Steve Rowlands

Managing Director

Golden Leaves Limited

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By Steve Rowlands - Tue 12th Oct 2010

 

Tumbit Approved Partner

1. Why should I buy from Golden Leaves?

Golden Leaves are the most respected funeral plan provider in Europe, whose impeccable reputation throughout European expatriate communities has been based on years of transparent, dignified and honest business practices. Our business operations are vigorously monitored and scrutinised via stringent financial and operational regulations.

2. What does the Funeral Plan cover?

Our three standardised plans cover cremation or cremation and repatriation. Depending on which plan you choose to purchase, they cover all services itemised in that particular plan including Funeral directors services, crematorium fees and doctors certificates/fees, all of the necessary documentation and administration, coffin for cremation, two days mortuary fees, Urn for the ashes and a hearse to transport the family to the crematorium.

Additional Cars, mortuary days, hygienic preparation of the deceased are included but are dependent on the plan that you require as of course does the inclusion of church services and ministers fees. Once again these are included in the price of the plan that you select, providing they are part of that particular plan's structured set of arrangements.

Our plans are structured to cover the cost of cremation but of course can be used for burials also.

Unfortunately as burial costs vary greatly from region to region, we will contribute the amount contained within the plan for the cremation towards the cost of the burial. The costs for a burial plot are of course extra additional items and will need to be paid for at the time of need.

Our repatriation plan covers all of the localised services in Spain, the transport of the deceased to the UK, a sum contributed to the freight costs as well as a UK funeral directors fee of £2000, which would cover cremation here in the United Kingdom.

The plan can be utilised for repatriation anywhere in the world, but understandably the local funeral directors costs will vary massively from country to country and therefore are estimated on a case by case basis.

3. Do you have a monthly payment facility and if so how does it work?

You can pay by direct debit from a UK bank account or by credit card, BACS, Chaps.

4. Will I be charged interest?

The first year is interest free, but after the first year, interest is charged at 6%.

5. What happens if there are any outstanding payments at death?

One of the main benefits of a funeral plan is that you remove the financial burden from your family at the time of death. But of course if you have opted for a payment vehicle that has elongated the payment term over many years, there is always a chance that you will pass away before the plan is fully paid. In Spain you have to have fully paid for the plan before the services will be held. As funeral directors in Spain demand full payment before they will conduct the services.

In this case the immediate family or partner/executor will be required to pay the balance prior to services commencing.

6. Can I change any details of my funeral plan at a later stage?

You can alter the details of you plan at any stage, changes of address and wishes for music or hymns are a commonplace alteration, if you require additional Cars or items, they will be itemised and you will be invoiced accordingly.

7. I currently reside in Spain. If I want to be buried in the UK, will my pl.an cover the repatriation?

Yes our plans can cover repatriation, as indicated above - providing you purchase a "Golden Plan".

8. Are there any age restrictions?

You can take out a plan at any age, you will not be required to undergo a medical check either.

9. What advantages are there to having a funeral plan compared to setting an amount of money aside in my will?

A funeral plan provides four key benefits:

1.) It enables the individual to outline, discuss/design and formally document their end of life services, giving them the services that they really want and not one that others believe they may have wanted.

2.) It allows them to pay at today's price, freezing the level of cost, no matter how long they live for - removing the financial worry and burden from the loved ones left behind. In doing so it can also save the individual a very significant sum of money, which can be left to a loved one or dependants.

3.) It removes the burden of having to arrange the services from the family, at a time when they are least able to cope with the stress of having to do so.

4.) Allows you the use of our 24hr emergency helpline, manned by fluent multi lingual counsellors. If you ring fence a sum of money in your Will, it will not provide the individual any of the key benefits of a funeral plan listed above. A golden Leaves funeral plan provides a compassionate service, support and a helping hand at this awful time.

10. Once I've applied, what happens next?

Once you have purchase a Golden Leaves funeral plan, you will receive a courtesy call from our head office, and the documentation will follow within a few weeks.

You will receive a membership card which you should keep on your person at all times and further copies of documents that can be distributed to loved ones or neighbours, if the individual lives alone.

Now you need think about nothing else other than just getting on and enjoying living your life.

11. When I pass away, who or how will be informed of my existing funeral plan?

If you were to pass away at home, your family or partner should know about you had a plan and would call our 24hr helpline. If you were to pass away in a public place or in an accident outside of the home - this would be judged a judicial case and the emergency funeral directors who collect you in such circumstances would check to see if you had a funeral plan.

If you live alone and passed away in your home, once again either the emergency services, the police or the visiting emergency doctor would check to see if you had a funeral plan. This is why an emergency card is issued and why it is essential to be kept on ones person at all times. If copies of plan documentation are provided to neighbours too, they can also inform the authorities.