Pre-Paid Funeral Plans A guide to choosing your Pre-Paid Funeral Plan
Pre-Paid Funeral Plans A guide to choosing your Pre-Paid Funeral Plan Contents 3 Welcome to Why choose a Pre-Paid Funeral Plan? 6 Why a plan and not an insurance policy? A choice of Funeral Plans to suit your needs 4 So who are? What do we do? The Hart Funeral Plan Difference 7 Our Set Plans...what s included 8 Hart Memorial Masonry Tailor-Made Plan 9 Hart Memorial Stonecare 5 Rest assured your money is safe Funeral Plan Guarantee 10 / 11 Some of the questions we are asked I would like to thank you for the ease in which we have been able to carry out these arrangements for our funeral plan.
Welcome to Protect YOU and your loved ones from rising funeral costs and the worry of having to arrange your funeral when the time comes with a Pre-Paid Funeral Plan from Hart. A Pre-Paid Funeral Plan allows you to plan and pay for your funeral in advance and ensure that your funeral will be carried out as you want it to be. By being pre-paid today, you will be helping your loved ones tomorrow. Why choose a Pre-Paid Funeral Plan? Funeral costs are increasing more rapidly than inflation and average savings returns. Fix the cost of Funeral Director s fees and services at today s prices. We offer a range of funeral plans to give you and your family peace of mind. Guaranteed acceptance no age limits or health questions. Flexible payment options to pay in full or spread the cost with affordable monthly payments. Reputable Independent Funeral directors to conduct the service. Your funds are held in a specially designed Trust that is separate to the company and managed by Independent Trustees to ensure your long - term financial security. 3
So who are? Limited is an independent British company specialising in the delivery of funeral services and the administration of funeral pre-payment plans. What do we do? Limited was established in 2013, as a provider of Pre-Paid Funeral Plans throughout the UK. All our plans offer a fixed price guarantee with a range of payment options. These may be purchased in full or in monthly instalments. The Difference... NO HIDDEN COSTS - Unlike some other funeral plan providers, The include the costs of the Funeral Director for either cremation or burial service. 4
Rest assured that your money is safe All payments are made directly into a secure funeral plan deposit account for funeral pre-payments. The accounts of Limited are monitored annually by independent actuaries and checked by independent auditors. The payment for the funeral can only be withdrawn from the Funeral Planning Account when the service has been provided or if the plan is cancelled. Funeral Plan Guarantee If you pay by a single payment, Limited will send you a Funeral Plan Guarantee Certificate confirming your plan details and that there will be nothing more to pay for the services itemised. If you choose to pay by instalments, your payment plan and plan details will be confirmed and the guarantee certificate will be issued when the instalments have been completed. The Hart Funeral Plan Guarantee Certificate comes complete with practical information for your relatives or executor on what they should do at the time of the funeral, your personal wishes for the funeral and where your important documents are kept. Costs covered by the funeral plan include: Services provided by the Funeral Director, such as use of the premises and facilities, administration, transport, the supply of a coffin and limousine hire (if selected with plan purchased. Once the plan is paid in full, the funeral plan cover purchased is guaranteed. Third party costs which are not included in YOUR funeral plan include: The minister s or celebrant s fee The charge for the use of a church The crematorium or burial fee Doctors fees (where applicable) The costs that are not included are known as disbursements, these will be invoiced separately. Payment is due at the time of booking the funeral. If you change your mind within 28 days of receiving your plan documents you can return them for a full refund with no questions asked. If your plan is cancelled in the future by Limited, your refund will be subject to a cancellation charge as detailed in the terms and conditions. 5
Why a pre-payment plan and not an insurance policy? *The National Funeral Association. Why a Funeral Directors Plan over a traditional insurance policy or savings account. Funeral Directors fees are fully guaranteed. Funeral plans are placed into a trust and guarantee to cover the cost of the funeral. Insurance plans only guarantee to pay a fixed amount and will not cover the rising costs over the years to come. Funeral costs have risen dramatically in the last 10 years by a staggering 80% according to a 2013 survey. If this trend continues then the average cost of a traditional funeral will have increased to over 6,000 by 2020. So the amount of money from a savings account or insurance policy will not have increased in line with the retail price index (RPI). A choice of Funeral Plans to suit your needs. We offer a wide range of Pre-Paid Funeral Plans and payment options, whether you choose a burial or cremation. Set Plans We offer a choice of 4 Set Plans: Hart Dalton Elwick Norton Each offer all