When you buy a funeral service without doing your homework you can be very vulnerable and it’s very difficult to unpack that product. It’s very hard to get a funeral director to tell you the cost of each item in a package. That’s where eziFunerals can help.
eziFunerals has prepared the following guide to help you understand funeral costs and avoid unnecessary fees and charges.
Use our guide to plan a funeral, connect with funeral directors and compare funeral costs before selecting a funeral director.
How are funeral costs calculated?
Funeral Service Quotes from funeral directors are often presented in three parts:
Funeral Director (Professional) Fees
Funeral Director (Professional) Fees are usually not itemised in the quote from the funeral director. These fees cover the services funeral directors provide using their own resources. Generally these tasks include collecting, transporting, and preparing the body, and providing chapel or viewing facilities as well as staff, a hearse and mourners’ cars.
This cost also includes the ‘organising’ they do on your behalf, such as speaking with clergy, organising the cemetery or crematorium, arranging for medical or death certificates and ordering flowers and placing obituaries. The fees will vary according to which funeral director you use and the level of service you choose.
Coffins and Caskets
Purchasing a coffin is one of the most expensive items for any funeral, and many people either don’t have the means to pay for a coffin or would prefer not to spend such a large sum of money.
Coffins are usually less expensive than caskets. Coffins and caskets with more elaborate fittings, linings and timbers are more expensive.
There is a wide range available on offer by suppliers. Coffins vary in materials and costs depending on your choice and budget.
- Solid timber
- Craft wood/timber combination
- Particle board
- Plain craft wood or chipboard
- Cardboard
Read our guide on How To Save Money on Coffins
Disbursements
Disbursements are fees charged by a third party which the funeral director pays on your behalf. Necessary disbursements include the fees charged by a doctor for medical certificates and permits or fees charged by a cemetery or crematorium. Other disbursements may include newspaper notices, flowers or refreshments you have requested. The funeral director should only pass the actual cost on to you.
Read our guide on Your Funeral Choices
We help you get itemised funeral quotes
Be careful of funeral packages. Most of the well know funeral brands owned by public listed companies (InvoCare and Propel Funeral Partners) will give these funeral packages different names, but they usually fall under titles like ‘bronze’, ‘silver’ and ‘gold’. Often these funeral packages are advertised and sold as a way to get you to pay more. So you may be paying for things you don’t need or want. That’s why you should always ask for an itemised quote.
Let’s get started
- Go to www.ezifunerals.com.au
- Register as a new Funeral Consumer, or simply login to your account.
- Select the ‘Plan A Funeral’ menu option and follow the steps provided in each section.
Once your funeral plan is created, you can submit it to multiple funeral directors and get itemised quotes on your funeral. Alternatively, if you need a Quick Quote, you can connect with Independent Funeral Directors by filling in a simple and easy quote request form.
About eziFunerals
eziFunerals supports individuals and families cope with end of life decisions, death and funerals. We are an independent, Australian-owned and operated company, and are not a subsidiary of any other corporation. We are not part of any other funeral company. Founded by consumers frustrated by how difficult it was to get independent information, eziFunerals supports consumers plan a funeral, compare prices and select the right funeral director anywhere, anytime.