LEAVE MORE THAN JUST MEMORIES Plan and pay for funeral services with a Prepaid Funeral Plan.

Transcription

1 LEAVE MORE THAN JUST MEMORIES Plan and pay for funeral services with a Prepaid Funeral Plan. In branch saffronbs.co.uk

2 A BETTER WAY TO PLAN FOR FUNERAL COSTS At Saffron we help our members make the most of their money. That s why we ve partnered with Dignity, the leading provider of Prepaid Funeral Plans, to help you beat rising funeral costs and leave more for your loved ones. The Prepaid Funeral Plan from Dignity makes sure that your cremation funeral arrangements and costs are taken care of in advance, as specified in the plan. You will also have the comfort of knowing your family will be supported by a professional and caring Dignity Nominated Funeral Director. With help from Dignity The Prepaid Funeral Plan is provided by Dignity, the UK s leading prearranged funeral plan provider. For generations they have been serving communities, and today Dignity have a UK network of more than 1,140 owned or approved funeral directors who are entrusted to carry out the funeral you want. WE HAVE PUT OUR TRUST IN DIGNITY In 1985, Dignity introduced the UK s first ever funeral plan and is the UK s market leader of funeral plans. Dignity have already helped more than 650,000 people arrange their funeral in advance making each service personal to the family concerned. Dignity conducted over 65,000 funerals in the UK in Dignity is a member of the Funeral Planning Authority, the professional body that oversees the operation of registered funeral plan companies. In a recent customer survey, more than 99% said Dignity had met or exceeded their expectations in terms of the quality of service. 98% would recommend Dignity to friends and relatives. Dignity plc Annual Report & Accounts Saffron Building Society is an introducer to Dignity Pre Arrangement Limited for the provision of funeral plans. If you take out the Prepaid Funeral Plan, this will be on the basis of a contract between you and Dignity Pre Arrangement Limited, a company registered in England No VAT Reg. No Registered Office: 4 King Edwards Court, King Edwards Square, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B73 6AP. Tel: Fax: Part of Dignity plc. A British company. Dignity Pre Arrangement Limited is regulated by the Funeral Planning Authority. 2

3 Guaranteed peace of mind Designed for the over 50 s Guaranteed to cover funeral services as detailed in the plan Ensures your wishes are known No medical questions to answer HOW DOES THE PLAN WORK? The Prepaid Funeral Plan from Dignity is a simple way for you to take care of your funeral arrangements. It allows you to pay for services included in the plan in advance and gives you the reassurance that your wishes are documented, so you ll help save your loved ones money and unnecessary worry. Nip rising funeral costs in the bud Our members have already discovered that a little preparation now, pays dividends in the future. That s because the Prepaid Funeral Plan fixes the cost of the services included at today s prices. So no matter how much funeral costs may increase in the future, you don t need to pay a penny more for the services within the plan. Support for your family at a difficult time A further advantage is that when the time comes, your family won t be left wondering what type of service you wanted. One call to Dignity will set your plan in motion, helping to remove the worry of finding a funeral director, making all the arrangements and dealing with payments for the services included in the plan. They ll have all the dedicated support and the professional services of a Dignity Nominated Funeral Director to put the plan in action. To apply for The Prepaid Funeral Plan, simply complete an Application Form and return it to your local branch. 3

4 IT REALLY DOES MAKE GOOD FINANCIAL SENSE It s worth knowing that the average cost of a funeral has more than doubled since So with the current low interest rates, chances are your savings might not keep pace with rising funeral costs. FACT: Funeral costs have gone up and up Price Indexed Price Indexed Years Years Average Funeral Average Costs* Funeral UK Costs* Retail Price UK Index** Retail Price Index** UK Savings Rate*** UK Savings Rate*** * (Mintel: Funerals - UK - January 2007) (calculated using average annual increase of 6.38% per year) Funeral costs research carried out by Matter Communications ** Office of National Statistics (ONS). *** Calculation and data source - The Investment Research Partnership Copyright UK Savings 2,500 Net Source - Morningstar Copyright Taking out The Prepaid Funeral Plan has proved a wise decision for many. They fixed the funeral cost for services included on the day they took out the plan so they now have peace of mind that the cost of the cremation services in the plan will be covered in full, no matter how much prices rise. One of our parents died a while ago and because she had dementia, her bank account had been frozen. If we had not had enough money to pay for her funeral, we would have had to cope with trying to get her money released as well as dealing with the funeral. Mr & Mrs Chamberlain 4

