Choosing your funeral home

Did the deceased have funeral insurance?

Before choosing your funeral home, certain formalities after death must be fulfilled.

Step one, check to see if the deceased had prescribed funeral insurance. Taken out in anticipation of the death, funeral insurance can cover all or part of the funeral expenses.

The deceased had funeral insurance

Depending on the terms of the contract, the funeral insurance premium may be paid to a relative or directly to the funeral home.

• If a funeral home is designated as the beneficiary, the funeral home must follow the instructions left by the deceased for his or her funeral.
• If you are the beneficiary of the funeral insurance, contact the insurance company to receive the capital set aside for the funeral.

The deceased did not have funeral insurance

In this case, you will have to pay the cost of the funeral directly to the funeral home. Keep all documents and bills in a safe place: the cost of a funeral in Belgium may be deducted in part or in full from the estate after the estate is settled.

Did you know?

Banks freeze bank accounts after a death. They can be released by obtaining a certificate or notarial declaration of heredity. Furthermore, before the inheritance can be collected, the heirs or beneficiaries must submit an inheritance tax return to the tax authorities.

How much do funerals cost in Belgium?

Funeral prices range from €3,000 to €6,000. The price varies according to the type of funeral service planned. Namely: in Belgium, a burial costs on average € 3350, a cremation about € 3600.

How is the cost of a funeral determined in Belgium?

First parameter: the fees of the funeral director.

Each funeral home has its own fees. Prices vary according to the services provided for the funeral:

• The placing in the coffin
• The washing and dressing of the deceased
• Administrative formalities
• Transferring the body to the funeral home
• The funeral vehicle, the pallbearers and the master of ceremonies

Then comes the price of the coffin. This varies according to the quality of the wood and the options chosen. A casket costs about a quarter of the funeral budget.

For a cremation, the choice of an urn to hold the ashes is an expense ranging from €100 to €500. There is also a cremation tax of approximately €600.

• Additional costs can be added for:
• Cemetery plot opening
• The headstone of the deceased
• Reception of relatives after the ceremony
• Funeral flowers
• Publication in the obituary section (costs vary between €150 and €1200 depending on the newspaper)
• Announcements and souvenir cards to be printed

How do you choose your funeral director?

The website of the Royal Federation of Funeral Directors of Belgium lists all the funeral directors in the country.

Enter your postcode or the municipality in which you live to get the contact details of funeral directors in your area. You can then contact those funeral directors and ask for a quote in order to calculate costs.