South Africa is the world\u2019s fourth-most expensive country for dying, with 13% of the annual average wage used to pay for funeral costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For many people who do not have funeral cover, burying a loved one is unaffordable, and they are forced to use savings intended for education or retirement, while others go into debt to pay for funerals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But even with funeral cover in place, funerals can end up costing more than expected or what is covered by your funeral plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Funerals are by nature an opportunity for friends and family to gather to honour the deceased. But in some settings this could include large communities who attend and need to be catered for, which can add significant costs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhile our funeral plans are designed to enable South Africans to be celebrated with a funeral as unique as them, without a budget and careful planning costs can escalate and cause extreme financial hardship for those left behind,\u201d says Yaaseen Albertyn, Product Management Head at Metropolitan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Given the evolution of traditional family structures, cover can be provided for up to three life partners, children, parents and up to nine extended family members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDepending on the wishes of the plan holder, and more importantly affordability, add-on benefits can be selected, such as a memorial benefit to pay for a tombstone or a monthly income to cover expenses for a limited period,\u201d says Albertyn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n Understand all possible funeral costs<\/b>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The starting point is to understand all the possible costs associated with holding a funeral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This includes pre-funeral costs, such as repatriation, livestock, clothes, undertaker costs, coffin and cemetery costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Funeral costs on the day include the service venue, flowers, catering, refreshment venue, funeral service, programmes, music and chairs, while post-funeral costs can include a cleansing and unveiling ceremony and a tombstone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you know what kind of funeral you want and the associated costs, you can then select the appropriate cover amount.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t be tempted to choose a cover level you can\u2019t afford,\u201d advises Albertyn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRather manage your expectations on the kind of funeral you can afford that won\u2019t get your loved ones into debt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n Using funeral cover wisely<\/b>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When a loved one passes away it\u2019s up to the family to arrange the funeral in line with the available funds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDrawing up a budget is critical and getting consensus from family members is important to ensure that costs don\u2019t get out of control,\u201d says Albertyn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He advises focusing on what is important and non-negotiable and saving on other items, such as extravagant flower arrangements and expensive catering. No matter what kind of funeral is planned be sure to do your research before making costly any decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re expecting a large gathering, you may have to re-look the refreshments you provide or call on your close friends and your community for support.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n Why people overspend on funerals<\/b>\n<\/b>\n<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lack of pre-planning is one of the biggest reasons for overspending when it comes to funeral costs.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
When a loved one dies, you are not necessarily in the right frame of mind to make smart budget decisions.<\/p>\n
There is no time to compare prices and the various services available and it\u2019s hard to know what is and isn\u2019t necessary.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen families are grieving, they can be tempted to outsource to service providers who they cannot afford or make hasty spending decisions based on emotion,\u201d cautions Albertyn.<\/p>\n
He advises getting a trusted friend or family member to help you with getting quotes so you can compare prices before making costly decisions.<\/p>\n
While no-one likes talking about funerals, they are an important and often expensive part of life.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can avoid financial hardship for your loved ones and still have the dignified send-off you want by taking out the appropriate level of funeral cover,\u201d says Albertyn.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s then up to family members to manage the funeral payout responsibly to avoid overspending.\u201d<\/p><\/b>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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