5 IT S REWARDING TO PLAN FOR TOMORROW All the reassurance you need If you have savings, investments, or even a life insurance plan in place, you might think you don t need The Prepaid Funeral Plan. However, the plan guarantees to cover the costs of the cremation funeral services included in your plan, no matter how much prices rise or how long you live. Other savings and investments cannot guarantee to do this. The plan also includes the services of a trusted owned or approved Dignity Nominated Funeral Director who will organise the funeral and provide your loved ones with complete support and guidance. Why not talk it over with us Your money s in safe hands The money you pay for your plan is paid into the National Funeral Trust, a totally independent Trust Fund with over 239 million under investment as at December This means you can feel safe knowing the plan will cover the cost of the cremation funeral services included in the plan, no matter how much prices rise or when it s required. Annual Report National Funeral Trust Here for your family too When the time comes, practical and emotional support is just a phone call away with a 24-hour telephone bereavement advice and counselling service. In branch saffronbs.co.uk 5

6 YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED Q: I have savings and life insurance. Why do I need a funeral plan? A: The Prepaid Funeral Plan will guarantee to cover the costs of the cremation funeral services included in your plan, no matter how much prices rise or how long you live. Other savings and investments cannot guarantee to do this. Q: Can I choose my funeral director? A: When you take out a plan, Dignity will advise you of your Nominated Funeral Director from their network of more than 1,140 owned or approved funeral directors. Dignity happily recommend these funeral directors as they have already agreed to the important guarantees under the plan. Q: Can I have a refund if I change my mind? A:, you ll get a full refund if you change your mind within 28 days. To ensure Dignity can meet the guarantees promised to every Planholder, there is a 395 cancellation fee after this period. Q: What happens if I die before I ve finished paying for my plan? A: The arrangements and price guarantees in your plan will remain in place, provided that the person arranging your funeral agrees to pay the remaining balance in full. Q: What happens if I move house? A: You can use your funeral plan anywhere in mainland Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Jersey, the Isle of Man and the Isle of Wight. Simply tell us your new address and we ll update our records and Dignity will advise you of your new Dignity Nominated Funeral Director if appropriate. 6

7 FREEDOM TO PLAN WHAT S RIGHT FOR YOU Choice of plans to suit you and your budget You re free to choose from three cremation funeral plans, where the services in the plan are guaranteed. For each plan there is also an option of a burial funeral. Burials cannot be guaranteed in the same way as cremations, instead the Funeral Director Services stated within the plan are guaranteed and there is a contribution made to burial and other third party fees. For more information on all three plans, please see the table inside. A choice of payments It s good to know that you have the flexibility to pay for your plan in full right now or spread the cost into manageable monthly payments. MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE SHOULD YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND When you take out a plan, Dignity will send you your plan documentation and will confirm your Dignity owned or approved Funeral Director. You can add Special Requests into the plan at any time (e.g flowers, a favourite hymn, specific piece of music or extra limousine) though extra costs may apply. Please refer to the Terms and Conditions. We ll even give you a 28 day Moneyback Guarantee. So if you change your mind, you ll get a full refund. If you cancel the plan after 28 days of purchase your refund will be less the deduction of a 395 cancellation fee. Choose to make a single one-off payment by cheque, postal order, credit or debit card. Or Choose to spread the cost over 12 or 60 monthly payments by Direct Debit. (If you choose an instalment term of greater than 12 months, there will be an extra charge). Other payment options are available, please ask for details. Why not talk it over with us In branch saffronbs.co.uk To apply for The Prepaid Funeral Plan, simply complete an Application Form and return it to your local branch. Lines are open 9am-5pm Monday to Friday and 9am-1pm Saturday. 7

