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Hidden costs mean grieving families can be ripped off when organising a funeral

- Vita Palestrant

Without meaning to sound ghoulish, there’s good news on the funeral front. A number of reports and comparison websites have recently emerged to lift the lid on the industry and help consumers navigate this costly and complex world. It’s a welcome development given that funerals are often organized when bereaved family members are still reeling from their loss, unsure of what to do and under pressure to have the body removed for burial or cremation as soon as possible.

For too long opaque pricing has made it difficult for consumers to shop around. Often the only way to get to grips with the true cost of a funeral is face to face with the funeral director, by which time the exhausted family finds it’s easiest to just accept what’s on offer.

Consumer groups such as Choice want funeral homes to itemize their pricing on their websites so that consumers can research their options and compare prices beforehand and make an informed decision. This way they can avoid being lumbered with a hefty financial burden.

Funerals come with a significant price tag. A cremation costs about $6000 while a burial, including the monument and cemetery fees, can amount to close on $20,000.

A recent study entitled “It’s your funeral: an investigation of death care and the funeral industry in Australia” found funeral homes inflate the pricing of individual services and products by offering them only as part of a bundled package.

“Details of the individual components of the funeral service was not often disclosed,” noted the report, “Instead a ‘packaged’ or ‘bundled’ total price was generally supplied.” It said this made it difficult to put together cheaper alternatives and it also stifled competition.

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