklets with photo of deceased and a bio of their life.

I want the cheapest possible and OH will have the same.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Isobella said:


> I wonder if some of those Companies offering plans will be around when you need them
> 
> There does seem to be a trend in the UK for expensive funerals. Lots having the full works, carriage, geezer walking in front etc. Bit like a Gangster or a soap opera. and everyone seems to have those booklets with photo of deceased and a bio of their life.
> 
> I want the cheapest possible and OH will have the same.


I agree with you. In fact I suggested to my son and dil that it won't be worth their wasting money flying over when I kick the bucket as I'll most likely be disposed of before they get here.
Although I suppose my OH might appreciate the company.
We gave my mum the cheapest funeral not because we were skint or stingy but because we knew that if we'd had anything elaborate she would have appeared before us and told us not to waste our money.
I want to be cremated, not stuck up in a niche in the wall, and my ashes flung in the sea. If it were legal, I'd be content with a funeral pyre and a jerrycan of petrol in the back garden.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Whilst there are two of us, we'll just pay cash for the funeral of whichever of us goes first. If I were left alone, though, I think I might look into a pre-paid funeral (with a local Spanish company, I suspect the companies who advertise in the expat might prove a lot more expennsive) as it would be a lot easier for the family who are all in the UK and wouldn't have a clue about arranging a Spanish funeral, and I wouldn't want to burden them with it. Both of us want the bare minimum of fuss and expense.


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## DunWorkin (Sep 2, 2010)

My husband and I both have funeral plans - not because we cannot afford it but for several reasons.

1. With a joint account, when one of you dies the bank account is frozen and you may not be able to get at the money to pay for the funeral

2. I want my friends and family in the UK to be able to get here if they want to come and say goodbye. With a funeral plan you can pay to have the funeral delayed past the usual 24-48 hours which is the norm here

3. If we were to die together - eg in an accident - I don't want my family in the UK to have the burden of trying to arrange a funeral in a foreign country in a language they cannot speak or understand.

4. I want to say what type of funeral I want - things are done very differently here - most of which I would not be happy with

Our plan is for here in Spain but, should we die elsewhere, it can be adapted and used for a funeral in the UK

Having had several friends die in the last few years (happens when you get to our age) I have seen how awful things can get here.


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## Allie-P (Feb 11, 2013)

Hi DunWorkin,

Are you permitted or prepared to say - with whom is your plan?.... I need some advice.

I have just cashed in my Pre-paid UK funeral plan & wish to take out another, in Spain.

My reasons are the same as yourself. Also, myself & husband have different religions, which would make it difficult for him - if, I should go first....


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## DunWorkin (Sep 2, 2010)

Allie-P said:


> Hi DunWorkin,
> 
> Are you permitted or prepared to say - with whom is your plan?.... I need some advice.
> 
> ...


Ours are with a company called Avalon. We have a card we carry with us so if anything should happen the police call an emergency number and they contact your family, an English speaking funeral director etc


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

I have just sent an email to a funeral directors on Costa Del Sol for a quote.

When I have found out what they provide, the cost etc, I will update here.


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## DunWorkin (Sep 2, 2010)

larryzx said:


> I have just sent an email to a funeral directors on Costa Del Sol for a quote.
> 
> When I have found out what they provide, the cost etc, I will update here.


Make sure you check out what financial backing they have and how you can be sure that they will be around in the future. The company we use are backed by an independent trust.


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## Allie-P (Feb 11, 2013)

Thank you very much 

It is a company that I have, already, researched. We have the money - but it would give me peace of mind to sort everything out, in advance. Not only for my husband's sake - but for the children back in the UK.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

mrypg9 said:


> I'd be content with a funeral pyre and a jerrycan of petrol in the back garden.


"Petrol" ??????? at that price - you'll just get a bit of paraffin and like it!

