Life Insurance... or just save up £6K

[MontyVeda]

We have our wishes filed with our Wills.

Neither of us are having funeral services etc. Direct to crematorium and that's it.

Nothing to do with finances it's just what we want - keeping it nice and simple.

I must admit I do find the whole 'witnessing the disposal' bit quite odd. I think I started a thread about it a few years back... what's the point of funerals, or some such.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

@MontyVeda maybe this suits?
Link
That's what I'm going to get

 

[MontyVeda]

@MontyVeda maybe this suits?
Link
That's what I'm going to get

It's certainly an idea.

All i want is my ashes to scattered in a specific stream up in the Howgills, then I'll slowly flow down the Lune valley and into the sea.

But when I'm gone I'm gone. What I want doesn't matter. It's what 'they' want that matters then. They might just want to put me in a skip.

 

[Beebo]

The figures came from MSE's article on life insurance for over 50s, and this table in particular:
View attachment 633617

That table is for a 65 year old.
I don’t know how old you are, but clearly a 65 year old is far more likely to die within 10 years than a 40 year old. So the costs will be higher.

 

[MontyVeda]

That table is for a 65 year old.
I don’t know how old you are, but clearly a 65 year old is far more likely to die within 10 years than a 40 year old. So the costs will be higher.

It's the only table in the article that compares plans for the over 50s. I don't think any over 50 plan is going to be much different... and i am over 50.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

I gave some thought to this, and I reckon my dependents will get far more fun out of the memories I create for them by me investing what I would have given to the insurance company to local ale houses instead, and letting others tell them about the antics that I created. They'd never buy they stories they've got already with £6k, and I've a few years left at it yet.

See, I'm proper caring me.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I have problems with these 'direct cremation' and similar schemes

OK - they cut down on the costs and you end up leaving more to your kids or whatever

BUT

it misses out the fact that once you are dead then you are dead and the funeral is mainly an event for those remaining to have something as an ending
as as a chance to say Goodbye
These schemes deny them that
It is not up to you whether or not to have a funeral - it is what those remaining want and need

I have had to arrange 2 funerals based on a vague idea of what someone (my parents in this case) wanted and it was difficult

I would suggest asking your relative what they want and putting together something together using what you would like and what they want

but do it before you need to so that when it is needed then the basics and details are all sorted
They can be changed if they want but they don;t have to worry about it

 

[MontyVeda]

Direct cremation doesn't deny a Wake or Memorial Service though. They can still mourn the loss or celebrate the life without witnessing the disposal.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I have problems with these 'direct cremation' and similar schemes

OK - they cut down on the costs and you end up leaving more to your kids or whatever

BUT

it misses out the fact that once you are dead then you are dead and the funeral is mainly an event for those remaining to have something as an ending
as as a chance to say Goodbye
These schemes deny them that
It is not up to you whether or not to have a funeral - it is what those remaining want and need

I have had to arrange 2 funerals based on a vague idea of what someone (my parents in this case) wanted and it was difficult

I would suggest asking your relative what they want and putting together something together using what you would like and what they want

but do it before you need to so that when it is needed then the basics and details are all sorted
They can be changed if they want but they don;t have to worry about it

It's nothing whatsoever to do with costs - it's just that we don't subscribe to the mawkish fuss of conventional funerals.

Also, it's absolutely my right and not my kids right to determine the circumstances in which my body should be disposed of.

Both my mum and a s-i-l had direct cremations and their wishes were that anyone who is interested should go somewhere beautiful and think of them at the time of the cremation.

Lovely - and that's just the ticket for the pair of us here.

 

[fossyant]

We 'did' the funeral cover policy for MIL only because she needed to 'lose' some savings. She'd not agreed to it previously as she'd saved 'cash' for her funeral, but the stuff in the bank was getting near the 'limit'. We just did the one-off payment in this case. That said, she's still not dead, so her cash hasn't been touched !

 

[byegad]

According to R4s You and Yours consumer program, prepaid funeral plans are in many cases, a scam.

Yes beat me to it! I know one person who paid for his funeral up front and the firm went bust a few years later. Enquiries continue as to if he has any comeback but it's unlikely. It was supposed to be insured for that eventuality, but.....

 

[ClichéGuevara]

It's nothing whatsoever to do with costs - it's just that we don't subscribe to the mawkish fuss of conventional funerals.

Also, it's absolutely my right and not my kids right to determine the circumstances in which my body should be disposed of.

Both my mum and a s-i-l had direct cremations and their wishes were that anyone who is interested should go somewhere beautiful and think of them at the time of the cremation.

Lovely - and that's just the ticket for the pair of us here.

I appreciate that it's a sensitive subject for some people, so no disrespect is intended, it's just that as a family, we've always been very much aware and open about the reality that is our own mortality.

Quite a few friends and family didn't have a funeral at all, which as I understand it is the 'direct funeral' method. We've still all got closure, as well as the memories. My dad was diagnosed as terminally ill a couple of years ago, and his main wish was for the funeral to be as cheap as possible. He'd set money aside for it, but he'd rather we gave more to the pub landlord and the needy than the funeral industry. He had quite literally asked me to check out if there was a rule about just popping him in the wheely bin.

I think sometimes the cost isn't representative, and it has been asked why it costs so much more to move a wooden box than a wardrobe over the same distance. I also wonder who the funeral is actually for, but I guess that could come down to religious belief and/or peer pressure, neither of which carry much weight among our lot.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I have problems with these 'direct cremation' and similar schemes

OK - they cut down on the costs and you end up leaving more to your kids or whatever

BUT

it misses out the fact that once you are dead then you are dead and the funeral is mainly an event for those remaining to have something as an ending
as as a chance to say Goodbye
These schemes deny them that
It is not up to you whether or not to have a funeral - it is what those remaining want and need

There are a lot of single folks about with no relatives remaining after they pass, it's ideal for them (us ) imo.

 

[annedonnelly]

I have paid for a woodland burial and have stipulated no service. If people who I don't see while I'm alive want to have some sort of event they are welcome to organise and pay for it themselves.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I have paid for a woodland burial and have stipulated no service. If people who I don't see while I'm alive want to have some sort of event they are welcome to organise and pay for it themselves.

My wife wants a woodland burial - have you a link to a decent company/organisation
Thanks