the essential services for a burial or cremation. Set plans offer fixed services which cannot be added to or changed, however you can upgrade your set plan at a later date if you wish. There will be no fee for doing this, you will just need to pay the difference in the plan prices at the time of the upgrade. If you would prefer to simply make sure that you have planned the essential services for the funeral and paid for these in advance, then the set plan is for you, you will just need to choose the set plan that best suits your requirements. Tailor-made plan Our Tailor-made Plan allows you to prearrange your funeral services in as much or as little detail as you like. You may want to include: Burial or cremation Type of service Type of coffin Location of service Transportation With a Tailor made funeral plan you can arrange any type of funeral to suit your own personal needs. You will also benefit from being able to add to or change your funeral at any time. 6
Our Set Plans...what s included Plan Types Hart Dalton Elwick Norton Professional Services As a member of the National Association of Funeral Directors and in accordance with their Code of Practice we can offer a 'simple funeral' Simple Funeral Advice, support and guidance 4 4 4 4 All personnel to complete funeral arrangements 4 4 4 4 Face-to-face meeting with the Funeral Director in the funeral home 4 Face-to-face meeting with the Funeral Director at a chosen location 4 4 4 Planning, agreeing and setting the date of the Funeral 4 4 4 4 Guidance, advice and support on all matters that are Funeral related 4 4 4 4 Visit to the chapel of rest until the day of the funeral, in office hours 4 4 4 4 One-to-one access to bereavement counsellor 4 4 4 Funeral Services Care of the deceased 4 4 4 4 Bring the deceased into our care 4 4 4 4 Embalming of the deceased (Optional)* 4 4 4 4 Preparation and presentation of the deceased 4 4 4 4 Provision of a basic coffin, with either burial or cremation fittings, padded 4 and lined interior. Fitted with name plaque Provision of a high quality hand-made veneer wood coffin*, with burial 4 or cremation fittings, padded and lined interior. Fitted with name plaque (Coffin Reference 1,2,3,4) Provision of a high quality hand-made oak veneer coffin*, with burial or 4 cremation fittings, padded and lined interior. Fitted with name plaque (Coffin Reference 8,9) Provision of a solid wood hand-made coffin*, with burial or cremation 4 fittings, padded and lined interior. Fitted with brass name plaque (Coffin Reference 10,15) The use of private chapel of rest until the day of funeral. Chapel of Rest 4 4 4 4 Opening Times Monday - Friday 9.15-5.15. Family members wishing to visit outside these hours will need to telephone the office to make an appointment Ceremony Provision of 1 Funeral Director that includes: 4 4 4 4 Conducting of ceremony 4 4 4 4 Provision of 3 Bearers 4 4 4 4 Provision of 1 Hearse 4 4 4 4 Provision of 1 Hearse Driver 4 4 4 4 Provision of 1 Hearse with standard flowers* 4 4 Provision of 1 Hearse with seasonal flowers* 4 Provision of 1 Seven Seater Limousine 4 Provision of 1 Seven Seater Limousine with standard flowers 4 Provision of 1 Seven Limousine with seasonal flowers* 4 Provision of 1 Limousine Driver 4 4 4 Please note that the above funeral plans do not include disbursements which we would pay on the family's behalf such as cremation fees, grave fees, church fees etc. Please ask for more information about the current costs associated with disbursements. * Relates to coffin. * Embalming optional. * Selection from standard flowers. 7
Hart Pre-Paid Memorial Masonry Plan Hart was founded by its sister company Borthwick Marble and Granite Limited, they are a leading manufacturer of monumental products. Over the last 15 years they have built a reputation for quality; and pride themselves in the traditional craftsmanship that is provided by their stonemasons. The extensive workshop is located in Hartlepool, it employs a growing workforce and has secured awards for its craftsmanship over the years. Our Memorial Masonry Plan is unique to Limited and allows us to offer our clients complete reassurance that every aspect of their funeral is taken care of. We are able to design, develop and create individual bespoke monumental products from only the best raw materials. Whether it s a new headstone or to renovate and add an inscription to an existing headstone. Memorial Masonry Some of the benefits of a Memorial Masonry Tailor-Made Plan are: Bespoke design to suit your personal requirements Fully guaranteed Fully fitted by our trained BRAMM Monumental Masons Payment scheme available Please ask for more information about costs and application process. BRAMM (British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons) Scheme was set up in 2004 with the aim of establishing a network of nationally accredited businesses and registered fixers that will ultimately replace individual Registration Schemes. Primary Aims: To establish a recognised uniform standard of workmanship to meet the requirements of BS 8415 in all burial grounds throughout the UK. To promote BRAMM Accredited Businesses and Registered Fixers. To ensure all Businesses, Fixers and Burial Authorities on the BRAMM Register follow the current health and safety guidelines to protect both the public and their employees. To ensure that BRAMM businesses give a guarantee of the stability of their memorial. To ensure the Scheme will be effectively policed ensuring that acceptable standards of fixing are maintained. To encourage on-going training and education within the memorial masonry industry. To promote a closer working relationship between Memorial Masons and Burial Authorities. 8
