Buying Funeral Package

What is included in a funeral package?

All Funeral Packages provide Funeral Director and Staff’s basic services: transportation to the cemetery, funeral coach, utility vehicle service, procurement of death certificates, compilation of obituary records, refrigeration and sanitary care of your loved one (including washing, dressing and casketing). Though some may vary depending on the agency, it should be similar to most of the basic services.

How to choose the best package?

The high funeral costs are often the product of funeral directors selling bundled services, with customers unaware of what they paid for.

Many of the consumers are going to say that some funeral directors are pressing them to buy a package at an unexplained total cost rather than pinpointing every part of a funeral for buyers to see precisely what they want.

A common tactic in the sale of such funeral packages is to present three price points for packages. Let’s put it as “Cheapest” , “Mid Range”, and “ Extravagant”. Most people don’t want to be considered cheap or excessively extravagant, so funeral directors know that the family typically chooses the middle option and pricing the package as appropriate.

You can be very vulnerable when you buy a funeral service without having to do your homework and it’s very hard to unpack that product. Having a funeral director to tell you the cost of each item in a package is very difficult. Check prices minimum at three agencies. By doing so, you can compare which of the package will allow you to get the best value out of them.

Things to consider when choosing a funeral package.

What are the basic costs, and what further costs should I expect?

Whenever available, ask your funeral director for a copy of their General Price List (some funeral homes have that online). If prices for things like caskets and urns aren’t on that list, also ask for a list of those prices.

What kinds of funeral packages are offered?

A funeral home will provide everything for varying prices, from a specific set of options to an all-inclusive program. Whatever choices you select, all packages will include an overhead and professional service charge – ranging from about RM5,000 to RM15,000. This includes answering your initial request, consulting with you on arrangements, coordinating with the church and/or cemetery and preparing official documents.

How experienced is the agency?

Is it a locally owned funeral home? Is it an autonomous business? Independent funeral homes are often family-owned and may have been in business for generations, giving you a sense of their commitment to their communities. This is not to suggest that a national chain can not provide everything you want, but it is important to ask if local ownership is important to you.