This guide is designed to help you purchase a prepaid funeral plan in Melbourne and its surrounding suburbs. It contains specific details that only apply to prepaid funerals in Victoria.

For general information about prepaid funerals, we strongly recommend that you start with our Complete Guide to Prepaid Funerals, which sets out everything you need to know about purchasing a prepaid funeral plan.

A prepaid funeral is a smart way to plan for your funeral. Not only does it guarantee that the complete cost of the funeral will be paid for – regardless of price increases over time – it also alleviates your family from the unnecessary stress of making difficult funeral planning decisions when the time finally comes.

How to Find a Prepaid Funeral in Melbourne

Purchasing a prepaid funeral in Melbourne starts with finding a funeral director. Our website lets you instantly compare the prices and reviews of over 160 funeral directors in Melbourne offering prepaid funerals.

To start your search for a prepaid funeral in Melbourne:

1. Go to www.gatheredhere.com.au
2. Select Burial or Cremation
3. Select the Type of Service you want to plan
4. Enter your Postcode and click “Compare”

This will show you all prepaid funerals offered by funeral directors within a 15km radius of your area.

Tips:

• To find cheap prepaid funerals in Melbourne, use the “Price (Low)” filter
• To find the best prepaid funerals in Melbourne, use the “Rating” filter

If you’re thinking about a prepaid cremation, you can find additional helpful information in our Melbourne Crematoriums and Cremation Services Guide.

Cost of Prepaid Funerals in Melbourne

One of the key benefits of a prepaid funeral is that it allows you to pay for the funeral at today’s prices. This means that the cost of a prepaid funeral plan will be the same (or close to the same) as the price you would pay for an at-need funeral today.

For a full breakdown of the funeral directors who offer the cheapest prepaid funerals, the best prepaid funeral plans and the average cost of a prepaid funeral in Melbourne, see our comprehensive Guide to Funeral Directors in Melbourne.

Regulation of Prepaid Funerals in Victoria

Australia has strong laws and regulations in place to protect consumers who purchase prepaid funeral plans. In addition to these laws, Victoria has state laws which impose additional requirements on the management of prepaid funeral funds and funeral directors.

Prepaid Funeral Funds in Victoria

The management of prepaid funeral funds in Victoria is governed by associated legislation, particularly the Life Insurance Act 1945 (Cth). This legislation details strict investment rules to ensure your prepaid funeral funds are safely and securely managed.

Funeral Director Requirements in Victoria

The Funerals Act 2006 (Vic) seeks to protect consumers by setting out the minimum details that must be included in a prepaid funeral contract. In particular, it requires that the following details be specified:

• the funeral services to be supplied
• the funeral goods purchased
• the amount paid for the services
• how any third parties requiring payment will be paid (e.g. cemetery fees)

You might notice that these minimum details are fairly vague. For example, the information that you could specify for the “funeral services to be supplied” could be a very basic description. To the extent possible, even though it may not be mandatorily required under law in Victoria, we recommend that you include as much detail as you can about your desired service in your prepaid funeral contract to avoid confusion down the track.

For a list of all the inclusions you should consider, see our Guide to Prepaid Funerals.