News.....

November 22,2002

Here's another reason to avoid funeral homes owned by Stewart Enterprises, Inc., the third largest funeral home chain in the country.
 
The Dallas/Fort Worth area funeral homes operated by this company generally issue new price lists each November.  The new prices lists are out, and they include an amazing new charge.
 
Funeral homes generally insist upon payment before their services are performed.  Since this is a substantial expense, few customers have ready access to that much cash.  The payment method funeral homes prefer is the prepaid funeral plan.  If there is not a prepaid plan, some funeral homes accept credit cards (if the payee has that much of a credit line).  And almost all will accept assignment of a life insurance policy, which is very a common way of payment.
 
The new charge levied by the Stewart funeral homes is $125 for "Processing and delivery of paperwork for non-funeral home insurance used to secure a funeral account." 
 
Another exorbitant increase is the embalming charge to $975!!!  This is double what many funeral homes charge for this service.
 
So unless you like needlessly enriching the funeral home, avoid those owned by Stewart.
 
Stewart funeral homes in the Dallas/Fort Worth area include Restland, Laurel Land (in both Dallas and Fort Worth), Singing Hills, Bluebonnet Hills, Emerald Hills, Guardian, Anderson Clayton, Metrocrest, Lyons, and Belew.
 
Note::  Your Funeral Consumers Alliance does have arrangements with Metrocrest for reasonably priced arrangements, and with Guardian for reasonably priced direct cremations.