8 THE PREPAID FUNERAL PLAN TO SUIT YOU You have a choice of three Prepaid Funeral Plans just pick the option that best suits you. Each plan provides for the services specified for a cremation funeral service and will cover the funeral director s costs. If you would prefer a burial funeral, please call Dignity s friendly advisors on * or pop in to a local branch to fully understand how your plan will work. What s not included in your plan? The table opposite details all the services included in the plans. Here are some examples of services not included in our plans, however this list is not exhaustive: Embalming, burial plot, memorial, headstone Any Doctors fees or Coroners fees Minister s or Officiant s fee for a service at a different location before the cremation Flowers, catering or wake Repatriation from outside mainland Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Isle of Man and Isle of Wight to the Nominated Funeral Director Costs for removing artificial limbs and mechanisms, such as pacemakers Costs associated with changes in regulations, tax, laws or generally accepted practice which result in additional costs or affect the conduct of the funeral. A note on Doctors Medical Cremation Certificates From May 2015, a change in Scottish law means that for deaths registered in Scotland there is no longer a requirement or charge for cremation funerals to receive a second doctor s certification. Similar legislation is also being considered for the rest of the UK. In anticipation of this change we have removed Doctors fees from our plans. If the Planholder were to pass away before any changes to the Death Certification and Coroners Reform Act are introduced into the rest of the UK, then Doctors fees may still be payable. The next of kin or Personal Representative would need to pay these costs at the time of the funeral. Please refer to the Terms and Conditions for further information. 8 *Calls may be monitored or recorded for training purposes.

9 The Guaranteed Services The Amber The Pearl The Diamond Advice and guidance on all aspects of the funeral Guidance on the registration of the death and collection of all necessary paperwork for the funeral to proceed Transport of the deceased to the Nominated Funeral Director s premises (within a 20 mile radius, excluding ferry and air fares) Preparation and care of the body (embalming not included) Family viewing, during normal business hours Family viewing, during weekdays by agreed appointment Family viewing, any time by agreed appointment The coffin (fully lined and fitted, gown included) Funeral director and staff to attend service Simple Coffin Quality Wood Effect Coffin High Quality Veneer Coffin Provision of a hearse Limousine to transport family/mourners No Limousine 1 Limousine 2 Limousines Funeral procession to go directly to the crematorium or burial site Funeral procession from home to place of worship and crematorium or burial site (service at a separate location before cremation or burial not included) Collection of charitable donations 50 thank you cards 24 hour telephone bereavement counselling The Guaranteed Cremation Services The cremation fee* Minister s or Officiant s fee* *If a burial is required, the services marked with an asterisk in the table are not covered by the guarantee. This is because burial costs vary widely across the country, so cannot be guaranteed in the same way as a cremation. Instead a contribution of 1,150 (rising with inflation as measured by the Retail Price Index) will be made towards burial fees and any services provided by third parties (such as Minister s or Officiant s fees). 9

10 WHY NOT TALK IT OVER WITH US Visit us in branch saffronbs.co.uk Large print, audio and Braille editions of this leaflet are available. Please call Saffron Building Society is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (Financial Services Register no ) except for Commercial and Buy to Let Mortgages and Will Writing. Registered Office: Saffron House, 1A Market Street, Saffron Walden, Essex CB10 1HX. The Prepaid Funeral Plan is provided by Dignity Pre Arrangement Limited. A company registered in England No VAT Registered No Registered Office: 4 King Edwards Court, King Edwards Square, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B73 6AP. Telephone No Fax No Part of Dignity plc. A British company. Dignity Pre Arrangement Limited is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority or the Prudential Regulation Authority. Dignity Pre Arrangement Limited is regulated by the Funeral Planning Authority. DIG/20313/BROCOV/0715 SBS9759/07/15 Replace at print