Funerals can be a challenging thing to talk about with family members. Many people have a hard time thinking about their own mortality. This means that families are often not prepared for when someone passes away. Oftentimes, families go to the nearest funeral home and pay marked-up prices on packages that they don’t necessarily want or need. The solution to the arduous and expensive burden of planning a funeral is casket pre-purchasing. Not only will you save yourself and your family money, but you can save your loved ones the burden of having to make funeral plans while grieving.
What is Casket Pre-Purchasing?
The term ‘pre-purchase’ refers to when you buy your own casket and have it delivered to you when the time comes. Overnight Caskets specializes in pre-planning by offering a variety of affordable caskets online. Casket pre-purchasing is a great way to prepare and to save money. The FTC Funeral Rule requires funeral homes to accept any items that you purchased from a vendor without any additional fees.
How Does It Work?
- You can browse our online catalog at your leisure to select a casket that is right for you. It is very similar to how you might shop online for a car or new appliances. Buying a casket online makes it easy for you to compare prices, do your research, and take your time while making this important decision.
- When you have made your decision, click Add to Cart and continue to the checkout screen. You will need to fill in your details, payment information, and the delivery address. If you do not know what the delivery address will be when the time comes, there is an option to input it at a later date.
- After you purchase your casket, the money will be kept in an account in case you change your mind or need to make changes to your order. This money will not be touched until the casket is shipped to you at the moment of need.
- You will receive the finalized contract and a receipt in an email. Make sure to share these documents with your loved ones.
- When the time comes, a loved one will need to contact Overnight Caskets to have the casket shipped out. We ship all our materials using the quickest option possible. Depending on the location, shipping can take between 1 and 3 business days.
- Please note that we thoroughly package our caskets to ensure their safety. Some funeral homes require the customer to dispose of the packaging materials. If your funeral home has this requirement, please contact us and we will help you find a solution.
- It is okay if you change your mind and need to exchange your pre-purchased casket for a different one. There are no charges if you are exchanging it for a casket of equal value. If the new casket is more expensive, then you will need to cover the difference.
Benefits of Casket Pre-Purchasing Over Traditional Funeral Planning
Traditionally, when a loved one dies, you would go to a funeral home and visit the casket showroom. During this process, the funeral director would likely steer you towards more expensive options. Some funeral homes may inflate prices or sell you on expensive packages. In a haze of grief, it is hard for families to make smart financial decisions. This is why it is easy to overspend on funerals and walk away wondering where your money went.
People often compare prices and shop around when making large purchases. You do your research when buying a new car and do inspections when buying a house. So why are families expected to make hasty decisions when purchasing a casket?
Overnight Caskets wants to change the way people buy caskets. We are replacing the traditional funeral planning model with options for casket pre-purchasing. Pre-purchasing allows you to prepare by buying your own casket ahead of time, so your loved ones won’t need to. Not only will you save money by locking in a price, but you can also avoid paying the markups at funeral homes.
While buying your own casket may feel a little strange, there are many benefits to being prepared. For one, this allows you to leisurely shop around, do research, and learn more about what you are buying. With our easy-to-use online store, you can easily weigh your options and think about your budget. Pre-purchasing a casket also allows you to pick out something that you like. Everyone wants and deserves a dignified send off; by pre-purchasing you can ensure that you will leave this world on your own terms.
For families who just experienced a sudden loss, it is a relief when they find out that their loved one pre-purchased their casket. This takes a huge burden off of their shoulders. Purchasing the casket is one of the hardest decisions to make when planning a funeral. Most family members probably know what you would like for a birthday gift, or can predict what kind of car you are likely to buy. However, most people are at a loss when trying to choose a casket for someone else. The best way to save family members from the anguish of choosing a casket is to pre-purchase your own.
A Guide to Funeral Pre-Planning Terminology
There are a lot of terms to know when pre-planning a funeral. Many people have questions that they may be afraid to ask. Here is a brief guide to some common funeral terms:
- Pre-Purchase: This refers to when you buy items for your funeral ahead of time. Pre-purchasing a casket online is the best way to lock in an affordable price.
- Preneed: This term refers to an arrangement where you pay for funeral products or services before you will need them. Preneed funeral arrangements often involve entering into a contract with a provider. You agree to pay for the casket and to use it; in return, the provider commits to following through on their end of the contract by delivering the casket when the time comes.
