CHOOSING A FUNERAL CASKET
The best time to choose a funeral casket is before it is actually needed. That will eliminate all of the emotional strain of the decision. Take time to shop around. Let’s face it -- caskets are not something that most people do comparison shopping for. And why not? A burial casket is one of the major expenses of some people’s lives. Do the research and make an informed decision. And most importantly, share your decision with those who will be planning your funeral. There are many options to consider when shopping for your funeral casket.
One of the major decisions when selecting a funeral casket is the price. Several things determine the price. One is the material of which the casket is constructed. Another is the size of the casket. Probably the most important consideration is where the casket is purchased.
Do you prefer wood or metal? Wood caskets come in a variety of colors and woods. Some of the more popular woods used are: oak, mahogany, cherry, poplar, maple, and ash. These are available in light, medium, and dark finishes. Wooden caskets are constructed of solid wood or wood veneer. Metal caskets are usually made of 18 gauge or 20 gauge steel or stainless steel. The metal caskets are also available in an array of colors the most popular being: blue, pink, white, black, brown tones, lavender, silver, and green.
Metal caskets are available in the full couch or half couch design. This refers to the lid of the casket. The half couch lid consists of two separately hinged pieces which allows for the top half of the body to be displayed during the viewing. The full couch design has a one piece lid which allows the full body to be displayed.
Funeral caskets come in a variety of sizes from infant/child sized caskets to standard sized caskets, to oversized caskets for those of more generous proportions. If you need an oversized casket, make sure to find out if it will fit into a standard sized vault or if a larger vault will be needed.
You have the option of buying your funeral casket from a funeral home, a casket showroom, or an online funeral casket store. Many times the funeral home will mark up the casket price by a great amount if you wait until immediately prior to the funeral to select the casket. The funeral home director will count on the family of the deceased being distraught and feeling as if there are no options available other than to purchase from him on such short notice. That is why selecting your funeral casket early, even if you do not order it, will be beneficial to you. There are usually substantial savings to be found by ordering your casket from an online casket store. Caskets can usually be shipped out promptly and arrive well in advance of the viewing and the funeral. The funeral homes are bound by federal law to accept a casket purchased from an outside source and are not allowed to charge a fee to accept that casket. However, if you do plan to purchase your casket from an outside source, it is imperative that you obtain an itemized listing of the funeral home charges prior to informing the director of your choice. If you don’t get the list first, the director has the option of marking up some of the other services he will be providing and you still may not save as much as you could otherwise.
By letting your loved ones know the decisions you have made regarding your casket, they will not be pressured into paying more than necessary by a funeral home director who convinces them that they need to purchase the "best" for dad or mom.
Carol Fishback
No comments:
Post a Comment