Funeral insurance doesn’t need to be complicated and confusing. Our simple guide is designed to help you understand more about the products on offer and if it might suit you. We’ll also talk you through some of the jargon.
If you want to put some support in place to help your loved ones with funeral costs, but you’re not sure where to start, then you’ve come to the right place.
What is funeral insurance?
Funeral insurance in New Zealand is a type of insurance policy designed to help cover the costs associated with a funeral. If you have a funeral insurance policy in place when you die, your loved ones receive a cash lump sum. They can use this to help cover the cost of your funeral, end-of-life expenses, or any other costs they might need help with.
A funeral insurance policy can give your family financial support during an already difficult time. It can also give you as the policy holder some peace of mind today.
How does Just Funeral Insurance work in New Zealand?
If you’re a New Zealand resident aged 50 to 80, you’re guaranteed to be accepted for Just Funeral Insurance. We've made it super easy for you to start your cover. You can sort it in just a few minutes over the phone, with no need for medicals or blood tests. Once you’re set up, you’ll pay a premium either fortnightly or monthly (the choice is yours) to keep your policy in place. When the time comes, your loved ones can get in touch to make a claim to receive the cash payout you’ve put in place for them. This sum of money is often called the ‘benefit amount’.
At Just Insurance, making a claim is simple. Our friendly team will help your loved ones, handling the claim with sensitivity and care. We’re all about no fuss, no complications. We’ll be with them every step of the way.
How much does it cost?
The cost of your funeral insurance will depend on several factors – including your age, gender, smoker status and how big a payout you want to leave. For a breakdown of the sort of costs you might need to think about, you can see our helpful guide here.
How do I decide how much cover I need?
When deciding how big a payout you want to leave your loved ones, there are several things to think about. To start with, it’s a good idea to work out what the cost of your funeral might be – this can include expenses such funeral director fees, casket or urn costs, burial or cremation fees, and other related costs.
When it comes to end-of-life expenses, your funeral may not be the only cost left to your loved ones or estate. You might want to think about any joint debts or bills. For example, do you have a joint credit card that your partner may struggle to payoff?
Finally, consider any savings or assets you have which could help with funeral expenses. But keep in mind that it could take some time for these assets to be released. And they might not get the best market value if they're cashed in hastily or without careful consideration. So you may not want to rely on this option.
Think about your family’s financial situation too. How will they cope with funeral expenses? How much help with covering costs will they need?
It’s also important to get the right balance between the regular premium amount you can comfortably afford, and the size of the payout you want to leave. Be realistic about what you can manage.
At Just Insurance, our friendly team of specialists are here to help you with these considerations, and they’ll talk through your cover options.
What costs are typically associated with a funeral?
When it comes to funerals, we’re all individuals with our own ideas and cultural preferences. The cost of a funeral depends on the type of ceremony you have.
For example, a traditional Māori funeral might involve costs that include preparing and transporting the tūpāpaku, koha for the marae, catering for manuhiri, burial or cremation fees, and the creation of a headstone or unveiling ceremony.
For many families the main expense is the funeral director. This is the professional who takes charge of the arrangements and supports the bereaved throughout the process. The funeral director deals with administrative tasks such as death registration and will also guide your loved ones through any decisions that need to be made for the ceremony.
Whether it’s arranged by a loved one or a professional, most funerals include further expenses for a coffin, transportation, a venue, an officiant or celebrant, and other personal details such as flowers and memorial cards. Many families decide to host a gathering after the ceremony, which can bring additional venue costs and sometimes catering expenses too.
The cost of your funeral will also depend on your choice between burial and cremation. Burials bring the additional costs of cemetery plots and headstones, whereas cremation is typically more affordable.
Although it’s a difficult topic, it’s important to give some thought to the type of funeral you want. Then you can get a better idea of how much it might cost and how much cover you’ll need to take out with your funeral insurance.
Benefits of Just Funeral Insurance
Just Funeral Insurance offers you and your family lots of benefits – including peace of mind and dedicated support for you and your loved ones. Here’s what you can expect when you choose a Just Funeral Insurance policy:
- Cash payout – Choose up to $30,000 of cover1 to help protect the people you love.
- Terminal Illness coverage – Get a payout while you’re still alive, if a medical specialist says you have 12 months or less to live.2 This means you can plan your final wishes without worrying about costs.
- Straightforward claims – Making a claim is simple. Our dedicated claims specialists are on hand to help you and your loved ones.
- Designed to be affordable – Our cover is designed to be affordable and if you’re a non-smoker you’ll enjoy lower premiums.3
- Guaranteed acceptance – If you’re a New Zealand Resident aged 50 to 80, we guarantee to offer you cover.
- Easy application – We've made it super easy to get covered. Get it sorted in just a few minutes over the phone with no need for medicals or blood tests.
- Immediate double cover for Accidental Death – From the very start, your loved ones will get double your payout amount if you pass away because of an accident.
- 30 days to make sure you’re happy – If you want to cancel during the first 30 days from the policy commencement date, you’ll be refunded the money you’ve paid so far, if you haven’t made a claim.
- No more premiums after age 90 – From the policy anniversary after your 90th birthday, you won’t need to make any more payments – but your cover keeps going for life.3
- Exclusive – Just Insurance is exclusive to us, you can't buy it anywhere else.
- Free Will Kit – You’ll get a free Will Kit when you take out our funeral insurance.
These are just a few of the benefits you could look forward to as a Just Insurance customer. For more information, you can read all about our Just Funeral Insurance here.
How do I apply?
If you’re considering funeral insurance, we’re here to help. Our friendly team at Just Funeral Insurance will be happy to answer any questions you have, with no pressure to buy. When you’re ready, you can get your free quote in minutes. Simply call us on 0800 452 628