According to the United States Federal Trade Commisson's
recently established "Funeral Rule," a funeral home or mortuary
may not refuse or charge a fee to handle a casket or urn that a consumer
purchases elsewhere. Fortunately, there's a federal law that makes
it easier for you to choose only those goods and services you want
or need and to pay only for those you select, whether you are making
arrangements pre-need or at need.
Professional funeral providers will have no problem receiving a casket
or urn from Monastery Caskets. Monks of the community have used this
service for deceased family members and report no difficulty in arranging
the use of a monastery-crafted casket. All the details of the purchase
and delivery are handled by the monks with the selected funeral provider.
Since a funeral is a major expense for most people, it is to understand
to understand your consumer rights when you approach funeral planning.
The Federal Funeral Rule makes this much easier by spelling out what
the funeral provider must disclose so as to help the consumer make
an informed decision about the services and products they choose to
buy. You, as the buyer, have the right to choose only those goods
and services you want or need and to pay only for those you select,
whether you are making arrangements pre-need or at need.
The Funeral Rule, enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, requires
funeral directors to give you itemized prices in person and, if
you ask, over the phone. The Rule also requires funeral directors
to give you other information about their goods and services. For
example, if you ask about funeral arrangements in person, the funeral
home must give you a written price list to keep that shows the goods
and services the home offers. If you want to buy a casket or outer
burial container, the funeral provider must show you descriptions
of the available selections and the prices before actually showing
you the caskets.
Many funeral providers offer various "packages" of commonly
selected goods and services that make up a funeral. But when you
arrange for a funeral, you have the right to buy individual goods
and services. That is, you do not have to accept a package that
may include items you do not want.
According to the Funeral Rule:
- You have the right to choose the funeral goods and services
you want (with some exceptions).
- The funeral provider must state this right in writing on the
general price list.
- If state or local law requires you to buy any particular item,
the funeral provider must disclose it on the price list, with
a reference to the specific law.
- The funeral provider may not refuse, or charge a fee, to handle
a casket you bought elsewhere.
- A funeral provider that offers cremations must make alternative
containers available.
Please go to the U.S. Federal
Trade Commission website for more information regarding
this subject. |
