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What is the Funeral Benefit Option?

Funerals can be an emotional time for many people. Unfortunately, the cost of a funeral can also cause a great deal of stress. With the average cost of a funeral with a burial more than £5,500, trying to pay for one at short notice can put loved ones under pressure.

When you take out either a British Seniors Over 50 Life Insurance policy or a Funeral Insurance Plan, you will be offered the Funeral Benefit Option, which is provided in partnership with Golden Charter. This comprehensive funeral arrangement means that you’ll get a £300 contribution towards the cost of your funeral1 and you can specify your funeral preferences in advance. Golden Charter work with one of the largest networks of funeral directors in the UK, so you know you’re in safe hands.

If you choose to include this free benefit with your life insurance, we’ll simplify your payment arrangements by paying your benefit amount directly to Golden Charter.

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How it works

  • If you decide to go with the Funeral Benefit Option, Golden Charter will appoint a funeral director in your local area to take care of your funeral arrangements. 
  • Within 6 weeks you’ll receive Funeral Benefit Option documents from Golden Charter. In the welcome pack you’ll get the details of the appointed funeral director, and a personal wishes form if you wish to specify any requests for your funeral. You’ll also get the information you need to pass to your next of kin, so they know what to do when the time comes.
  • When you pass away, your next of kin simply makes one call to the appointed funeral director to get things in motion. 
  • The benefit amount from your insurance policy will be paid to Golden Charter to help cover the cost of your funeral. Along with this your appointed funeral director will contribute £300 towards the cost. 
  • If your funeral costs less than the benefit amount and the £300 contribution, any balance will be paid out to your next of kin or estate. In the case that your funeral costs more than the benefit amount and the £300 contribution, your next of kin or estate will need to pay any outstanding money to the funeral director. If you choose an unattended cremation, please note that the £300 contribution will not apply.1 
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Care and support for your family

We understand that everyone is unique and has their own wishes for their funeral. If your next of kin or estate want to use a specific funeral director, Golden Charter will make every effort to allocate your plan to that Funeral Director. It is important to let Golden Charter know that this is the plan when you are completing your welcome pack. 

Your next of kin or estate is under no obligation to use the funeral director appointed by Golden Charter. They can simply choose to lodge the claim with us, and the policy benefit amount will be paid to your estate or next of kin as normal. However, they will not receive the extra £300 contribution towards the cost of your funeral1. 

Please note, the Funeral Benefit Option is not available to those who live in the following postcode areas: Orkney KW, Shetland ZE, Isle of Lewis HS1/2, AB35, LA12/14/18, IV10, IV27, IV21 Gairloch, HS9 Isle of Barra, HS3/5 Isle of Harris, HS7 Isle of Benbecula, PA62 Isle of Mull, PA29 Tarbert, PA28 Campbeltown.

Golden Charter Funeral Plans logo

About Golden Charter

One of the UK’s largest funeral planning companies, Golden Charter has helped over 800,000 customers to take care of funeral arrangements in advance.2 They are owned by an association of independent funeral directors, and work with over 2,900 funeral director branches across the country, many of them family-run businesses that have served their communities for generations.3 

Things to consider

  • The value of the £300 funeral benefit contribution is fixed and therefore may not keep up with inflation. There is no cash alternative. If you activate this option on a joint policy, the £300 contribution is per person. If you choose an unattended cremation, please note that the £300 contribution will not apply.1

  • If you pass away in the first 12 months of holding your policy, any amount due under your policy would be paid to your next of kin or estate rather than to Golden Charter. In this case, the funeral can still be provided by the funeral director, with the £300 funeral benefit contribution still applied, provided that your next of kin and funeral director agree directly on the payment arrangements for the cost of the funeral. 

  • If you die as a result of a non-accidental death after 12 months of holding your policy, British Seniors will pay your benefit amount to Golden Charter up to the cost of your funeral.  

  • If you die as a result of an accident after 12 months of holding your policy, British Seniors will pay out two times your benefit amount. Only your original benefit amount will be paid to Golden Charter up to the cost of your funeral. The remaining benefit amount will be paid out to your next of kin or estate. 

  • If you have put your insurance policy into Trust or you already have a Funeral Plan, you will not be able to choose the Funeral Benefit Option. 

  • If you activate the Funeral Benefit Option, you consent that your personal information will be shared with Golden Charter and third-party funeral directors, to enable them to arrange and administer the Funeral Benefit Option. Golden Charter may need to contact you to appoint a funeral director for you. 

  • You can cancel the Funeral Benefit Option at any time. Should you wish to cancel, please call British Seniors on 0800 542 7618 or email: service@britishseniors.co.uk

  • If you have a complaint about the Funeral Benefit Option, please call Golden Charter on 0800 833 800 or, email: contact@goldencharter.co.uk

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1

If you choose an unattended cremation, please note that the £300 contribution will not apply. An unattended cremation means any cremation where there is no funeral service, funeral procession (or other services such as family viewing, limousine(s), embalming or delivery of ashes). The cremation is arranged at a crematorium at a date and time chosen by the allocated funeral director and without anyone attending other than the funeral director’s staff.

2

Based on recent market share of funeral plans sold. For details, please see Funeral Planning Authority statistics 2019 at funeralplanningauthority.co.uk/statistics and Golden Charter Annual Review 2019/20 at goldencharter.co.uk. 

3

Based on number of funeral director branches in the UK accepting Golden Charter plans at 1 Sept 2019. Golden Charter Annual Review 2019/2020.