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How much does a person's funeral cost? The cheapest. Posthumous expenses: how much does a funeral cost and how not to overpay for them?

July 4, 2017


In life, unfortunately, everyone has to face death.

Most often, this bleak event takes people by surprise, which funeral directors often take advantage of. They lie in wait for relatives at the most inopportune moment and, while they are upset, force them to shell out huge sums for services.

Free funeral

If the body of the deceased arrives at the morgue from the hospital, the employee first calls “his” agents, and only then the relative of the deceased. And when loved ones arrive at the morgue, they are already greeted there by employees of funeral homes.
If a person died at home, then as soon as a call was made to the police with a statement of death, the agents are already aware of what happened and will be standing at the door of the apartment. This is just their job, and they will describe in every possible way the services they can offer. The main thing here is to concentrate and, without giving in to panic, remember that you always have the right to choose.



Social services assure that you can bury him for 16 thousand 500 rubles. To be precise, the amount of social benefits for burial in Moscow is 16,562 rubles 25 kopecks. It is this amount that can be received as a social benefit for a funeral or a guaranteed list of funeral services provided free of charge, only to those registered in Moscow.

This list can be found on the official website of the City Ritual Service. The list includes: a coffin, a bedspread, slippers, delivery of ritual accessories, transportation of the body from the location of the deceased to the place of burial or cremation without transport entering the church and without a return flight.

That is, attention(!), if you read it thoughtfully, it will become clear that before the cemetery, everyone who was going to see the deceased off last path They'll take you there, but they won't take you back. They will dig a grave and even bury the body, but they will not make a burial mound. Cremation will be carried out, but burial of the urn and provision of land for burial are not included in the free list. That is, there seems to be a free funeral, but it’s not free at all. And if you bury in accordance with all the rules and traditions, you will not be able to avoid additional expenses.

How much money will you actually have to spend?
So, if you don’t want to put the deceased in a plywood house, you’ll have to pay:
coffin - approximately 15 thousand rubles
bedspread - 1500 rubles
bed linen 3000

embalming a deceased person costs approximately 10 thousand
forming a grave mound and clearing the path to the grave will cost 1000 rubles
if the grave is old and in order to dig a hole you will have to remove the flower garden, you need to pay an additional 500 rubles

for expanding the fence - another 1000
if the burial is carried out in an existing grave to a previously buried relative or to a loved one and there is a monument installed there, then you can remove this monument for 15 thousand
a temporary cross costs from 1990 rubles
sign - from 800 rubles

an average wreath at a cemetery will cost 700 rubles
The funeral service is also not a cheap pleasure - 3000-5000 rubles
in addition, for church service you need to purchase a cross, an icon and candles - 1000 rubles

if you need help carrying the coffin - 6,000 rubles (1,000 rubles per person. Relatives not carrying the coffin is a bad omen).

How much does a funeral cost in Moscow, St. Petersburg? In practice, in Moscow in 2016, a funeral will cost: an urn - from 50,000 rubles, and a coffin in the ground - from 80,000 rubles.

The state standard of the Russian Federation of 2008 stipulates main types of funeral services as belonging to the group household services . It is worth emphasizing here: the main ones. That is, funeral agencies and offices have the right to offer other types of services related to general group ritual (for example, conducting religious ceremonies), and this will be completely legal. In general, funeral services, according to official terminology, mean funeral and memorial services.

On the modern transformation of funeral rites

Anthropologist, candidate historical sciences Anna Sokolova about preparing the soul of the deceased, the services of funeral agencies and the commercialization of the ritual.

Basic funeral services

  • Agency services(their list depends on the specific agency and may include registration and collection of documents, stage-by-stage organization funeral, monument insurance, etc.);
  • Burial services(placing an order, preparing the place, the actual burial);
  • Soldering of a zinc coffin;
  • Cremation services(including storage of ashes until the moment of release);
  • Pre-funeral maintenance of remains;
  • Preparing the body for burial(embalming, ablution, restoration work, hairdressing, dressing, etc.);
  • Transportation of remains;
  • Organization and conduct of the farewell ceremony(this may also include renting and decorating premises and organizing funerals);
  • Making funeral items ( including monuments);
  • Care for burial sites.

You can get acquainted with the terminology and description of types of services in more detail by reading GOST R 53107 2008. What you should know is that, according to this GOST, to provide funeral services the population can both organizations and individual entrepreneurs, even without legal education. faces. This is legal, but not very good for the customer, and below explains why.

Funeral agency services

With regard to organizations providing funeral services, you need to understand two things. The first is that you will one way or another need the services of such an office (at least to order a coffin and transport the body). Secondly, only you can decide which company to contact and what services to order.


Roughly speaking, anyone can call themselves an agent (and formally be one). It's easy to trust in stressful situations organizational issues a person who seems to know what he is doing - after all, a confrontation with a funeral procedure can shake even the strongest nerves. Still, try to be attentive at this difficult moment. As cynical as it may seem, in the field of funeral services corruption and price manipulation are thriving.