We have a policy with Mapfre. A friend recently died and he was also with them, very quick, clean and tidy, no messing about. Pop round to the undertaker later and pick up the cenicero.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

baldilocks said:


> "Petrol" ??????? at that price - you'll just get a bit of paraffin and like it!
> 
> We have a policy with Mapfre. A friend recently died and he was also with them, very quick, clean and tidy, no messing about. Pop round to the undertaker later and pick up the cenicero.


Hmm...we've got two of those big containers of paraffin in the cellar....


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

Just taken out funeral ins with Allianz for 54euro a year. Age dependant of course but this was for 61 year old.

Check them out.


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

Please understand. I did not say I was going to pay anyone up front. 

I have asked what the cost would be now for what I want. Thus, when the time comes, my wife or son will have a very good idea what can be obtained for the price quoted. 

I would not give my money to any company on the understanding that they might still have it when required, or that they would even still be in business. I have investigated too many ‘cast iron’ companies that have gone broke and left customers in the lurch to fall for that one.

On the point of paying a company every year. Why woul done do that? You can only 'win' by dying early. It is very clear the companies make money at the expense of the customers who do not die early. Just like boomakers they never loose, but on average the punters always do,.


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

larryzx said:


> Please understand. I did not say I was going to pay anyone up front.
> 
> I have asked what the cost would be now for what I want. Thus, when the time comes, my wife or son will have a very good idea what can be obtained for the price quoted.
> 
> ...


Well that is the nature of insurance is it not ?

Anyway a fairly simple burial here in a niche (bit cheaper for cremation) is around 2k all in.


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Someone we know paid over €3000 for a very basic cremation and that was about 8 years ago. Some of the cost was for storing the body until relatives from the UK could fly out.


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

VFR said:


> Well that is the nature of insurance is it not ?
> 
> Anyway a fairly simple burial here in a niche (bit cheaper for cremation) is around 2k all in.


That's a bargain!


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

It is something that does need a bit of thought.

And thanks to many many threads on here remember- if you are dead for 90 consecutive days you need to register and you're liable for tax if your dead for more than 183 days in a calendar year


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## SandraP (Apr 23, 2014)

We will make sure we have money saved to pay for the first funeral and then who ever is left, well not our problem as we will not know what is happening. My mum asked me 'if Steve dies first, who will bury you?' well I will not care, I will be dead.

What does happen to someone if they die and they have no family in Spain?
What happens to any property? We do have family in UK & he has a son in Canada, but we do not speak to any of them.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

SandraP said:


> What does happen to someone if they die and they have no family in Spain?


When the smell gets too bad, the neighbours call the public health department at the ayuntamiento.


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

SandraP said:


> What does happen to someone if they die and they have no family in Spain?.


I understand the town hall will bury a person where there are no funds available, but after 5 years the body is transferred to a common grave


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

VFR said:


> Just taken out funeral ins with Allianz for 54euro a year. Age dependant of course but this was for 61 year old.
> 
> Check them out.


Some are not much less than that for a Month!
What does that include?
Mine is 20 euros a month
Talking about people alerting the town hall because of a bad smell, reminds me of a sad story in the local parer a few years ago .
People in a bar noticed something dripping on to the tables, and when the officials broke in to the flat above they found a putrefying body-urggh!


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## Eddie1875 (May 29, 2013)

This is the reply i got from one company.

Thanks for your email. You asked the question which is the better a plan or insurance. This is really difficult to answer as it depends on the individual. If you spoke to a company that only sold plans, then they would obviously say that a plan is the best option. However as we sell plans and insurance, we can give you the unbiased information, for you to make up your own mind.

Firstly, the price for just yourself on an insurance (I gave you a joint price previously) would be as follows
Quote 1 - 182.64 per year. This can be paid quarterly at 15.99 every 3 months
Quote 2 - 312.24 per year. This can be paid on monthly payments of 27.34

Quote 1 is cheaper because the price will not increase greatly until you reach the age of 70, then it will increase significantly. Quote 2, would remain at the same amount until you pass away. There will be a slight increase each year, as the death benefit, currently at 4,700 has to increase each year in line with inflation in order for there to be sufficient funds in place at the time of need.

