Life & Accident Insurance

High Cost of Funerals

Johnston Insurance Agency feels it is important for you to know, how expensive funeral services can cost these days. With funerals being one of the most challenging things to prepare for, and it is obvious one of the most expensive events in life. With that being said, we do not want you as a senior citizen, fail to address the costs of your funeral, your final expense while you are still living!

Before we break into the details, let us begin by saying, funerals are expensive. An average funeral is somewhere around $10,000 to $25,000. For this amount of money, you are getting the viewing, burial, embalming, transfer of the remains, service fee, and a couple of other things. The truth be told, the caskets can be the priciest item you buy for a traditional funeral. The material, the style, the design, and the customization are impacting the final price of the casket. Expect to pay somewhere between $2,000 and $6,000 for an average casket. Expensive caskets made with expensive wood or highly customized can get as high as $10,000.

Remember, you have rights, and you should get informed when hiring a funeral home. For instance, you do not have to buy all the funeral items straight from the funeral home.

You may cut down the spending by a couple thousand dollars when you buy online or outside the funeral home. Either way, remember that the funeral home is obliged to use the casket you provide. They cannot add fees when handling coffins that you bought elsewhere.

Now, with the average embalming costing between $500 to $700 most of the time, you should not pay more than $1,000 for embalming. However, you should know that embalming is not always mandatory, since it depends on a lot of factors.

One, is how fast the service happens after the deceased’s passing, whether the body will be buried or cremated. You may want to consider refrigeration as an alternative to cremation, but this also could cost you a couple hundred dollars.
Two, the funeral homes and cemeteries are not the same things, and each of them have specific costs. In the case of burials, it is the small items; like the headstone, the flowers and transportation that impact the final price.

Many families accept flowers from guests as a sign of homage to the person they lost. It is typical for the funeral homes to work with local florists that may offer flower packages with the funeral service. There again, this may not be the best time to focus on deals, since you are overwhelmed by the emotions. Every wreath is around $100 to $200 and yes, they do make a beautiful display around the casket. The flowers used certainly impact the final price, with an elegant casket wreath costing as much as $700.

Remember, funeral homes and cemeteries are not the same things, and each of them have specific costs. If you are also considering purchasing the gravesite, make sure that you find out about how the cemetery is going to take care of the grave site chosen. You may pay somewhere between $1,000 and $4,000 for a plot and expect to pay more than that if you live in a metropolitan area. Some funeral homes may include the grave plot with maintenance, and in some situations, you will have to pay a service fee.

Opening the ground, placing the casket, and covering the plot also raise the funeral spending around $1000. All these duties can vary a couple hundred dollars, but it depends on the cemetery or funeral home.

How pricey is a headstone? For a headstone standing on top of the grave, you may have to pay around $2,000 up to $5,000.

What about a grave marker? Well, a grave marker lies flat on the ground, and it can cost up to
$1,000.

Where the body will be buried, counts when deciding if you are allowed use a headstone or a grave marker.
The material you use for either of them gives the final price, but bronze and stone are the most affordable options.
With having to deal with all these matters is why, pre-planning is the best way to cut down the spending cost of a funeral.

When death happens suddenly to a loved one, you may not have the time to pay attention to all these specifics and the cost.

As we all know, it is a stressful and traumatic time in one’s life.

You may not be able to think straight with the distressing emotions, nor concentrate on the many things related to a funeral.

We at Johnston Insurance understand how difficult this can be, with these expenses being the number one issue that most families face.

That is why we recommend; you have a final expense life insurance policy to cover these high costs.

We represent multiple carriers, and you are guaranteed acceptance, no matter what pre-existing health issues you may have.

So, decide right now that you want to put a plan in place that fits your budget.

Now’s the time to leave the beneficiary of your choosing this awesome responsibility, so your loved one will not ever be burdened with the high cost of a funeral.

To eliminate all these difficult times and leave your family with better memories, contact us today.

Call Johnston Insurance now: 512-276-9945 Now do not put this off!
It is crucial that you live up to the responsibility of your passing.