A time to plan ahead
Traditionally families took care of funeral arrangements after a loved one had died. In most instances the arrangement probably worked perfectly well. However, times are changing and, these days, people often want more say over their ‘arrangements’, hence the emergence of the pre-paid funeral plan.
In the simplest possible language you plan your funeral whilst you are still living. Morbid? Certainly not! We like to call it caring and forward thinking, quite simply because a pre-paid funeral plan gives relatives peace of mind and you the comfort of knowing that your surviving loved ones won’t need to ‘speculate’ about what you ‘might’ have wanted.
WHAT IS A PRE-PAID FUNERAL?
Planning for later life is never an easy thing to do, but it can be comforting and reassuring to know that you’ve taken care of your affairs, including your funeral. Many people never get round to talking to their families about the funeral they would like, which can lead to all sorts of worry and anxiety for loved ones when the time comes.
However, a Golden Leaves pre-paid funeral plan from Eric F. Box is a simple and straightforward way of removing this worry by providing peace of mind for you and your family. A funeral plan is not only one of the most thoughtful and caring things you can do, but it also gives younger generations of the family real help when they need it. Terms and conditions apply to funeral plans – please ask for details.
Eric F. Box Limited is an Appointed Representative of Golden Leaves Limited, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Firm Reference Number 960923. You can check this on the Financial Services Register at register.fca.org.uk. Please note that this authorisation and regulation is for funeral plans only and does not extend to other activities that we carry out such as funerals.
PEACE OF MIND
Do your relatives know your preference for burial or cremation? What music might be played at your funeral? Start talking and take away the uncertainty! Above and beyond the financial and emotional considerations, many people now see a Pre-Paid plan as an opportunity to also sit down with close family and friends, to discuss what they’d like to happen in the event of death. Whether you want a funeral that celebrates your life or something more traditional, our pre-paid plan lets you:
- Outline all the details of your funeral and reduce that worry for your loved ones, whilst you are still living.
- Fix the costs at today’s prices.
- Make financial provision for your funeral.
- Create a bespoke funeral tailored to YOUR needs.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
That really is up to you! For fear of stating the obvious it depends on what you want. Some of the questions that might help shape the ‘cost’ of your pre-paid funeral would include things like:
- Burial or cremation?
- Coffin or casket?
- Number of cars in the funeral cortege?
- Something very different? Ashes into space, a colourful coffin or even a woodland burial?
Needless to say there will be many questions. However, the beauty of a pre-paid funeral is that time is still very much on your side. You have time to think and consider before doing anything. As much as you ‘pre-pay’ you also ‘pre-plan’, and that’s got to be good for you, your family and your friends.
FAQ's
Anyone aged 18 or over can take out a plan. There are no medical or health restrictions on buying a plan but if you have been told by a doctor that you have an illness or condition which may cause death within 12 months, this will limit the ways in which you can pay for your plan. If you choose to pay for your plan using an available finance option, all repayments must be made before your 85th birthday so that may limit how you choose to pay for your plan.
Golden Leaves offer interest-free payments over 12 months. You may also be able to take out a finance option to pay for your plan over 2 – 8 years, subject to status and personal circumstances. However, if you have been told by a doctor that you have an illness or condition which may cause death within 12 months, these options will not be available to you: in this case, you will only be able to make payment in one single amount.
We recommend that you take out travel insurance when you go on holiday, especially if you travel abroad, which usually covers bringing you back home if necessary. Alternatively we can quote for the extra cost involved.
If you move, you should be able to transfer your plan to a funeral director near your new home. However, there may be additional costs depending on local prices. Please refer to the Terms and Conditions for details, or speak to a member of the team.
Yes – we find many customers choose to do this.
The plan is guaranteed to cover the funeral director’s costs listed in the plan details as long as your requirements don’t change and we carry out your funeral. The plan can also include an allowance towards third party costs, such as the fees for cremation or burial, medical fees and payment to a minister or officiant. These costs are outside our control. If these costs, as listed in the plan details, are not covered by the plan value at time of need, there will be a balance to pay. Please refer to the Terms and Conditions for more information.
Regardless of how you pay for your plan, if you change your mind within 30 days of your plan being put in place by Golden Leaves, you can cancel for any reason and get back all the money you have paid. Golden Leaves is also required by Financial Conduct Authority rules to send you documents setting out who the funeral director is who will carry out the funeral you have paid for. If you receive these after your 30 day cooling off period has expired, you can also cancel within an additional 7 days.
If you pay for your plan in 12 monthly instalments, you have additional rights over and above the 30 days mentioned above. In this case, you can cancel your plan any time within 12 months of Golden Leaves putting your plan in place and you will still get back any money that you have paid.
If you cancel after the 30 day period or 12 month period outlined above, you can still cancel and get back the money that you have paid but Golden Leaves will keep a £325 charge for administration.
Funeral pre-payment plans are provided by Golden Leaves Limited, who have been offering plans for more than 35 years. The money you pay is held in the Golden Leaves Trust, which independently manages the funds to achieve stable long-term growth, specifically to cover the increasing cost of funeral services.
The Trust is regulated in compliance with The Financial Services and Markets Act 2001 and is overseen by a board of trustees who have appointed Julius Baer, LGT Vestra, Cazenove and Quilter Cheviot as the investment fund managers for the Trust. The fund is independently audited each year and subject to strict actuarial reporting to ensure that it remains solid, stable, and above all, completely secure.
Eric F. Box Limited is an Appointed Representative of Golden Leaves Limited, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Firm Reference Number 960923. You can check this on the Financial Services Register at register.fca.org.uk. Please note that this authorisation and regulation is for funeral plans only and does not extend to other activities that we carry out such as at-need funerals.
Taking out a Pre-Paid Funeral Plan
Taking out your Pre-Paid Funeral Plan is simple:
- Have a think about how you want to be remembered and decide what services you require.
- Ring Eric F. Box’s to arrange your first appointment. Tell us what you want.
- We will put a full estimate in the post.
- Decide which payment option is right for you.
- We agree a second meeting to sort out the paperwork.
- We send your application to Golden Leaves. Once accepted, they will send you important documents relating to your plan which you should read and keep in a secure place.
- Tell your family what you’ve done and give them contact details for Eric. F. Box Funeral Directors.
MY PERSONAL WISHES
Think whilst time is on your side! Your thoughts are designed to inspire you to think about meaningful ways to celebrate and remember a life, whether you are planning for yourself or a loved one.
And, to help you, Eric F. Box Funeral Directors has developed a special booklet – My Personal Wishes – which is there to help guide you through the creative process of ‘designing’ a funeral. It asks pertinent questions about your life, your loves and your influences, with the express aim of eliciting information that will ‘shape’ the look of the funeral you are planning. The My Personal Wishes booklet is there to inspire meaningful thought.
Visit our Catalogue section to download a copy.