The downside of taking out Insurance
You will pay have to pay the instalments until you die. Hopefully you will live to a very ripe old age, but this will mean you may have paid a considerable amount of money for your insurance
If you decide you can no longer keep up the instalments, then you will not be given any refund for the cancelled policy and there will be no allowances for your funeral.
If you decide to go back to the UK. You cannot keep the insurance running and you will lose what you have paid into the policy and you will still have to find the funds (or your family will), for your funeral in the UK

The Advantages of taking out Insurance
The monthly payments are very manageable
If you die 3 months after taking out the insurance, your funeral will be paid in full and your family will not have to pay any additional costs for your insurance. Therefore whenever you pass away, the funeral insurance is then cancelled once the death benefit has been paid.

If you compare this to a plan, the main differences are as follows
If you move back to the UK, then your plan just goes with you and you continue to make your monthly payments. A funeral director is then appointed in the area that you live in in the UK
If you experience financial hardship, the plan can be "frozen" until you are in a situation to start the payments up again
If you choose to pay the plan over 10 years - after the plan has been paid, then you never need to pay a penny more for your funeral, regardless of what the cost of the funeral will be when you die

The disadvantages of a Plan
The monthly costs are initially more
If you pass away before your plan is fully paid, then your family will have to pay the balance of the plans

Hopefully this information may have been some help to you in making your mind up.


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

extranjero said:


> Some are not much less than that for a Month!
> What does that include?
> Mine is 20 euros a month
> Talking about people alerting the town hall because of a bad smell, reminds me of a sad story in the local parer a few years ago .
> People in a bar noticed something dripping on to the tables, and when the officials broke in to the flat above they found a putrefying body-urggh!


Month ?
The one I spoke about is for a year !


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

yes I know, I'm saying some pay nearly that for a month!
I've never heard of such a cheap insurance.
How comprehensive is it?


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

My husband died five years ago. As is the Spanish way, the funeral was expected to be the following day. The funeral director was called by the hospital, and the cheapest deal he had was €3k, PLUS for the crematorium it was another €3k. With hindsight I am sure I was diddled, but at times like that one is very vulnerable and I knew no better. Hopefully, reading this might save someone else from a similar fate.

Just last month I took out an insurance plan, through my bank, for my own death, which is the only thing in life that is certain to occur some day. The cost was around €150 this year, with rises broadly in line with inflation thereafter, _so they say_. This is for all expenses to do with my death, including cremation. Of course, should I leave Spain at any point, the cover will not cover expenses overseas. It is insurance, after all, and compared to the alternative, gives me great peace of mind that loved ones will not be put in an unbearable situation.


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

Just had a quote from an undertakers, English but in Spain. An all included cremation is £3,000.  All fees included. 

I questioned why it was in GBP and he said they put it through the UK company where there is no VAT on funerals, unlike in Spain where there is 21% IVA.

So '3 grand under the bed' and a telephone number and my wife will have no problems as long as I die in Spain. If it is say in Philippines where my wife is from, I guess a couple of hundred quid will get everything done.


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## Allie-P (Feb 11, 2013)

larryzx said:


> Just had a quote from an undertakers, English but in Spain. An all included cremation is £3,000.  All fees included.
> 
> I questioned why it was in GBP and he said they put it through the UK company where there is no VAT on funerals, unlike in Spain where there is 21% IVA.
> 
> So '3 grand under the bed' and a telephone number and my wife will have no problems as long as I die in Spain. If it is say in Philippines where my wife is from, I guess a couple of hundred quid will get everything done.




I hope you are not going yet ? 

Don't funeral costs rise annually ? They certainly do in the Uk...


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## Kerry UK (May 7, 2013)

Eddie1875 said:


> This is the reply i got from one company.
> 
> Thanks for your email. You asked the question which is the better a plan or insurance. This is really difficult to answer as it depends on the individual. If you spoke to a company that only sold plans, then they would obviously say that a plan is the best option. However as we sell plans and insurance, we can give you the unbiased information, for you to make up your own mind.
> 
> ...



