In Connecticut, funeral service contracts must be in writing and include the following:
Contact Information
- The name, address, phone number, and Social Security number of the beneficiary and the purchaser.
- The name, address, phone number, and license number of funeral director providing the service.
- The name and address of the escrow agent designated to hold the prepaid funeral service funds.This cannot be the funeral director or embalmer.
- If the prepaid funeral service contract is funded by a life insurance policy, this does not apply.
Description of funds and services
- List of selected goods and services.
- Amount of funds paid or to be paid by purchaser and the payment method.
- If the prepaid funeral service contract is funded by a life insurance policy, this does not apply.
- Description of how funds will be invested and how investments are limited to those authorized by the law.
- If the prepaid funeral service contract is funded by a life insurance policy, this contract provision does not apply.
- Establishes if there is a price guarantee or not.
- If there is no price guarantee, the contract must clearly state that it contains no guarantees on the price of the goods or services (meaning the price may increase later).
- A written representation, in clear and conspicuous bold type, that the purchaser will receive a notice from the escrow agent within 25 days of making a payment to the funeral home, acknowledging receipt of the funds and the exact amount deposited by the escrow agent.
- Timeline: The funds must be put in an escrow account within 15 days of the funeral home's receipt. Within 10 days of receiving the funds, the escrow agent must notify you that they received your money.
- If the prepaid funeral service contract is funded by a life insurance policy this is not required.
- Description of any fees to be paid from the escrow account to the escrow agent or any third-party provider. If the Prepaid Funeral Service Contract is funded by a life insurance policy, this is not required.
Cancellation clause
- The contract must have a section that establishes if the contract can be cancelled or cannot be cancelled.
- For contracts that can be cancelled (Revocable contracts):
- A description of how the consumer or the beneficiary can cancel the contract and the effects of the cancellation.
- For contracts that cannot be cancelled (Irrevocable contracts):
- A description of how the contract can be transferred to a different funeral home.
- If a specific type of merchandise in the contract is not available at time of death:
- The contract must say that the funeral service establishment will furnish merchandise similar in style and at least equal in material quality and workmanship.
- If the prepaid funeral service contract is funded by a life insurance policy, this is not required.
Signatures
- The signature of the purchaser or authorized representative and the licensed funeral director of the funeral service establishment.
- A statement signed by the purchaser attesting that, before signing the contract, the purchaser received a copy of the fact sheet on funeral service contracts published by the Department of Consumer Protection and has had time to review the fact sheet.