Funeral announcements, coffin, flowers... Funeral insurance is designed so that when the time comes, you won't have a heart attack when you see the bill. Do you know how much a funeral costs in Spain?
Organising a funeral is a complex and expensive process. There are a number of unavoidable and expensive steps that make this delicate moment even more difficult for the relatives of the deceased. To save the relatives a large financial outlay, many people choose to take out funeral insurance, which also eases other onerous tasks, such as dealing with the authorities. We tell you how much a funeral costs without insurance.
Funerals in Spain
In Spain, funeral prices vary completely depending on the autonomous community, but the average price is between 3,000 and 3,500 euros. This amount can be increased up to €10,000 if you want to use complementary services, or even more.
Therefore, funeral insurance is the best option if you want to prevent your loved ones from having to incur an economic expense at such a complicated time.
Standard costs for a funeral
As we all know, a funeral requires certain essential elements. Some of them are the cause that the price of the funeral is much higher. Here we tell you what are the most common ones if you don't have funeral insurance:
Fees and certificates
When someone dies, there are a number of administrative procedures that need to be followed before the funeral can be arranged. First, a medical death certificate must be obtained to certify that the person has died.
In addition, the deceased must be registered with social security or the death must be registered at the registry office, among other things. All this entails the payment of a number of fees and taxes, which, without death insurance, must come out of the pockets of those close to the deceased. Moreover, they mean an additional, non-material burden at a very delicate time. This burden is also eliminated with a funeral plan.
Casket or urn
The coffin is perhaps the most necessary item, because whether you choose an ordinary burial or a cremation, you will need to purchase a coffin or an urn, as this is mandatory. A simple coffin can cost between €600 - €800, and the price varies depending on the material and design.
Funeral home
By funeral home we mean the space that is rented for 24 hours to receive the people who come to say goodbye to the deceased and offer condolences to the family. The price depends on the locality where the funeral takes place, but starts at €500.
Transfer
When we talk about transferring the deceased, we mean transporting the body in a hearse from the mortuary to the cemetery where it will be buried. However, there are two other possibilities. One is repatriation, which consists of transferring the remains of the deceased to their country of origin. In this case, we start at around €3,000, which can be higher depending on the destination, and to which funeral and other costs should be added.
On the other hand, national repatriation, i.e. when the deceased decides to be buried in an autonomous community other than the one in which he or she resides.
Cremation
Compared to traditional burial, cremation is a less expensive option that more and more families are turning to because of the many benefits it offers (as we saw in the previous section). In this sense, the price of cremation in our country starts from 200 to 700 €.
Of course, it all depends on whether we want to rent a columbarium (niche used to house the urns) and also on the type of urn we choose for the ashes of the deceased, which, as with the coffins, have different materials and designs (wood, marble, metal ...). These two options increase the cost of cremation.
Niches
As for the price of niches, this also varies from one region to another. Therefore, renting or owning a niche in Ciudad Real will not be the same as in Valencia. So, the row in which we decide to place the coffin also affects the final cost. We can find different prices from 150 - 500 € per year if we decide to rent, although most of them usually offer rent for at least five years.
Gravestone
For many people, the gravestone is one of the most important elements, as it is what they will always see when they visit the deceased. On average, a simple gravestone can cost around €500 (minimum). This price includes material, engraving technique, finishing and installation.
Death announcements
A fairly common practice to report the death of a person is an obituary. The price of including obituaries in the press varies depending on the size of the medium. An advertisement in a small local newspaper does not cost the same as one in a national newspaper.
Flowers
If we opt for the traditional funeral option, flowers usually go hand in hand. A beautiful bouquet of flowers is one of the best ways to show respect, condolences and honour the deceased. It's a tradition that has endured for centuries.
The price of bouquets and wreaths depends on the quantity desired, the time of year and the type of flowers, and can be up to €1,000.
Religious service
The most devout families who wish to celebrate a religious act in honour of the deceased must pay a symbolic price for the celebration of the service. It is usually at the discretion of the family how much they give to the priest.
Cremation or burial
If the deceased did not give instructions during their lifetime, one of the first decisions you will need to make before arranging the funeral is whether to choose cremation or burial. Each has a number of features:
Cremation
- Cremation is a simple and quick process that only takes 2-3 hours.
- The treatment of the remains is more environmentally friendly.
- It is a good way to save space in cemeteries.
- There are columbariums to place the urn and thus have a physical place to visit the deceased.
- Family members can decide what to do with the remains.
Burial
Burial is the most common option and has been part of our society for a long time. For many, it is a way to honour the deceased and give them eternal rest.
In the past, there were only religious funerals that included a mass, but nowadays even non-believers can opt for a secular ceremony to say goodbye to their loved one.
There is also a new trend towards ecological funerals, such as liquid nitrogen treatment, where the body is frozen at 18 degrees below zero for a week and then submerged in liquid nitrogen, only to be turned to dust by vibration.
Profitability of death insurance
With this information, the question becomes: do I need burial insurance or not? A properly configured policy offers very interesting solutions that can be adapted to the needs of each client and can be used by all members of your family unit. Some guarantees you could have:
- The insurer takes care of all the bureaucracy.
- A complete and high quality funeral service is guaranteed.
- You can choose to own or rent a grave/niche.
- Repatriation costs, whether domestic or overseas, are included (if the policy provides for this).
In addition, some insurance companies offer psychological support for relatives, removal of the deceased's digital life, administrative services, legal advice, etc.
Editorial SG - 24 April 2021
Comentarios