Life Insurance
The importance of discussing your funeral
28 October 2021
It’s not the most natural conversation to have, and it can be tricky to bring it up with your loved ones, but having a say in what your own funeral looks like may actually go a long way in helping your family with their grief, and their finances.
For many people, having a say in what happens when they die can be quite a comforting experience - knowing they helped plan their send off. It may help provide a bit of control during what can be an uncontrollable situation.
Not only can it help your loved ones deal with the emotional elements of planning a funeral, because a lot of the decisions have been made already, but you can also put specific plans in place to help your family with the financial side.
Talking about your funeral affords you the opportunity to have a say in whether you’d like to be buried or cremated, whether you want a religious ceremony, if you want a function following the service and what kind of extras you want, from music to flowers and speeches.
How much will your funeral cost?
Besides the practical elements of planning your funeral, having these conversations with your loved ones can also help financially. MoneySmart estimates that the average funeral in Australia costs between $4000 and $15,000. This can be a lot of money for many Australian families, and it’s not necessarily an amount people have lying around.
Of course, the amount largely depends on what you want to include in your funeral, which is where prior discussions can help. For example, if you know you want to be cremated, in some cases, this can greatly reduce the price of your send-off. If your family doesn't know that, they may end up paying thousands of dollars on a service you don’t want. Even something as simple as flowers can cause a price hike. If you don’t want flowers, again, it’s not how you would want your loved ones to spend their money.
Help cover the costs of your funeral
Of course, there are ways to help mitigate the financial stress that may occur. Funeral insurance may help ease the burden on your family, by providing a lump sum payment to help cover the costs of your funeral. With cover starting from just $2.95 per week, Suncorp Funeral Insurance can provide your loved ones with a fixed cover amount of $3,000 to $15,000 on the completion of a successful claim. The lump sum can be used towards funeral costs, travel costs for family members or even to settle your affairs, like covering unpaid bills or outstanding debts.
Easing the strain of your funeral
There aren’t that many ways you can help your family prepare for your passing. Discussing your funeral, though, may help your loved ones emotionally, and funeral insurance may help your loved ones financially, meaning they can focus on what matters most - their grief.
If you have any questions about Suncorp Funeral Insurance, you can talk to our Suncorp Life specialists on 13 11 55 (Mon to Fri 8am–8pm).
Get a Funeral Insurance quick quote
Read more:
- What you need to know about funeral insurance
- Comparing Funeral Insurance policies: What you need to know
- Buying funeral insurance: a step-by-step guide
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