Forms of Payment

Cemetery or Crematory
Clergy or Organist
Death Certificates
Airfare or any other transportation
Gratuities
Other funeral home charges
Consulate fees
Church fees
Repass or reception fees

LIFE INSURANCE OR ANY OTHER DEATH BENEFIT

Life insurance is a form of payment that can be used to pay a funeral bill, but not in all cases. Keep in mind, the beneficiary of a life insurance policy DOES NOT HAVE TO ASSIGN THE POLICY FOR PAYMENT FOR A FUNERAL. There is not law requiring to do so.

These are our requirements when life insurance can be used for payment.

1. Any & All insurance MUST be verified by one of our insurance specialist to confirm value amount and beneficiary.
2. Any & All insurance MUST be enforced for at lease 2 years from the date the policy was issued.
3. Any & All insurance companies MUST accept a funeral home assignment, which is a document that gives permission from the beneficiary to pay the funeral home directly from the insurance company. Not all insurance companies except funeral home assignments. If so, they will pay the proceeds directly to the beneficiary. Crowe's will provide the assignment form. This form must be filled out and signed by the beneficiary as well as notarized. There is a notary on our staff.
4. A claim form must be filled out and signed by the beneficiary. Most claim forms we have in our file. Some companies will fax them or they can be printed off the web. There are cases where the forms can only be mailed to the beneficiary.

We ONLY accept insurance if the death certificate has one of the following manners of death. Natural, Accidental or Homicide. If it states SUICIDE or PENDING FURTHER STUDY, the insurance company may not pay in these two cases, furthermore we will not except for insurance payments.  

WHAT IS PENDING FURTHER STUDY?

Pending further study means NOT DETERMINED WHAT THE CAUSE OF DEATH IS. When someone has an autopsy by a private company or a medical examiner, in most cases, they will not have a cause of death at the completion of this procedure. It takes between 2 to 3 months for the report to be completed and the final cause to be determined. Then the cause is forwarded to the registrar or health department. When it reaches there, the  corrections department takes 6 to 8 weeks for them  to amend the death certificate to put a cause of death on it.  At this point, the death certificate is ready to be mailed to the insurance company. At this point, it will take up to 4 weeks to pay on the claim.  This total process from beginning to end is from 5 to 6 months. It will take even longer if it is JOB insurance. In most cases if the autopsy is performed at the hospital of death, a cause is usually  determined at that time.

OTHER FORMS OF DEATH BENEFITS OTHER THAN LIFE INSURANCE

1. Some annuities can be used as a death benefit to pay a funeral bill. 
2. If in a car accident, there are some car insurance policies that have a death benefit as part of the policy.
3. In the city of New York, if one has been killed and was a victim of a crime,  The Crime Victims Board has a death benefit.
4. Pre-Paid Funeral is one sure way of payment.
5. A burial account in a bank.

All of the above will have to be confirmed and approved before acceptance.

A PENSION, 401K, COLLEGE FUNDS, STOCKS, BONDS  OR OTHER RETIREMENT OR UNION FUNDS ARE NOT ALLOWED FOR PAYMENT OF A FUNERAL BILL.