Hart Memorial Stonecare We understand how important it is to you to protect your loved one s memorial. Stonecare offers you peace of mind that should anything happen to your loved ones memorial, you are covered. Over the last 15 years we have developed a Stonecare solution based on the needs of hundreds of our customers. We will provide cover if: Your monument suffers from subsidence. Vandalism Theft or attempted theft Storm damage All our stonemasons are trained to handle every situation. What does the STONECARE policy cover? It provides All Risks cover and examples of this are: vandalism, subsidence, falling trees, storm damage, theft, and graffiti. Q A Q A Q A Q A Q A Q A Do I have to pay the first amount of a claim? No. There is no excess on the Stonecare policy. Can the policy be transferred to another member of the family? Yes. How many claims can I make under the policy? The policy covers you for one claim. How quickly can Stonecare cover for a headstone be arranged? Immediately over the phone or when we receive your application by post. What payment methods do you accept? We accept debit or credit cards, cheques and postal orders are accepted. Will I receive my documentation quickly? Yes. All documentation is carefully issued by us and will include your schedule/certificate. 9
Some of the questions we are asked. Who are Hart? Hart is a growing network of independent funeral directors. What is a funeral plan? A funeral plan is a way to pre-pay funeral costs in advance. It also allows you to protect your family from the worry and stress of arranging the funeral. Why should I take out a funeral plan? Taking out a pre-paid funeral plan allows you to make important decisions about what you and your family want from the funeral. You will benefit from complete peace of mind, knowing you re financially prepared. Perhaps more importantly though, taking out a funeral plan will save your loved ones the worry and stress of arranging a funeral at such an emotional time, because the arrangements are taken care of on your behalf. I have savings and life insurance, why do I need a funeral plan? Savings and life insurance aren t guaranteed to cover your funeral costs whereas a pre-paid funeral plan is. And with funeral expenses rising yearby-year, you may find that savings and life insurance aren t enough to cover the cost of the funeral. However, if you take out a funeral plan, you can freeze funeral costs at today s prices, so no matter how much they rise, your funeral will be guaranteed and with a funeral plan in place, family members won t have to use their inheritance to pay for the funeral. What s more, the funeral will be planned and pre-paid, so your loved ones won t have the added stress of arranging the funeral at a difficult and emotional time. It s also worth noting that for inheritance tax planning purposes, the funeral plan sits outside the estate. Can I buy a plan for someone else? Yes. Many of our clients take out Hart Funeral Plans for their parents or grandparents. Do I have to take a medical? No Can I get a tailor-made funeral plan? Yes, we can create a bespoke funeral plan just for you. Can I make personal requests for my funeral? Yes, you can add personal requests to your funeral plan. 10
Some of the questions we are asked. Could there be any other expenses for the funeral and what happens if there are? Hart funeral plans do not cover disbursements, these are third party charges which can include Doctors fees, Ministers fees and burial or cremation fees etc. These fees are outside of our control and will increase over time. What if I change my mind, can I get a refund? You may cancel the funeral plan within 30 days of starting the plan, after 30 days the plan cannot be cancelled. If the funeral plan is cancelled by Hart Funeral Plans Limited for any reason detailed in the terms and conditions, Limited will deduct an administration fee. Can I choose my Funeral Director? We have a number of local, reputable, Independent Funeral Directors to fulfil the funeral arrangements in the future. When you purchase a plan we will allocate a Funeral Director. If you have a preferred Funeral Director we will do our best to allocate your plan to them, but this is not always possible. If it is not possible we will allocate one for you. If the nominated Funeral Director is not acceptable please advise us and we will discuss an alternative Funeral Director who could provide the funeral. Can I change my plan after taking it out? Yes, just write to us and we will change accordingly. 11
To find out more about Limited or to locate your local branch, please contact us on: Freephone: 0800 141 3381 Go online: Email us at: info@hartfuneralplans.co.uk Write to us at: Limited West House 38 Victoria Road Hartlepool TS26 8DD Limited 2014