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More and more people are beginning to consider the importance of arranging their funeral service before they need it. We buy insurance for our homes and cars and pay for disability, fire, even flood insurance, just to be ready for life's surprises. Be there when they need you mostDoesn't it just make sense to plan for the inevitable?

We realize that thinking about a funeral is probably the last thing you want to do. But if you don't take a few minutes to consider prearrangement, someone you love will be faced with these difficult decisions later, at a time of great emotional and financial strain.

By taking the time to prearrange and prefund your funeral arrangements, you are giving the best and most thoughtful gift you can give to those you love the most. It is a way for couples to make these decisions together, not alone.

Our prearrangement program is designed to help you accomplish all of these important matters.

A GUIDE TO PREARRANGEMENT

WHAT IS PREARRANGEMENT?
Prearrangement is the process of arranging and funding a funeral before the need actually arises. All of the aspects relating to a funeral are discussed and planned just as if a death had occurred. The type of service, the casket and outer burial container, even the information for an obituary will be recorded and kept at the funeral home. However, all of the decisions are being made without the element of grief being present to cloud and affect those decisions. When a death occurs, even the simplest decisions become difficult. By prearranging, a troublesome time is made easier.

PREARRANGEMENT: THE PROCESS
When you have decided that prearranging is a good idea, we will take you through the process in stages. The Arrangement ConferenceFirst we put together the information for the death certificate and the obituary. The next step is to decide the type of service you want to arrange. Many options are available and we will tailor the service to your specific needs. Once we arrange all of the service details, the next step is to select a casket and an outer burial container. While this may seem like a difficult thing to do, we will explain the caskets and outer burial containers completely. As you are deciding, we will keep you informed of the expenses associated with your choices. The process of prearranging is not difficult and we will do our best to make it a little easier.

THE FINANCIAL BENEFIT
The reason most people prearrange is to relieve their survivors from the financial burden of arranging a funeral. Our prearrangement program is insurance-based. What this means is that once you have made all of the necessary decisions, we will issue an insurance policy written just for the amount of the services, casket and outer burial container that you have selected. Doing this allows us to freeze the cost of these items. We can do this because the policy will begin earning interest which stays on the policy to offset the effects of inflation. Once you pay the policy in full, there is no further expense to you or your survivors for these items. (Please refer to the Insurability Factors section or contact us for information on insurability.)

What happens though if something should happen to you before you pay the policy in full? In that instance the insurance assumes the responsibility and automatically pays the funeral in full. If the insurance is worth more than the current day cost of the services, casket and outer burial container, the excess is returned to the family of the deceased. If the insurance is worth less than the current day cost for those items, your family is relieved from paying the difference.

However, we cannot freeze the cost of some items. We call these items “cash advance” items. They can include such things as obituary notices, copies of the death certificate, sales tax and cemetery expenses. Funds can be set aside in what we call the “cash fund” to help offset these expenses. We cannot freeze cash advances because the funeral home does not determine them. At the time of need, if the current cash advances are more than the estimated amount then the survivors are responsible for the balance. If the current cash advances are less than the estimated amount, we return the excess to the family.

INSURABILITY FACTORS
Certain factors will determine your insurability. If the proposed insured is in good health and under 83 years of age then we can issue the insurance without difficulty. In the unfortunate event that the proposed insured is suffering from a terminal illness there is a two-year waiting period before the insurance is in force.We also offer the option of not having the insurance protection. Either way, you are still freezing the cost of the service, casket and outer burial container. When you begin making prearrangements, we will help you decide which option is best for you. No physical exam is required.

FAMILY PROTECTION BENEFIT
Nothing is harder to accept or understand than the death of a child. An additional advantage that our program offers is the Family Protection Rider. Dependent Protection Coverage Dependent children, grandchildren and even great grandchildren under the age of 21 are given the same coverage as the insured, during the insured’s lifetime, at no additional expense. The only requirement is that the dependent child was healthy at the time of their birth. We never want to use this portion of the prearrangement, but if the unthinkable does happen, this benefit can be like a light at the end of the tunnel.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q.  Who is the beneficiary of my prearrangement?
A.  Moore-Overlease Funeral Home is the beneficiary but only to the extent of current day costs of the service, casket and outer burial container. Any remaining funds are returned to the deceased’s family.

Q.  What if I move to another city?
A.  Our prearrangements are fully transferable to any funeral home over fifty miles away without any penalty.

Q.  What if something happens before my insurance is in force?
A.  Your family is only responsible for the remaining balance on the service, casket and outer burial container at the frozen price not the current day price. They would also be responsible for any cash advances that exceed the balance of the cash fund.

Q.  What if I want to cancel my prearrangement?
A.  While we don’t recommend it, you can cancel at any time. You are the owner of your prearrangement. If you want to cancel, we will refund any and all money you paid into the prearrangement.