This checklist is designed to help guide families through what to do when someone dies.

1. Things to Do Immediately

Death at the Hospital

  • If the death occurs at a hospital or a nursing home, staff will arrange for a doctor to issue a Doctor’s Certificate of Cause of Death 

Death at Home

  • If the death occurs at home and was expected, call your doctor who will issue a Doctor’s Certificate of Cause of Death 
  • If the death occurs at home and is unexpected, call the police. Depending on the circumstances, the Coroner may be required to conduct a post-mortem to determine the cause of death. 

2. Organ Donation

  • If you know the deceased is an organ donor, the next of kin will be required to provide their consent for organ donation to proceed 
  • If you do not know whether the deceased is an organ donor, the next of kin will be required to decide whether or not to donate the deceased’s organs 

To check whether the deceased is an organ donor, you can contact the hospital to look up the Australian Organ Donor Register.

If consent to organ donation is provided, the deceased will be required to be taken to the hospital immediately so that the donation process can be carried out.

3. Prepaid Funerals, Funeral Bonds and Insurance

Before taking any further steps, it’s important to understand if the deceased had made any existing funeral and/or financial arrangements for their funeral.

Prepaid Funeral

  • If the deceased has a prepaid funeral, contact the relevant funeral director (and skip sections 4 and 5 below) 
  • If you are unsure whether the deceased has a prepaid funeral, you will usually be able to find a copy of the funeral plan with their solicitor or the Executor of the will 

Funeral Bond

  • If the deceased has a funeral bond, it can be used to assist with funeral costs. A funeral bond may nominate a preferred funeral director, so be sure to check. 

Insurance

  • Check whether the deceased had any insurance (such as funeral insurance, life, accident, private health or sickness insurance). If so, call the relevant company to see if they are entitled to a payout. 

4. Funeral Director

Preferred Funeral Director

  • If the deceased has a preferred/nominated funeral director, contact them to collect the body 

No Preferred Funeral Director

  • If the deceased does not have a preferred/nominated funeral director, you will need to find a funeral director  

Finding and choosing a funeral director can be a difficult task with hundreds of different options, all at different price points and service levels. Our website makes it easy to compare local funeral directors and make the right decision.

5. The Funeral Service

  • Plan the funeral service 

There’s a lot that goes into planning a funeral service, and you will need to make several important decisions. Before you meet with your chosen funeral director, it’s sensible to have an idea of the type of funeral you would like to plan. 

6. Paying for the Funeral

  • Determine who will pay for the funeral. 
  • Identify sources of funds that will help you pay for the funeral 
  • Set a budget for the funeral 

Funerals are expensive. In Australia, the average cost of a cremation is $7,420 while the average cost of a burial is approximately $19,000. If you are working on a tight budget, there are several options for more affordable funerals.

Depending on your circumstances, the following funds may be available to you:

  • Insurance or funeral bond payouts
  • Money in the deceased’s bank account
  • Superannuation funds
  • Government allowances or bereavement payments
  • Bereavement payments for veterans or Indigenous Australians
  • Assistance from clubs, trade unions, or associations the deceased was a member of

7. Organisations to Notify

  • Notify the relevant organisations using this checklist from the Department of Human Services 

8. Mailing Lists

  • If you want to stop marketing and advertising being sent, register the deceased’s details on the Association for Data-driven Marketing and Advertising website 
  • Alternatively, make a written request to the address below 
    ADMA
    GPO Box 3895
    Sydney NSW 2001

9. Social Media Accounts

  • Delete or “memorialise” social media accounts by following the recommended procedure in the relevant site’s “help” section 

Facebook is the most popular social media website in Australia. Under their website terms, you can request for the website to be “memorialised” so that family and friends can continue to gather and share messages on their profile. Alternatively, you can request that the account be deleted if you are a verified and immediate family member of the deceased.

Keep in mind, if you do choose to delete an account, you might lose all of the photos and memories that have been collected online over the years, so consider making copies first.

10. Grief Support

  • Seek out grief and bereavement support 

During an incredibly emotional and busy time, it’s easy to put yourself last. Don’t forget about your own mental and physical health and wellbeing. Some of the departments and organisations you can contact for help include:

GET A QUOTE

 

About eziFunerals

eziFunerals supports individuals and families cope with end of life decisions, death and funerals. We are an independent, Australian-owned and operated company. We are not part of any other funeral company.

Our member Funeral Directors operate in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Australia wide. Thet are chosen for their knowledge, quality, service, personalisation and experience. They go above and beyond, and will take the time to support the family.

For more information or to make contact with a trusted Independent funeral director, call eziFunerals on 1300 236 402 or visit www.ezifunerals.com.au.

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Peter Erceg is the Owner and Founder of eziFunerals. He has had a long history within the funeral industry, and is a published author of ‘What Kind Of Funeral: A self help guide to planning a meaningful funeral’. Prior to eziFunerals, Peter worked in the public sector and health industry for more than 30 years. The views and opinions expressed on posts are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of eziFunerals and members.