# Funeral Plans and House Insurance



## Pead01 (Oct 22, 2016)

I would be grateful if anyone could share their experience and knowledge of the following two subjects:

1. Funeral Plans in Portugal. At present we have a very good funeral plan in the UK but if we move to Portugal we cannot use it as we would not want to be repatriated. We can however cash in our UK plans and take out ones covering Portugal for simple cremations..nothing fancy. Can anyone recommend firms who do this and have any of you had problems with particular companies?

2. House Insurance. Can anyone, again, give us any of your experience and pitfalls of getting House insurance for buildings and contents in Portugal.

Thank you in anticipation
John


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

Insurances seem to be very different here so it's probably advisable to either get an agent or choose a company that publishes English language versions of their policies either online or in hard copy.

Just a couple of examples:

Most car insurances are reasonably inexpensive but most commonly either TP only or TPF&T except for newish cars but roadside recovery is usually included as is free hire car for a limited period in event of breakdown.

House policies often include cover for repairs...... For example, our policy recently paid for repair of the electric kitchen hob & also gives a payment of about €1250 should I croak.


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## Pead01 (Oct 22, 2016)

Hi Travelling-man,

Thank you for your reply. When you chose your House insurance company how did you go about it? It would be interesting and useful to know the name of the company as you obviously rate them quite highly too. You say that they pay out if you die too? Does this mean that an element of the House Insurance is actually a Life Insurance too?? Also is your house insurance covering both the structure and the contents?
Fortunately we will not have to worry about car insurance as we both do not drive.
Many thanks
John


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

Pead01 said:


> Hi Travelling-man,
> 
> Thank you for your reply. When you chose your House insurance company how did you go about it? It would be interesting and useful to know the name of the company as you obviously rate them quite highly too. You say that they pay out if you die too? Does this mean that an element of the House Insurance is actually a Life Insurance too?? Also is your house insurance covering both the structure and the contents?
> Fortunately we will not have to worry about car insurance as we both do not drive.
> ...


John

We buy all our insurances (except the one for my classic car) from a local agent not only because he has the best prices but also offers a fantastic customer service.

Our current house insurance is with Alliance & is for both contents & structure & an English language version of the policy is available on their website. 

I'd say it's more of a death benefit payment to help with funeral expenses rather than a life insurance but they're really much the same thing.

However, perhaps I should mention that I was told recently that Portugal also has some strange laws regarding funerals etc......... Apparently you have only 3 days (after it's been released?) to bury or cremate the body OR remove it from the country & I assume the reason for that is probably something to do with it being a RC country?


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## MrBife (Jul 26, 2009)

travelling-man said:


> Apparently you have only 3 days (after it's been released?) to bury or cremate the body OR remove it from the country & I assume the reason for that is probably something to do with it being a RC country?


I think its more to do with the hot climate and dates back to the days before they had fridges in morgues


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

MrBife said:


> I think its more to do with the hot climate and dates back to the days before they had fridges in morgues


Probably the other obvious explanation but either way, it must make things difficult for us ex pats that might need time to fly the relatives into the country for the funeral.


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## smudges (May 2, 2013)

They have, I think, much the same restrictions in Spain. If you want to keep a body on ice beyond a day or two, the mortuary costs are absolutely stratospheric.
Also, I never spotted (not that I was looking) an undertaker's in Spain. Everything seems to be done by the in-house crematorium/mortuary people, with the concomitantly high costs that go with a closed shop. If there are private undertakers they are not advertised/promoted/mentioned in the English/expat press, which, given the preponderance of retired people, you'd think they would. But then, knowing Spain, maybe not. A niche crying out to be filled, perhaps?
I'm guessing it's all of the same order in PT.


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

smudges said:


> They have, I think, much the same restrictions in Spain. If you want to keep a body on ice beyond a day or two, the mortuary costs are absolutely stratospheric.
> Also, I never spotted (not that I was looking) an undertaker's in Spain. Everything seems to be done by the in-house crematorium/mortuary people, with the concomitantly high costs that go with a closed shop. If there are private undertakers they are not advertised/promoted/mentioned in the English/expat press, which, given the preponderance of retired people, you'd think they would. But then, knowing Spain, maybe not. A niche crying out to be filled, perhaps?
> I'm guessing it's all of the same order in PT.


I can only talk for my part of Portugal but my local town has 2 or 3 undertaking companies & FWIW, I understand cost for a cremation is in the region of about €2k upwards.

No idea about costs of burials I'm afraid.

Not many crematoriums in Portugal though....... I believe my nearest one is near Coimbra.


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## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

There are funeral plans in place with both IBEX and ABBEYGATE insurance. Pay monthly over a two year period or a lump sum


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## Pead01 (Oct 22, 2016)

siobhanwf said:


> There are funeral plans in place with both IBEX and ABBEYGATE insurance. Pay monthly over a two year period or a lump sum


Many thanks I will look up those companies.
John


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