What happens when someone dies?
The simple answer is 'no'. When someone dies, there doesn’t have to be a funeral, as long as the deceased is properly cremated or laid to rest in what is known as direct disposal.
It’s a simple physical cremation carried out with no fuss and no ceremony. There is no hearse or procession, and the burial or cremation happens without anyone else there.
In practice, most people do have a funeral. This is because typically the service itself along with any personal tributes can be central to the mourning process and a time when people can comfort each other.
When someone you love dies, whether expected or not, it can still prove a big shock to the system, especially as there can be so much to organise. But you can minimise the distress and worry to your family if you take control of your own funeral in advance.
It might seem a little daunting to think about but if you can make your wishes known it will make things easier for those you leave behind.
Giving everyone a chance to pay their respects and say goodbye with love is the last thing your family can do for you – so they would be keen to get it right and organise things how they think you would have wanted.
You can prepare this for them in advance by choosing music, the type of coffin, cremation or burial, and other details with a funeral plan.
The plan lets you detail any special requests, such as the music you would like or a particular reading, so your loved ones won't be left wondering what you wanted. If you change your mind you can make changes as many times as you wish.
It also fixes the cost of the funeral services in the plan at today’s price, regardless of how far in the future they are needed. So no matter how much funeral costs rise, once paid, you know what's included in the plan will be covered. And it will be paid for in advance, which means your family won't need to wait to access the money before the Will is processed.
A funeral plan is a simple and straightforward way to cover the cost of the services in the plan in advance and put arrangements in place.
Planning ahead like this brings:
- Peace of mind there will be no extra bills for the services included in the plan;
- Reassurance these funeral costs will be fixed at today's prices;
- Confidence that your personal wishes have been made known;
- Comfort that your arrangements will be carried out by an experienced and trusted funeral director.
In short, it will make arranging your funeral one less thing for your family to worry about.
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