- Preplan: This term refers to the specific plans you make about what kind of funeral you want. These are instructions that you leave behind, detailing if you want to be buried or cremated and what you want the service to be like. Preplanning does not require any payment. You are merely letting your family members know your wishes. A preplan may include instructions on the location of your burial and the design of the headstone.
- Funeral Trust: Preplanning may include setting aside money to cover the costs of a funeral. A funeral trust is a great way to do this. A funeral trust has to be associated with a preneed contract; this means that the products and details of the funeral have already been agreed upon, and the trust is there to cover the costs.
- Payable on Death Account: Unlike a funeral trust, this is not associated with a preneed contract. A POD account is a bank account that can only be accessed after a death for the purpose of funding funeral expenses.
- Funeral Expense Insurance: This is another method of funding your final wishes. It is a permanent insurance policy that covers funeral costs, end-of-life expenses, medical bills, and legal costs. Other terms for this include “burial insurance” and “funeral insurance.” If you or a loved one does have funeral insurance to cover costs, it is important that you do not tell the funeral home. Some funeral directors may raise prices in order to claim the full amount, leaving nothing left for other expenses.
Casket Pre-Purchasing Frequently Asked Questions
It can be daunting to pre-purchase your own casket. You probably have a lot of questions. How is a casket different from a coffin? What does ‘gauge’ mean? Should I buy a wood casket or a metal casket? These are all good questions to get answers to before purchasing a casket.
The difference between a casket and a coffin is that coffins are wide at the shoulders and tapered at the feet. Caskets, on the other hand, are rectangular; they may also use higher quality materials and have more comfortable fabric lining the inside. The word “coffin” may sound morbid; however, coffins and caskets have the same purpose: to give you a dignified resting place.
The term ‘gauge’ applies to metal caskets. It describes the thickness of steel used to make the casket. The lower the gauge, the thicker the steel. Overnight Caskets offers both 18 gauge and 20 gauge metal. Because 18 gauge metal is thicker, it is a little more expensive. There is little visual difference between an 18 gauge casket and a 20 gauge casket. The difference is that a thicker casket will be more durable over time. If durability is important to you, then an 18 gauge casket will be a better option for you.
A very common question that customers ask when pre-purchasing a casket is on the differences between a wood and a metal casket. One major difference is that metal caskets come equipped with a rubber gasket for sealing purposes. Wood caskets, on the other hand, do not have this feature, so they cannot be sealed. If preservation is important to you, then a metal casket will be your best choice. However, wood caskets have greater craftsmanship and suggest a certain gravitas. Many of our customers favor wood caskets for their natural-feeling warmth and quality.
As you go through your casket pre-purchasing process, the team at Overnight Caskets will be there for you every step of the way. We offer 24/7 service to answer all of your questions. If you need clarification or just an experienced funeral professional to lend an ear, we can help!
Helpful Tips & Tricks for Pre-Planning
The most important thing you can do when pre-purchasing a casket is to give the agreement paperwork to your family members. Give them instructions on what to do when the time comes. Additionally, when families go to the funeral home, they should refer to a General Price List to ensure that they are not being overcharged. Families should also get a list of all expenses and fees that the funeral home charges in order to help with budgeting.
When you are pre-purchasing your casket, keep in mind how it complements your preplan. For example, if you wish to be cremated, you will need to purchase a wood casket, not a metal one. If there are any other religious practices that you would like to observe during your funeral, please contact Overnight Caskets. We are very experienced at working with different religious preferences. We will see to it that your casket is compatible with your practices.
Funeral Pre-Planning With Overnight Caskets
At Overnight Caskets, we pride ourselves on making it easy and affordable for you to pre-purchase a casket. Our goal is to alleviate the unnecessary burden placed upon families. We will work with you to make the necessary preneed casket arrangements.
Overnight Caskets started in 2013 after we experienced firsthand the terrible practice of funeral home price gouging. It isn’t right that funeral homes take advantage of grieving families by charging excessively for caskets. This is why we strive to give families better, more affordable options for funeral items.
Not only are our caskets affordable, they are also made of high-quality materials. We have partnered directly with casket suppliers and manufacturers, thereby cutting out the middle man. When we save on costs, we are able to pass those savings onto you by charging much less than the competition.
With our unique preneed program, Overnight Caskets can save you even more by letting you lock-in the price on a casket when you pre-purchase. Not only can you take the time to research your options and pick something you like, you can ensure that your loved ones don’t have to pay the costs of inflation when the time comes.
If you are ready to lock-in an affordable casket, you can browse our extensive catalog. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. Our team is happy to answer your questions and walk you through the pre-purchasing process.