Death care services are highly regulated and can be extremely expensive, so it should come as no surprise that a contract is involved. Every funeral home will have their own contract that’s based on how they do business and the local regulations. As with other types of contracts, the document serves to protect both parties that are involved by specifying what services are being rendered.
Of course, for the family that is planning death care services, figuring out the contract can be burdensome. Emotional and mental fatigue can make deciphering the details difficult. We’ve provided information on what you can expect to find in a contract for cremation services so that you’re better preparing prior to signing.
Who is Entering the Contract
The first thing that will be included in the contract will be the name of the person who is contracting the services and the name of the funeral home. This is standard procedure for any type of contract. However, unlike other types of contracts, a cremation contract will also note the name of the deceased being cremated.
Cremation Authorization
A cremation authorization form is a separate document from the contract that states a person is authorizing a funeral home to perform a cremation. Much of the time the contract will provide details about when the cremation authorization was received and who signed it.
If the person contracting with the funeral home for services is different from the person who issued the cremation authorization, the contract will note that the person contracting services will be the decision maker. Also, this person will need to notify the individual who provided the cremation authorization to make them aware of this fact.
Information About the Deceased
Within the contract there should be details about the deceased who is being cremated. The contracting party will need to provide the:
- Name of the deceased
- Date and time of the death
- Place of the death
- Deceased’s birth date
- Sex and age of the deceased
- The deceased’s social security number
Services Provided During the Cremation Process
Something that should be included in every contract for cremation service is what the cremation process will involve. This should be the most detailed part of the contract, and the more detail there is the better.
The contract will discuss the preparation process, actual cremation and what happens once the cremation is completed. There should also be information on what happens to non-combustible materials like metal pins, dental fillings and medical devices.
Finally, the contract should inform the contracting party of how the cremated remains are processed. In this part you will likely see a disclaimer that there may be incidental commingling from previous cremations. While it is possible, it’s trace residue that is virtually undetectable and unavoidable.
Prices
This is the part of the contract that almost everyone wants to see because it tells you the total cost of the cremation. Up to the point of signing the contract you should have been given an itemized price list to review and discuss what you expect from the service. However, the price list is the base or starting price in many cases. Any sort of customization is typically going to increase the price, and that will be noted in the contract.
Some funeral homes will also specifically note what services aren’t included in the contract. This makes it crystal clear what you are and aren’t getting from the funeral home.
It should be noted that some funeral homes include the pricing information on a separate document that’s attached to the contract.
Payment Terms
Along with noting all of the cremation costs, the contract will also lay out the payment terms. There should be specifics on when payment is due and the payment options. If you’ve worked out a payment plan those details will also be included in this section.
Because funeral services can be very expensive, crematories are often open to working out some sort of payment plan. When this is the case, the amounts and timeframe for payments will be specified. Usually, there’s an upfront payment that must be made before services will be rendered and the subsequent payments are on a schedule.
Cremation Containers
Another point that will come up in the contract is containers both before and after the cremation is complete. The funeral home will provide information on the container that the body is put in for the cremation. In most cases, the cremation container is a simple pine or cardboard box that is fully combustible.
How Cremains Will Be Handled and Released
Once the cremation is complete the funeral home will be in possession of the cremated remains until they are retrieved by the next of kin or another designated individual. The contract should make clear how the cremains will be stored afterward.
The details will include:
- The type of container the cremains will be kept in
- The location where cremated remains will be stored
- How the cremated remains will be released
- Who the cremated remains will be released to
Every funeral home will have standard procedures that they follow, and that’s what you’ll find in this section of the contract. If special arrangements are needed that should be stated clearly.
What Will Happen to Unclaimed Cremated Remains
It’s rare for cremated remains to go unclaimed by the family, but the funeral home is going to include this in the contract to cover their bases. Typically, the funeral home is legally obligated to hold onto the cremains for a specific amount of time. After that, they are free to dispose of the cremated remains. The contract should make it clear when that would happen and how the cremains would be disposed of.
Always Get Everything in Writing
It’s important to remember that contracts can be amended and added to if there are special requests or customized services. If there’s something that has been discussed with the funeral home but it isn’t spelled out in the contract, ask for it to be added or for an amendment document to be included. Never rely on the fact that it was discussed. If it isn’t in the contract, the funeral home isn’t obligated to do it.
At Cremation.Green we believe full transparency is extremely important. If you’d like to know more about our eco-friendly death care services or what’s included in a contract just let us know and we’ll provide whatever information you need.
