I really didn’t want to pass on the worry of all this to my family – I’m so glad I’ve settled it all in advance

FAQs

Your questions answered:

Why should l pay now it’ll be years before I need a funeral?

We’ll all need a funeral one day and with costs expected to rise every year, it makes sense to plan your funeral while you can and fix the cost by paying for it now.

If I decide to purchase my plan over 12 monthly instalments, what happens if I die before I have paid them all?

If death occurs within the repayment period, the plan will be cancelled and the monthly premiums will be refunded back to the estate or to the individual who purchased the plan on the deceased’s behalf. If the death was accidental then the plan will still provide the funeral benefits with no further balance to pay.

Can I buy a plan for my spouse?

Yes, you can take out a plan for anyone else. All correspondence will be sent directly to the person arranging the plan and confidentiality is assured, unless you request otherwise.

Am I guaranteed to be accepted?

So long as you are 18 or over, there are no age limits to acceptance for your plan. If you pay for your plan with a finance agreement with Funeral Safe Limited, this is subject to status and affordability check so it’s not guaranteed that they will accept your finance application.  You must repay your finance before your 85th birthday so this may limit the term over which Funeral Safe Limited will allow you to make repayments.  If the plan is purchased by low fixed monthly payments, the plan holder must be aged between 50 and 75 at the outset.  If you’ve been told by a doctor of a condition or illness that will cause death within 12 months of applying for a plan then you can still take out a plan but you will only be able to pay with a single, lump sum payment: other payment options will not be available to you.

Who delivers my Golden Leaves funeral?

Golden Leaves will deliver your funeral services via one of our network of approved funeral directors. If the service is delivered by one of our network, we will pay them a contractually agreed fee to deliver the funeral to you, our client.

Can I request a local funeral director to deliver my Golden Leaves funeral service?

Golden Leaves will endeavour to allocate the delivery of your funeral services to a local funeral director of your choice (if required) providing they agree to provide the funeral services to our client on our behalf and meet our stringent service standards. (Except for the Copper Plan where Golden Leaves will select the funeral provider without exception).

Once I have fully purchased my plan, are there extra costs?

The services of the funeral director are guaranteed to be covered. Outside of the guaranteed cremation options certain disbursements may require a further payment at the time of the funeral. However, for those plans where an allowance towards disbursements has been included, we will guarantee any increase to these costs in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). If you have opted to purchase your plan through fixed monthly payments, this allowance towards disbursements will increase by 2% per annum.

How do I know the money will be there when it’s needed?

If paying by lump sum or 12 monthly instalments, the money you’ve paid for your funeral is held securely in an independently managed Golden Leaves Trust. Independendent fund managers are tasked to manage the long-term growth of the fund, specifically to meet the increasing cost of funeral services. If you have opted to pay by fixed monthly payments, a whole of life insurance policy has been taken out with Phoenix Life Ltd and the payout from the insurance policy will cover the cost of the funeral plan.

What happens to the money I pay for my plan?

The company retains an amount from the price paid by you for your plan, to cover our marketing and sales expenses for the administrative costs of running the business for the life of each plan and to provide an element of profit. The balance is placed in the Trust in order to pay our trade funeral suppliers (for further information if required, please refer to our price breakdown summary table, contained in our Commission and Payment Disclosure.)

When am I covered if I pay with Fixed Monthly Payments?

During the first 12 months, if you have paid through Fixed Monthly Payments, the full benefit will only be paid in the event of accidental death (terms & conditions apply), otherwise 100% of the fixed Monthly Payments you have paid will be refunded back to your estate or the person who has purchased the plan on your behalf.

If I take out the finance arrangement over 24-96 months what happens if I die before the end of the agreement?

Should you, or the person who purchased the plan on your behalf, die during the regulated credit agreement your lender will not pursue the outstanding balance.

Am I guaranteed to be accepted for the finance arrangement?

Acceptance is not guaranteed. Regulated and responsible lenders must ensure that any finance provided is affordable to a customer and is in the best interests of the customer. This is not always possible. To assist the lender with ensuring the above customers will be required to carry out a credit check and possibly provide additional information. If the lender is able to ensure the finance purchase is in the best interest of the customer and affordable, the application will be accepted.  You must repay the finance by your 85th birthday so this may limit the term over which Funeral Safe Limited will allow you to make repayments.

