Consumer Bill of Rights for Funeral Goods and Services
by: Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Aging Services
CONSUMER BILL OF RIGHTS FOR FUNERAL GOODS AND SERVICES
Prior to purchasing any funeral goods or services or signing a preneed funeral contract, consumers are urged to ask any and all questions regarding plans and proposed purchases. There are certain things that you should expect the funeral home, with which you are planning to conduct business, to provide to you and/or put in the contract. These things include but are not limited to the following:
* Detailed prices list of services and merchandise before you make any selections.
* And should you decide to contract with that funeral home, you should be given a written preneed funeral contract explaining, in plain language, your rights and obligations.
* An explanation of the geographical boundaries of their service area and under what circumstances you can transfer the preneed contract to another funeral home if you were to relocate or if the death were to occur outside their service area
* A written guarantee in the contract that if any of the merchandise or services you selected are not available at the time of need, merchandise or services of equal or greater value will be substituted by the funeral home at no extra cost to you.
* Information in the contract regarding whether and to what extent the funeral home is guaranteeing prices of the merchandise and services you are purchasing. If the prices are not guaranteed, they should explain to you in the written preneed contract who will be responsible for paying any additional amounts that may be due at the time of the funeral.
* A statement inn the written preneed contract where and how much of the funds you pay to them will be deposited until the funeral is provided.
* An explanation in the contract of who will be responsible for paying taxes on any income or interest generated by the preneed funds that are invested.
* An explanation in the contract of who will receive any excess funds that may result if the income or interest generated by the invested preneed funds exceed future price increase in the funeral merchandise and services you select.
* An explanation in the contract whether you and under what circumstances you may cancel your preneed contract and how much of the funds you paid will be refunded to you.
* At the conclusion of the funeral arrangement conference or meeting, you should receive a listing of all of the services and merchandise you purchased and their prices.
Consumer information provided by the National Funeral Director's Association: 1-800-228-6332
Compiled and published in this format by
Georgia Department of Human Resources
Division of Aging Services
Natalie Thomas, State Legal Services Developer
(404) 657-5328
September 2001
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