The cost of a funeral catches many people unprepared – not because it's a secret, but because we don't talk about it. Anyone who knows the factors can plan for a realistic sum, and take out exactly that much cover.
- The main items: grave or urn site, the service provider's fees, supplies, the ceremony, the headstone and inscription, and related costs.
- Prices vary considerably by town and by type of ceremony, and rise year after year.
- We cannot responsibly quote a specific figure – but once you know the structure, any local quote is quick to make sense of.
What makes up the final total?
The purchase of a grave or urn site, and its later renewal; the funeral service provider's fees (transport, administration, laying out); supplies; the ceremony and the farewell; the death notice and flowers; the headstone, inscription, or masonry work; and finally the wake and smaller related items. Each is significant on its own, and together they add up to a considerable sum. The cost structure also differs between cremation and burial – our separate article covers this.
Why don't we quote specific figures?
For two reasons. Prices change by town, by provider, and from year to year – whatever we wrote here today would be misleading by next year. And because figures can easily tip into scaremongering, which is not what this site is for. The structure, however, stands the test of time: once you know the items, you can quickly make sense of any local quote, and planning turns from guesswork into calculation.
Working out the right sum
The first step is to clarify your intentions: what kind of farewell you would like, where, and with whom. The second is mapping local prices – a couple of exploratory conversations or price lists are enough for this. The third is choosing a matching sum insured, with a reasonable margin: the sum is right when the family doesn't have to count pennies during the hard days. The sum-insured ranges insurers offer differ – it is worth matching this against your plans.
And how does the sum stay right?
Through indexation and a review on request or when it's warranted. Costs rise – the sum that looks adequate today may fall short a few years from now. If you let me know before the renewal date, I carry out the annual review: I check whether cover has fallen behind prices – and if it has, I suggest an adjustment. That way, the policy is not a one-off decision, but an arrangement that can be kept up to date.
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