Can I cancel?

Yes, of course. But your rights depend on how you pay for your plan. You have a right to cancel any plan (however you pay for it) within 30 days or within 7 days of being told who your allocated funeral director is, if this is later than 30 days. If you do this,  you’ll get all your money back.

If you pay for your plan in a single lump sum or you finance this via funeral safe, you can still cancel after this time and get your money back, but we’ll keep a £249 charge for administration.

If you pay for your plan by instalments over 12 months or by taking out an insurance policy and making fixed monthly payments, you can cancel any time within 12 months of taking out your plan and get all your money back.  If you cancel after the first 12 months, you can still cancel.  If you paid in 12 instalments, we’ll pay these back but we’ll keep a £249 charge for administration.  However, if you pay using fixed monthly payments to Phoenix Life, please be aware that you will NOT get your insurance premiums back and we’ll make a £25 charge for cancelling.

If I purchase a Copper Plan, can I have a service for my family to attend?

The Copper Plan is a direct cremation service and therefore unfortunately doesn’t include a service for mourners. Many people do hold a separate memorial service at a later date, once they have collected the cremated remains of their loved one.

Can I upgrade/downgrade my plan to another if I change my mind?

Yes, your current plan will be subject to the cancellation terms of your existing plan. You can then take out a new plan from the currently available plans.

Are Doctors fees included in your third party fee contribution?

Approximately 50% of funerals in the UK do not require doctors to be involved so we believe it is best to not charge these fees unnecessarily.  Should fees become due, these will be required from your executor or next of kin.

What if I die at home and have a direct cremation plan?

The Copper plan will still be activated and collection is now included in the plan 24 hours a day from mainland UK.

 


How to take out Golden Leaves Plan

How to apply – just a few easy steps:

Step One:

Go to goldenleaves.com/funeral-plans/ or call us on 0800 85 44 48. 

One of our friendly consultants will assist you or book you a home visit should you prefer. 

Step Two:

You will complete a demands and needs assessment and discuss your requirements with your consultant. At this point you will select a plan and payment type. (Please be aware that we cannot provide on advice on what you should choose, just provide you with the available options) 

Step Three:

You will be provided with a demands and needs statement, terms and conditions document, a plan summary document, plan summary document, which will include an outline of the cost of the plan you have selected. These documents will all be emailed to you. 

Step Four:

When the application has been received, Golden Leaves will: 

  • Check all the details of your application to ensure that it is complete 
  • Contact you if further information is required 
  • Conduct your welcome call 
  • Issue your plan documentation 

Choose how you’d like to pay

Ways to pay that meet your budget

Whatever your financial circumstances, Golden Leaves offer affordable plans and flexible payment options to suit you.

Lump Sum Payment:

  • The whole sum is paid immediately, and full cover commences immediately after the welcome call.
  • No health checks
  • No age restrictions

12 months instalments:

  • A deposit is paid and the remaining balance is spread over 12 months instalment.
  • Accidental death cover commences immediately after the welcome call.
  • Full Cover commences after 12 months.
  • No age restrictions.
  • Accidental Death cover in the first 12 months included.

Fixed Monthly Payments:

  • Fixed monthly payments until 90. 
  • Monthly premiums never increase. 
  • Fully covered after just 12 months. 
  • Immediate cover for accidental death.
  • Available only to people aged between 50 and 75. 

Credit Finance Option*:

  • A credit finance plan is arranged with Funeral Safe Limited (subject to status and affordability). 
  • Payment duration is between 2-8 years. 
  • Full cover commences immediately after the welcome call. 
  • Should you die during your regulated credit agreement your lender will not pursue your estate or whoever took out your finance arrangement for you, for the outstanding balance.

 

*Golden Leaves Limited is a credit broker and not a lender. We are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our Firm Reference Number is 960923. You can check this on the Financial Services Register at https://www.fca.org.co.uk/firms/financial-services-register. We introduce you to and promote credit available only from Funeral Safe Limited for the purpose of financing a funeral plan. You do not have to pay us for this introduction and we do not receive any commission, incentive or other form of payment if you choose to apply for credit with Funeral Safe to finance your Golden Leaves funeral plan. 

 

 

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