I'm really glad this has been raised, because it has been on my mind recently: I live here alone and all my family (sisters) are back in the UK and speak no Spanish. If I died tomorrow I would hate them to have the responsibility of having to sort it out in the short Spanish timeframe. So I was thinking of taking out a prepaid funeral plan, although they do seem very expensive. I don't really care what happens to my body but I don't want my UK family to have any problems. This insurance might be what I need, does anyone have any thoughts? I will be 60 next birthday, if that makes a difference. What I would really like, is for my next of kin to have a number to phone, and say "take care of it" lol! I don't need a funeral/memorial here, so it's just basically disposal of my body with the least hassle for my sisters! I looked into leaving my body to medical science but that's not fail safe lol!


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

Kerry UK said:


> I'm really glad this has been raised, because it has been on my mind recently: I live here alone and all my family (sisters) are back in the UK and speak no Spanish. If I died tomorrow I would hate them to have the responsibility of having to sort it out in the short Spanish timeframe. So I was thinking of taking out a prepaid funeral plan, although they do seem very expensive. I don't really care what happens to my body but I don't want my UK family to have any problems. This insurance might be what I need, does anyone have any thoughts? I will be 60 next birthday, if that makes a difference. What I would really like, is for my next of kin to have a number to phone, and say "take care of it" lol! I don't need a funeral/memorial here, so it's just basically disposal of my body with the least hassle for my sisters! I looked into leaving my body to medical science but that's not fail safe lol!


Kerry, when I took out my insurance plan recently, I had the choice of a plan that would take my body back to the UK and 'do the business' there. Since I wish to remain here in Spain forever and ever, I chose a plan that was based here. The nice lady in my bank gave me the different quotes and explained everything and the policy is with Mapfre. The price includes everything, including flowers, cars, coffin, cremation, service, etc. for (including 15% discount for the first year) €158.20.


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## Kerry UK (May 7, 2013)

Madliz said:


> Kerry, when I took out my insurance plan recently, I had the choice of a plan that would take my body back to the UK and 'do the business' there. Since I wish to remain here in Spain forever and ever, I chose a plan that was based here. The nice lady in my bank gave me the different quotes and explained everything and the policy is with Mapfre. The price includes everything, including flowers, cars, coffin, cremation, service, etc. for (including 15% discount for the first year) €158.20.


Thank you for this, I know it has been a while, but I am just in the process of maybe taking out a funeral plan with Avalon. All that has stopped me is that some of the admin charges which I saw in the small print were not properly explained to me, and the final charge listed on my paperwork was not consistent with my calculations. I have been waiting for a supervisor to make an appointment to see me, to explain the differences, but so far no appointment. Avalon have a very good reputation locally, and if you pay upfront it seems fine, but I was intending to pay by instalments, and when I queried the final payment on the paperwork being at odds with what I had been told, the answer I was given was something about "that is how the computer system is set up". I have the option to cancel within 14 days, and I think I will now do that, and do a little more research. Thanks again!


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

If you aren't planning on 'popping your clogs' any time soon, my advice would be to simply place any potential premiums into a separate account (under the mattress?) and then have these funds made available for the final costs.


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

snikpoh said:


> If you aren't planning on 'popping your clogs' any time soon, my advice would be to simply place any potential premiums into a separate account (under the mattress?) and then have these funds made available for the final costs.


Under the mattress? Please, go for something a little more secure:


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Madliz said:


> Under the mattress? Please, go for something a little more secure:
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5veb6v549g0


so the thieves steal the entire mattress so that now you no longer have your mattress to sleep on nor the money to buy a new one! That's smart - not!


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

My daughter has already checked into funerals, cos we don't have a policy and the no frills, no priests costs 3000 euros. Our UK visa card can also be used.


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