Does the Rule apply to pre-need arrangements? The Rule’s requirements apply to both pre-need and at-need funeral arrangements. In pre-need situations, you must comply with all Rule requirements at the time funeral arrangements are pre- planned. You also need to comply with the Rule after the death of the individual who made pre-need arrangements. If the survivors inquire about goods or services, alter the pre-planned arrangements, or are required to pay additional sums of money, you must give them all relevant disclosures and price lists. For example, survivors may be asked to pay additional amounts if the prepaid plan does not guarantee prices at the time of death. In other cases, survivors may change arrangements specified in the pre-need plan, adding or subtracting certain goods or services. In both situations, the requirements of the Rule apply. You must give the survivors relevant price lists, as well as an itemized Statement of Funeral Goods and Services Selected. You also must comply with the Rule if you sell pre-need contracts on behalf of one or more funeral homes but do not yourself provide funeral goods and services. In such a
case, even though you don’t provide the funeral items, you are an agent of a funeral provider and therefore are covered by the Rule. The Rule does not apply to pre-need contracts entered into before the Rule went into effect in 1984. However, if a pre- need contract signed before 1984 is modified after 1984, the modification triggers all of the Rule’s requirements. Example : Mr. Green made pre-need arrangements in 1983; he dies in 2024. At the time of his death, his wife wants to change the casket specified in the pre-need contract and to add visitation hours. Because Mrs. Green is changing the contract after 1984, the funeral provider must comply with all of the Rule’s requirements, including giving Mrs. Green a General Price List, showing her a Casket Price List, and providing her with an itemized Statement of Goods and Services Selected. Note : In a situation like the example, you should check your state law to determine whether it allows you to alter the terms of such a contract.
THE GENERAL PRICE LIST
The General Price List (GPL) is the keystone of the Funeral Rule. It must contain identifying information, itemized prices for the various goods and services that you sell, and Who gets a GPL? You must give the General Price List to anyone who asks, in person, about funeral goods, funeral services, or the prices of such goods or services. You must give the GPL to such individuals to keep. The request for information does not have to come from a consumer or someone who wants to make funeral arrangements now or in the future. You must give a GPL to all persons who inquire about funeral arrangements. This may include competitors, journalists, When should the GPL be offered? You do not have to hand out the General Price List as soon as someone walks into your business. But you must offer the price list when you begin to discuss any of the following: ● The type of funeral or disposition that you can arrange; ● The specific goods and services that you offer; or ● The prices of your goods and services. Before giving a GPL to a bereaved individual, you may offer your condolences and discuss preliminary matters like veterans’ benefits or death certificates. The triggering event for giving out the GPL is a face-to-face meeting. The face-to-face meeting can occur anywhere, not just at the funeral home. For example, you must give out a General Price List even if the discussion of prices or arrangements takes place in the family’s home or while removing the deceased from a hospital or a nursing home. What about phone or mail inquiries? You must give certain information to people who telephone, but the Rule does not require you to send callers a General Price List. Similarly, you do not have to send a GPL in response to mail inquiries about funeral goods and services. Of course, you certainly are free to send a GPL to someone who calls or writes for information if you wish to do so. Does the rule require the GPL be given to keep? A verbal offer of a GPL is not enough to comply with the Rule. You cannot merely tell consumers that a GPL is available for inspection. You also cannot show them a GPL in a booklet or binder where it appears that there is only
other important disclosures. The GPL enables consumers to comparison shop and to purchase, on an itemized basis, only the goods and services they want.
and representatives of businesses, religious societies, government agencies, or consumer groups. Note : If someone asks you about the goods and services that you sell, you must give that person a General Price List. If you are uncertain whether the Rule applies in a particular situation, it would be sensible to provide the list.
You should tell your employees to carry extra price lists with them. Exception : You are not required to offer a General Price List if you remove the deceased for transportation to the funeral home and, at that time, only request the authorization to embalm. When you request authorization to embalm, however, you also must: ● Disclose that embalming is not required by law (except in special cases, if relevant); and ● Refrain from further discussion about prices or the selection of funeral goods or services while you remove the deceased. Any further discussion of prices or the selection of goods or services at this time would trigger the requirement to provide a GPL. However, if a telephone or mail inquiry is followed up by a meeting at the funeral home or elsewhere, you must provide a GPL at that time. Note : Some states require funeral providers to mail a price list upon request. You should check to see what the requirements are in your state. one copy available or that the booklet is solely for the funeral director’s use. You must physically offer consumers a General Price List that they can keep and take home with them. If the consumer does not want to accept or look at
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Book Code: FTX1625
EliteLearning.com/Funeral
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