First of all, keep in mind: the more reputable the agency, the more he has favorable conditions in cooperation with morgues and cemeteries. Accordingly, the lower the price it can provide and the greater the likelihood that everything will go as it should on the spot: there will be no rush during farewell and transportation, but there will be no delays, additional fees, etc. Like any company with history, large funeral agency is guided by established customs, practices and internal standards.

Many funeral agencies offer turnkey funeral organization. On the one hand, this is convenient and makes the situation easier for relatives and friends: with a certain agreement, their presence will not be required at all, even in a cemetery or crematorium. But such convenience also has reverse side. An ordinary person can't imagine at all cost of each individual service, which is included in the so-called package - for example, morgue services - and the price for such “sets” can differ significantly. So feel free to compare price lists from several agencies: this is normal. It is quite reasonable to give preference to the company whose price list describes in as much detail as possible all the services included in the package.

But what you should not agree to under any circumstances is the help of pseudo-organizations, which are often backed by only a couple of people, despite the possible low cost. Firstly, this is fraught with all sorts of organizational complications. And secondly, you risk that some services will be received only on paper (or even only in words) or at a critical moment you will suddenly need to pay extra for something else.

How to determine that a funeral agency can be trusted?

  • You see his information materials in the morgue or heard recommendations;
  • The agency demonstrates its services and prices on its own user-friendly website;
  • The agent has an official photo ID;
  • The agent shows you the official price list with the seal of the organization and the signature of the director;
  • The agent places an order on an official form with details and a seal and draws up an agreement in two copies, one of which he leaves for you;
  • All payments are made through receipts (strict reporting forms).

There are also some simple general rules regarding the choice of agency. Firstly, if you have the opportunity not to call an agent to your home, but to go into the office yourself, this will save you from making an impulsive choice. Secondly, if you still call an agent, do not hesitate to call the company’s office to check whether he really works there and compare at least a couple of items on the price list. Thirdly, if the office of a funeral company is located right next to the morgue, this almost guarantees that everything necessary will be done as quickly as possible and without problems with registration.

If the agent of the funeral home contacts you himself, first, it is better to refrain from any contact with him. There are no official procedures or methods for transmitting information about someone's death to funeral agencies. The “agents” who possess such information obtain it in dubious or completely illegal ways.

Sequence of actions from death to funeral

What to do when someone close to you dies? Few people imagine this in advance, but meanwhile, a rather difficult procedure awaits the relatives of the deceased. In principle, the relevant institutions will tell you the necessary steps (including further ones), but it is better to imagine the sequence necessary actions a little in advance.

The first thing to do when someone dies is call ambulance . During the day, or if the deceased was observed at a district clinic during the last two weeks of life, you can call a local doctor. Medical workers call the police and a team to remove the body (although both can be done independently). After the body arrives at the morgue, relatives upon written application receive a medical death certificate. It is issued upon presentation of the passport of the deceased and the passport of the applicant within two working days from the moment the body was brought. The certificate can also be obtained funeral agency representative.

When receiving a medical death certificate from a medical institution or morgue, you order preparing the body for burial (processing). Then, with a medical death certificate, you need to contact the registry office to obtain a certificate indicating the cause of death (F-33) and an official stamp of death certificate, which is exchanged for the passport of the deceased. This certificate is issued on the day of application, and it necessary for funeral. It can also be obtained by proxy.

After this, unless you signed up for an all-inclusive package, you contact a funeral agency. You set a date for goodbye, funeral service (if it will be held) and funeral or cremation. Having decided whether the deceased will be buried or cremated, select the appropriate accessories and order transport. If you want a funeral service to be held according to the Orthodox canon, then first a farewell to the body takes place in the ritual hall at the morgue (although you can order a farewell at the agency’s premises), and then the body is transported to the church of your choice. Funeral service in Orthodox churches held at the end of the morning service, around noon.


In cases where a farewell to the body and a funeral service are held before the funeral, it must be taken into account that rituals and travel will take a lot of time. It may be morally and physically difficult for someone close to the deceased to be present at all stages (for example, it is customary to stand during the funeral service). Taking this into account, the invitees may have to split up, and in this case it is worth making sure in advance that you have at your disposal, in addition to the one ordered from the agency, free personal transport.

After the funeral service, it is the turn of the actual funeral or cremation. Solution this issue remains with the relatives of the deceased: there are several points that may be fundamental for this. On the one hand, cremation goes against Orthodox canons, and in some cases it requires special permission (in case of death as a result of injury or accident). On the other hand, the cremation process is faster, more environmentally friendly and cheaper, and the issue of space in the cemetery for an urn with ashes is much easier to solve. Please note: A funeral service in a church can also be held for those who are subsequently cremated.

If you choose cremation, you must decide what to do with the ashes after receiving the urn. You must know what the law says you have the right to bury the urn not only in the cemetery or in the columbarium of the crematorium, but also in any other place, or even scatter the ashes where you see fit.

