What does an undertaker do?
An undertaker (also called a funeral director) will help to take the stress and hassle out of the administrative process, allowing you time to grieve your loss and to concentrate on family.
A good undertaker is there to provide care and guidance. You should feel comfortable, safe and secure with your undertaker, knowing that they can be trusted and relied upon to deliver a truly personable experience at this difficult and important time. They will also help with delegating different tasks and jobs to different family members and close friends. They can also help provide counselling options if they are needed.
A good undertaker should help you to take care of the following:
- Helping you with taking care of the deceased’s body.
- Storing, preparing and dressing the deceased for viewing / burial / cremation.
- Obtaining the Death Notice from the medical attendants / doctors.
- Helping you to register the death at Home Affairs and collect the Death Certificate.
- Supplying you with the original Death Certificate and the necessary certified copies of these forms for estate and policy purposes.
- Making sure if you would want an autopsy performed (if natural death), as it may help you with the details of the deceased when claiming from the funeral cover.
- Organising death notices in newspapers.
- Offer a selection of coffins and caskets to choose from.
- All funeral arrangements.
- Cemetery or crematorium funeral arrangements.
- If cremation, the undertaker will help ensure all documents are completed by the relevant medical persons.
- Local transporting of the deceased.
- Embalming of the deceased for repatriation (if needed).
- Repatriation of deceased across borders (if needed).
A good undertaker will also explain all the costs involved in a funeral. Make sure you find out exactly what is included, so there aren’t any hidden costs.
The funeral parlour will usually charge for:
- Storage of the body;
- Processing the death-related documents (including the Death Certificate);
- Preparation of the body;
- Use of a hearse.