TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR THE DEARLY DEPARTED

More often than not, travel insurance proves to be an additional investment on a vacation that does nothing more than put money in the pockets of insurance companies and their salespeople.  Purchasing travel insurance just in case you die while traveling away from home is also a poor investment.

The funeral industry created travel insurance plans as a way to up sales and pay larger commissions.  These plans usually cost between $250 and $500, and, in most cases, half of the policy is immediately paid as a commission to the person writing the contract.  They know that preying on your fears will help them sell products and services you really don't need and will probably never use - a travel insurance plan is one of the most useless of services offered by the funeral industry.

Just like travel insurance, a funeral (or cremation) travel insurance plan has many stipulations that will render it useless in the event death occurs away from home.  These plans are not refundable if they are not used or fail to perform.

It is extremely rare that death will occur while traveling.  When pre-arranging funeral or cremation services make sure the plan can be paid to another service provider, if needed while traveling or in case you move out of the area.

Buying and Selling Cemetery Property

There are options when it comes to buying and selling (yes, selling) cemetery property. Knowing the options can save or even make you money.

Over the years families purchase cemetery property and then for some reason or another don't use it. Without the help of a Cemetery Broker, many families are stuck with this unneeded, but expensive investment. A Cemetery Broker can help.

Cemeteries are not in the business of buying cemetery property, so a Cemetery Broker can list and sell unused cemetery property, much like a traditional real estate broker. Like a forgotten bank account, this money could provide relief during this very difficult economic time.

When in the market to purchase cemetery property, a Cemetery Broker can save you money, because many of the listings are priced less, in some cases much less, than if buying from the cemetery directly.

The news is even better if you are a US Veteran. Spaces for casket burial and cremated remains are absolutely FREE in any National Cemetery accepting burials. Some of the cemeteries are among the most beautiful around and are offered at no charge to the family.

Remember, working with an affordable funeral service provider and a Cemetery Broker or National Cemetery could make memorialization of a loved one in a cemetery an affordable option.

Celebrate Life... Not Death.

Traditionally, when a person's life has come to an end we prepare to mourn their loss.  In some instances, death is a release from pain and suffering - especially when life-long illnesses or conditions have made living unbearable.  In most cases, however, there are actually positive situations and accomplishments worth celebrating.

It is important to remember that a funeral is for the living, not the person who has died.  It is for family and friends to gather and support each other.  More appropriate, but not often thought of, would be a Celebration of Life.

A Celebration of Life has no limitations and is completely open to creativity and imagination, and, may or may not include the remains of the person whose life is being celebrated, but will definitely reflect their life, interests and accomplishments.

If a person enjoyed playing sports, such as golf or football, a celebration could be held on a golf course or in a sky box, for someone that enjoyed the outdoors, a celebration could be held in a park.  For someone that is involved in theater or enjoyed music, a multi-media presentation set to music might be a wonderful way to memorialize the way they lived and who they were.  To symbolize the release of a person's spirit, a balloon or dove release may be appropriate.  To symbolize the continuation of life and the memory of the person's life, making pouches of seeds of their favorite flowers to give to family and friends to plant in their yard might be a good idea.

If a person was very spiritual or religious, a traditional church service might be the most appropriate way to honor their life and beliefs.

Keep in mind that there is no right way to celebrate a life.  No matter how simple or detailed, family and friends know the best way to Celebrate Life.

My Local Mortuary Sure Asks A Lot Of Questions!

Recently, a survey from "local" mortuaries was sent to many homes throughout the Bay Area asking some very personal questions.  We did some checking and this is what we found:

The mortuaries that sent out this survey, despite hiding behind a locally recognized name, are huge publically traded companies gathering information for marketing of cemetery property, pre-need funeral plans or other cremation and burial related products.

The information you provide them is used strictly for marketing purposes.  Answering their questions and providing your personal information may subject you to countless other companies marketing other products and services.  Needless to say, you just provided your information to another marketing list and you have no idea who has your personal information or who has access to it.

Due to identity theft, it is not recommended that you provide your personal information to any solicitation that comes in the mail.

When the time comes to make funeral arrangements, call around to different firms.  Ask questions, find out who owns them, the services they provide and prices.  You want to look for the most affordable price because providers of cremation and burial services are highly regulated by state and federal agencies and provide very similar services; a high price does not guarantee a better service - it just guarantees a high price.

For more information or to ask a question, please write to:  info@AcaciaSociety.com

How Do I Avoid An Expensive Cremation Service?

There is nothing wrong with shopping for the best price when planning a cremation, burial or funeral service; and knowing what to ask could save you thousands of dollars.

Currently, the most common service requested is Direct Cremation (a simple service with no ceremony).  Direct Cremation can be a personal, dignified and affordable way to memorialize the life of a loved one – or, you could pay more than you should by not knowing what to ask in advance of meeting with a funeral professional or salesperson.

Providers of cremation services are only required to quote their “price for a Direct Cremation”.       Their price is not usually complete and they know that once you are meeting with them you will most likely not walk away, but rather pay a price much higher than originally quoted.  Walking away from anyone, including a funeral establishment representative, when they intentionally misquote prices or try and make you purchase products and services you do not want is absolutely acceptable.

When making a cremation arrangement, the following components apply in order to know an accurate and complete price (**denotes a cost sometimes not included in a “Direct Cremation” quote):

Basic Services of Funeral Director and Staff (includes taking care of all paperwork and authorizations, producing the Permit for Disposition and Death Certificate and overhead)

            Arrangement Conference with Responsible Party

**Transportation from Place of Death (night, weekend, holiday, residential or other differential fees may apply)

            **Fee for the Disposition Permit

            **DCA Tax (a tax charged by the State of California)

            **Refrigerated Shelter

            **Alternative Cremation Container (minimum cardboard required by crematory – no need to purchase a casket)

            **Transportation to Crematory

            **Cremation and Processing of Cremated Remains

            **Durable Cremation Urn

The only additional charge to a Direct Cremation should be Certified Death Certificates, which are a per copy charge determined by the county of death.  You should never pay a membership fee to “join” a mortuary or cremation society.

Currently, the cost for a Complete Direct Cremation in the San Francisco Bay Area ranges from under $900 to over $3,000.