The overall average cost of a funeral in South Africa ranges from R3 000 to R40 000. There are even some funerals for famous South Africans that have reportedly cost up to R3 million! Now, we’re not sure which insurance providers will help you cover the cost of a million Rand funeral and what kind of premium that would entail… but you probably want to know more about the average costs of a funeral that you might pay out of pocket.

That’s what we want to help you with.

In this post, we’ll unpack the different funeral costs you can expect to pay out of pocket, what funeral insurance is there for, what it pays for, and the benefits of this type cover.

Funeral costs you would pay out of pocket

You might want a quiet send off for yourself or a big celebration for your favourite aunty, but regardless of how you intend to say goodbye, you’ll need access to funds to cover the final arrangements. From the casket or urn and memorial service stationary to the catering and headstone, these bills quickly add up.

If you’re in the position of planning a funeral and want to understand the costs involved, then take a moment to read through these primary expenses.

• The Coffin: The average cost for a coffin is R8 000, however there are a number of options, starting from R800 for the cheapest coffin and going all the way up to R50 000 or more. Keep in mind that you’ll still need a coffin if you opt for cremation.
• The Urn: Generally, you can expect to pay R1 500 for an urn, although this will depend on the type of urn that you choose.
• Cremation: The cost of a cremation is approximately R7 000.
• Burial: For a burial, you could pay R1 500 – R6 000 for the piece of land for the final resting place, the cost of which varies according to which municipal jurisdiction the grave falls under.
• Tombstone: The average cost of a headpiece ranges from R1 500 – R7 000, depending on who makes it and how elaborate you want it to be.
• Undertaker Fees: These fees start from around R4 000 and include the storage of the body, processing the death, the preparation of the body, and transport of the body in a hearse.
• The Wake: Regardless of what you call the catered affair hosted after the service, you may want to hire a venue and provide catering for the guests who have come to pay their respects. If you include décor and flowers with this, you could be looking at costs in the region of R5 000, but this could be a lot higher depending on the type of venue, how many guests, and the general style of this event.

What funeral insurance does

The crux of funeral cover is to enable you to bury a loved one with dignity. At the end of the day, it’s what we all want for our nearest and dearest when their times comes. The thing is, while it has been common practice to pay for funerals for some time now, it has to be acknowledged that these end of life services have become a lot more expensive.

Even if we take into account the rate of inflation, the cost of a funeral can be crippling, as you can see from the breakdown we’ve provided above. Thankfully, this is what funeral insurance is intended to cover.

What funeral insurance pays for (and what it doesn’t)

A funeral insurance policy is a tool that will help ease the financial stress of those who are responsible for the costs of the funeral.

Essentially, the money paid out by a funeral insurance policy is intended to cover one-time and short-term expenses, like the funeral costs, groceries, and various bills. What it isn’t meant to cover are much larger costs, like paying for a child’s education or buying a house.

But if you’re still wondering if a funeral insurance policy is the right choice, let us offer up a few additional benefits.

The 5 main benefits of funeral cover:

1. You’re usually covered for accidental death from the first premium paid. There will, however, be a waiting period for death as a result of natural causes. Make sure to check the policy wording.
2. Depending on your provider, you could add family members to your policy and pay one premium.
3. No medical exam is needed to get your policy.
4. The payment after a claim is generally made within 24 – 48 hours.
5. Most funeral insurance companies have different levels of cover to accommodate a person’s affordability.
6. A funeral requires a fair amount of money and a funeral policy ensures that you have funds quickly.

Feeling informed?

Funeral insurance (or burial insurance) is meant to shield your loved ones from having to pay for your final expenses out of their own pockets and we hope that this information has helped you think more about how you can plan ahead.

Remember, AA Inform is home to a range of useful information like this, as well as tools and resources, including our Personal Loan Calculator, Property Valuation Reports, and more in order to help you make the best decisions for your life.