FTC Information
The Funeral Rule, which is enforced by the Federal Trade Commission of the U.S., allows you to choose only the goods and services you want or need when planning a funeral, and you only have to pay for the specific items you select. Also, the Funeral Rule states that you can find out the entire cost of caskets, cremation urns, or other funeral goods and burial services, whether you are shopping in person or over the phone.
If you are visiting a funeral home in person, the funeral home must give you a written price list of their goods and services. This is known as the General Price List. You may also ask for their Casket Price List, which describes their available casket selections and their prices. Remember, the funeral home may not charge a fee or refuse to accept a casket purchased from us. If they try, they are subject to a $10,000 fine per incident and their actions may even result in the suspension of their license to operate a funeral home.
Approximately 70% of funeral homes are now owned by large corporations listed on the stock market. Most of these funeral homes mislead the public and disguise their true ownership by continuing to use a family name, not telling you that the original family no longer has any association with them, and most definitely the original family will not be handling the funeral of your loved one, as you had assumed and expected.
Because Cincinnati Caskets and other casket retailers have had such a large impact on the funeral industry, funeral homes will say just about anything to discredit the quality of our products and services. Please remember that the funeral allegations are only based on trying to keep their profits high, and to restrict your choice. Our casket quality is the BEST in the funeral industry, meeting the highest funeral standards, with the best casket warranty available, and you can absolutely depend on our service.
Using Your Rights At The Funeral Home
Don’t Give In To Unfair Manipulation or Pressure
Ask your Funeral Director for an itemized price list both for their services and for their caskets and/ or urns. They are required by law to provide this to you immediately. Get this information BEFORE you mention that you are buying a casket or urn from us. We have been told that some Funeral Directors may give you a very inflated price list of their basic services if they are aware in advance that you are using our casket or urn. This lets them “match” our honest casket prices while still keeping an inflated profit on the costs of your family’s funeral - very unfair to you and against the law. You might ask why they didn’t give you their best price up front — this is a very tender time for you and your family — this isn’t shopping for a used car! Also, if a funeral home can still drop their casket prices 50 - 80% to match us, DEMAND a corresponding 50 - 80% discount on all their funeral services as well. Obviously, they must have been highly over-priced in the first place!
After you have the correct price lists from the Funeral Director, tell them you are purchasing your casket from us, and they will subtract that price from the funeral bill. NOTE: They cannot add any handling charge or increase the price of any other funeral service already quoted to you on their price list. Some funeral homes may agree to match our prices hoping to drive us out of business so they can go back to charging high prices, taking advantage of you and other families in the future. Stand firm and don't give into this. Remember - if you didn't question the funeral director in the first place the price would have been much higher. There are a few funeral homes in the U. S. that offer fair and honest pricing. The price lists speaks for itself. What funeral home is growing and what funeral home was the first to offer fair prices?
Also, the Federal Trade Commission has ruled (Rule 16 CFR, Part 453) that a funeral home cannot require you to purchase a casket or urn from them, nor can they charge you any additional handling fees because you are buying from us. In fact, they are required by law to accept delivery of our casket - with no questions asked and no hassle. We deeply appreciate your trust in our company.
That’s a promise. That’s a real guarantee.