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What Happens if I Die Before I Complete the Payments on my Funeral Plan?
If you purchased an insurance funded funeral plan through your funeral home your family is most likely all set. They just call the funeral home, and everything goes according to the plan you put in place. As long as they follow that plan the cost is covered.
At the time you met with the funeral professional you would have determined the type of service that met your requirements and that you thought would be consistent with your family’s expectations. Those plans led you to an accurate cost estimate for your funeral. You would have been offered the opportunity to pay for that funeral in one single payment or to make payments over the course of years. You would have been asked to answer a few simple questions about your current health and offered coverage for your funeral cost once the policy was reviewed and issued.
If you were in good health, you would have been eligible for full coverage from the date of issue. Full coverage means the entire cost of your funeral would be paid by the insurance company. So, if you die before all of your payments have been made the full cost of your funeral may be paid on your behalf. Your family owes nothing. They are all set. That bears repeating. If your health is reasonably good today, you can be covered for the total cost of your funeral even if you have not completed the payment plan you selected when you die. And unlike other insurance like long term care or traditional life insurance, you only pay for the number of years you selected. You do not have to pay for the remainder of your life to be covered.
If you were not in good health your path to full coverage may have taken a little time. If you die before you reach your full coverage date your family will receive the dollars you paid in plus growth accrued (similar to interest) toward your preplanned funeral amount. In this case the family would be required to make up the difference in cost between the death benefit the insurance company would pay and the cost of the funeral.
Funeral payment plans offered by funeral homes are designed to meet the needs of a whole host of families. Some prefer to pay for the entire funeral in one payment when the funeral is planned. Others prefer to pay over a longer period of time. This choice is made for a variety of personal reasons.
Today, most funeral homes have a planning professional on staff who will meet with you and explain the options that are available to you. There is no cost for this meeting. It is a perfect opportunity to get all of your questions answered. The time to call and schedule a time to meet is now. If you are thinking that you should be getting your ducks in a row, you’re right. Sooner really is better.
