Recently covered by Connecting Directors, the State of California has filed a lawsuit against the Neptune Society. California’s State Attorney General Xavier Becerra and three San Francisco Bay district attorneys accused the Neptune Society and its subsidiary Trident Society of many exploitative acts.
These include: failing to hold in a fully-refundable trust more than $100 million customers paid for Neptune cremation plans (pre-need trusts have been required by law in California since 1965 to ensure the availability of full refunds); failing to issue full refunds to customers who cancelled contracts; the potential inability to issue refunds to thousands of other prepaid customers who might cancel their plans; falsely claiming to use its own crematoriums when it actually contracted with others; illegally accelerating payments when customers died, and more.
The State of California is seemingly proactive in addressing these crimes, but we wanted to share some of the ways consumers can try to avoid these “bad apples” of the death care industry.
Smart Shopping
Buying cremation or any death care service is similar to making any large purchase. Unfortunately, the process can be complicated by the fact that you do not have a lot of time for comparison shopping. Even when you need to make your decision right away, there are a few things you can do to make sure you are choosing a reputable company.
- Ask questions: In no case should a cremation service provider make you feel uncomfortable when you ask questions about the pricing, how the process works, or what your rights are. If a provider is not willing to offer the information you need, it may be best to try another company.
- Check them out: Organizations like the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) require their members abide by certain standards. Check to see if the company you are considering is a member.
Here are some other good ways to learn more about a cremation service provider:
- Visit their facility: Is the facility clean and well organized? Do they seem forthcoming and open? Are they proactive in providing you with pricing?
- Check rating agencies: Consult your local Better Business Bureau, funeral regulatory commission, or state Attorney General to see if complaints have been filed.
- Study online reviews: Is their business listing up-to-date and complete? What kind of feedback have they gotten?
- Check out their website: Is the information current? Do they list contact information?
- Ask for referrals: Friends, family members, or your clergy may have recommendations on companies they have used.
It’s important that these strategies are made aware of. Losing a family member or friend is hard enough—and the services required to take care of that loved one should be provided in a way that helps the healing process and doesn’t take advantage of those in this vulnerable state.