It is much more common than you may think for a person to die without having funeral insurance or similar to cover the costs associated with their death. In such cases, it means that it is the family who must assume responsibility for the expenses. For this reason, today, at Stelae, we are going to analyse how much a cremation without insurance costs, for those who ever find themselves in this type of situation.
What factors influence the cost of an uninsured cremation?
The first thing to point out when considering the cost of a cremation is that it is exactly the same price if insurance has been taken or not. The only difference is that if you have insurance, the costs are covered by the insurance company. However, it is important to note that the total amount is not fixed, as there are different factors that influence the final price of this funeral service.
Location and fees defined by the funeral company in question
The price of cremation can vary depending on the geographical area in which it is carried out. There are certain cities in our country where this funeral service is more expensive than in others and the size of a city is not really a determining factor in this case.
Another factor that affects the cost of cremation is the choice of funeral company, as the prices can vary greatly. It is therefore very important to compare and choose the one that offers the best value for money.
Basic or personalised type of service
The option to personalise the funeral service is also an important factor and has a significant influence on the cost of cremation. Some companies offer a basic service and prices increase from there.
Other companies, on the other hand, offer greater personalisation, enabling families to choose the services they want when they bid farewell to their loved ones. This makes it possible to choose a funeral service that is simpler and, therefore, less expensive.
Choice of coffin or urn for cremation
Many people think that, if they choose cremation, the fact that an urn is involved rather than a coffin lowers the price of the funeral service. However, it is important to know that, while a standard coffin is more expensive than an urn, in Spain it is compulsory to use a coffin at the time of cremation.
In this case, the coffin is very basic and unadorned, but it is an expense that families are obliged to bear because it is regulated by funeral legislation in order to guarantee adequate conditions of health and safety.
Choosing a high-end urn can be more expensive than a low-end coffin, so it is important to check the rates to make sure which option is more cost effective if you are looking to save money.
What is the difference between the cost of a cremation with or without insurance?
As mentioned above, the cost of a cremation is the same with or without insurance. The only difference is that if the family does not have insurance, they will have to pay the full cost for the whole process. If a family member dies without insurance, the family must assume all the costs of the funeral service, which may vary depending on the factors we have discussed in the previous section.
In Spain, on average, a cremation without insurance can cost in excess of 3,600 euros. Although this amount is slightly cheaper than a traditional burial, it is still a high and unexpected expense for many families.
In this regard, having the protection of a funeral insurance policy, or something similar, offers peace of mind for the family, as it can alleviate this financial burden which, in turn, will reduce the emotional burden of the loss of a loved one.
At the time of death, when an insurance policy has been taken out, there are a number of funeral services that are already covered because they have already been paid for in advance. It is the deceased person who makes plans for this expense during their lifetime. They can pay the final amount little by little and even choose which funeral services they wish to use for their funeral.
In this case, family members would only have to pay for any additional services they wish to add that are not included in the contracted policy.
What services are included in the cost of an uninsured cremation?
As we have seen, not all companies offer the same prices for their funeral services. There are certain services that are obligatory when cremation is the chosen option following the death of a loved one. What are these unavoidable expenses that families must face when there is no insurance?
- The transfer of the deceased
- Preparation of the deceased
- The actual cremation process
- Hiring the crematorium
- The cremation coffin
- The urn
- The administrative procedures
- The fees for obtaining permits
Most funeral companies include these costs in their basic cremation price, but it is important to be sure of this before you make an agreement with anyone, since the fees can vary greatly from one company to another as we have already seen.
