Preneed: A Pandora's Box of Problems
Two consumer groups recently issued failing grades to funeral regulators from 33 states. Taking the position that state funeral regulators have a duty to serve both professionals and consumers, The Funeral Consumer Alliance and the Consumer Federation of America worked together in evaluating each regulator’s website on the following criteria:
…
Triggered by the NPS collapse, preneed reform rolled out of the Missouri legislature like a tsunami. When the funeral industry was slow to organize and respond to the situation, legislators worked with state officials to imposed sweeping changes. While SB1 does reflect input provided to the State Board by the industry, the law has flaws…
It is an all but too familiar news report about 60 Michigan preneed contract purchasers having lost all their money, the industry response described the protections afforded by state law.
The MFDA statement drew some rebuke on an industry chat page, including one post recommending that state FD associations take a greater role in…