Did you know that..?
You have the right to comparison shop by phone? By law, funeral directors must give you specific answers to specific questions regarding types of services available and pricing. If you inquire in person at a funeral home about arrangements, the funeral director must provide you with a preprinted “General Price List”; a complete itemization of all services offered and the corresponding prices. Failure of the funeral establishment to do so exposes them to fines of $10,000 per incident by the FTC.
Q: Is embalming always required?
A: Embalming is not required by law but may be requested for specific circumstances; death by infectious disease, a prolonged period of time between death and burial, or most commonly, a public viewing or wake.
Q: Is a casket required?
A casket is not required for a direct cremation. An inexpensive alternative container is all that is required. The funeral director must provide an itemized accounting, known as the statement of goods and services, showing the total cost of the funeral merchandise and/or services selected.
Q: Will embalming keep the remains preserved?
A: Funeral providers are strictly prohibited from making any claims that a product or service will indefinitely preserve the remains.
Q: What’s the difference between a corporate funeral home and independently owned funeral home?
A: Many funeral homes are owned by large publicly traded corporations. Market research indicates that a corporately owned funeral home tends to be significantly higher in cost to you. Ask your funeral director if the funeral home is independently owned and operated or is it part of a chain. Most corporate chains mislead customers by disguising ownership by continuing to use the local business name many years after they have purchased the property.
Q: Can I purchase my casket somewhere else?
A: Because casket stores have had such a dramatic impact on the funeral industry, funeral homes are doing everything possible to discredit casket stores and casket resellers while attempting to eliminate options for the consumer. However, the funeral industry is regulated. Therefore, funeral homes cannot directly eliminate the consumer’s rights to comparison shop.
Q: Can I move my loved one to a different funeral home?
A: If one Funeral Home picks up the body and you decide to move to another one because the price is too high, you can. They can’t stop you or hold the body for ransom. That’s against the law, the same as kidnapping. They may try but it’s your money. If you sign a contract, you have 72 hours to cancel it; after all, you are under duress.
Q: What does Central Florida Casket Store & Funeral Chapel do differently?
A: Central Florida Casket Store & Funeral Chapel is part of a growing trend across America to comparison shop. We offer consumers the opportunity to make an important decision-making process as easy as possible by offering a selection of beautifully crafted caskets, monuments, markers, urns and flowers for every need and financial situation.
Remember: “Pay your respects, not your life savings.”