Beware of Scams in Funeral Home in Rockford IL

For years, the funeral industry operated with little regard for consumer rights, pushing and selling services to their customers that were costly and unnecessary and keeping prices hidden until it came time to pay the bill. But as of 1984, funeral home in Rockford IL is required to follow regulations outlined in the Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule, which was written to bring more transparency to the industry. However, funeral scams still exist.

Here are what you should be aware of:

Hiding the less expensive caskets

A funeral homein Rockford IL “casket room” is like a car dealership’s showroom. Once you get over the shock of walking into a room filled with caskets, you’ll have to brace yourself for the prices of these shiny, beautifully finished models. The Federal Trade Commission requires funeral homes to provide consumers with a list of all of the caskets they have available, including descriptions and prices. Realize that less expensive caskets may be hidden away, or painted in unattractive colors to discourage a purchase. You can even buy cheaper caskets online from Walmart and Costco.

Beware of “Protective” caskets

When it comes to funeral scams, so-called “protective” caskets deserve a special mention. A funeral home in Rockford may try to sell you a casket that will supposedly protect and preserve the body of your loved one thanks to a rubber gasket designed to prevent water from entering the casket. Take note: this is a total crock. Gaskets do nothing to preserve a dead body, and in fact, since they trap oxygen and gas inside, they can cause a casket to explode once it has been buried. Funeral homes typically charge $700 or more for “protective” caskets, and may even remove and reuse rubber gaskets without your knowledge.

Mandatory embalming

Some funeral homes may tell you your state requires that they embalm the body of your loved one, and of course that’s going to cost you more money. But embalming is not mandatory, except in situations where the body is being transported by air to another funeral home or when the service includes an open casket viewing of the deceased. So remember, Federal Trade Commission regulations state that funeral homes may not embalm for a fee unless, given those circumstances, it is required by law, or expressly approved by the customer.

Un-itemized Pricing

For a long time, funeral home in Rockford IL were not required to share and explain their pricing, leaving consumers in the dark as to what they were actually purchasing and ultimately spending. The aforementioned Funeral Rule mandates that funeral homes break down (i.e. itemize) their prices, and allow their customers to purchase only what they want. Funeral homes can and will offer you package deals, but they must offer their products and services individually as well.