How to choose a cemetery

If you choose burial in the cemetery, you need to decide which one. IN major cities cemeteries are usually overcrowded and are therefore divided into open, semi-closed and closed. Bury in new grave possible only on open cemeteries, burying an existing burial - also in semi-closed ones. Burial is permitted if it is possible to confirm close relationship or if the last deceased was buried on the site no more than 20 years ago.

You need to use common sense: think about whether it will be easy to get there, whether there are stops nearby public transport; see how well the cemetery is generally maintained, etc. The more famous cemeteries in large cities are usually kept in much better condition, but they are also appropriate. Pay attention to what the surrounding area looks like: a dump of fragments of old burial structures, branches and garbage will say a lot about the order in a particular cemetery.

You should know that usually there is no possibility of choosing a plot in a cemetery - unless we are talking about “elite” places and really expensive cemeteries. But if you somehow have such an opportunity, you should choose a site according to two criteria. The first is convenience: best plots are located near the entrance, near paths or memorable landmarks (but not right next to the central alleys: such areas can be covered with snow during winter cleaning, and grave structures can be damaged by equipment). The worst are near the boundaries of the cemetery, where the least attention is paid to maintenance, as well as in the most overgrown areas with trees and near bodies of water. Also pay attention to whether there is a nearby source of water for grave and monument care, are there any garbage containers, etc. The second criterion is the landscape characteristics of the site. An employee of a ritual workshop can give a balanced assessment on this issue, but you yourself can notice if the area is very uneven, swampy, or located in a low-lying area or hole (that is, there is a risk of flooding in the spring).

Wake at funeral

The former traditionally carry out on the day of the funeral. The funeral can be held according to the Orthodox canon or in a more free, secular form. In the first case, several basic rules must be followed. They concern, firstly, the choice of dishes (at Orthodox funerals it is customary to put kutya, pancakes, jelly on the table) and, secondly, the behavior of those present. Categorically unacceptable in Orthodox tradition remember the deceased by drinking alcohol. It is also wrong to place his portrait at the table, light a candle in front of him, or place a glass with a slice of bread. If neither the deceased nor those present are religious, then at the wake you can allow everything that does not offend the memory of the deceased and the feelings of those invited.


Find a hall, restaurant or cafe for a funeral service

Prices for funeral services for the reasons described above may vary significantly. Below is an indicative price list for the main funeral services in Moscow. Prices in the regions are approximately 20% lower. (Average prices are given at the beginning of 2016).

Coffin

The simplest coffin “without everything” costs from 1000 rubles. An ordinary wooden coffin covered with fabric will cost the amount is about 5000 rub.., and this price includes filling (pillow, bed, blanket) and upholstery. The cost of upholstery materials increases the price of the coffin; you can use cotton fabric, silk, satin or velvet (listed in ascending order of price).

Prices for a coffin from varnished wood begin from 10,000 rub.. (with filling). Exclusive design - from RUB 35,000.; it refers to more valuable types of wood, often imported, fittings (handles, locks and metal decorations), flowers, wreaths, external trim and drapery with fabric on the outside. VIP coffin(two-piece hinged lid, sarcophagus stand, etc.) can cost from 80,000 rubles. and more.


Transport

Average cost of renting a minibus/gazelle from the morgue to the cemetery or to the crematorium - about 3000 rubles. Price may vary depending on route. Another ritual transport rental scheme is hourly pay. In this case, the rental of a funeral minibus begins from 1000 rub./hour. Please note that the cost of renting a vehicle includes: Loader services are not included, therefore, if you need help with removing the coffin, it will need to be paid separately. It is necessary to discuss in advance the number of seats for accompanying persons (in a regular transport for transporting a hearse there are no more than 5-7 of them, and in elite models of passenger cars - only one).

Every day 160 thousand people die on earth. This is the law of nature. Sooner or later, every family is destined to experience the pain of loss. Undivided grief that overwhelms the heart will not allow a person to correctly assess the situation, distribute time, money and energy. To help you survive a misfortune and take charge of organizing the event, to calculate how much the funeral of the deceased costs - our funeral service is ready to do all this. We will provide support in difficult situations and send you off loved one dignified and solemn.

In times of trouble, rely on us

Call a funeral agent to the address where the death occurred to control the actions of the employees of the called services, the collection necessary documents and sending the deceased to the morgue. He will also provide psychological support to the family and friends of the deceased. The agent will organize the funeral taking into account all wishes, financial capabilities and in proportion to the cost of the funeral in Moscow. Our employee will help you select ritual goods and prepare the required documents. Deliver the clothes to the morgue, receive a death certificate and stamp certificate. Order embalming and cremation services.

Services of our specialists

A specialist from our agency will provide assistance in choosing funeral transport. Depending on the wishes of the relatives, he will provide any option: from a budget Gazelle to a prestigious Mercedes. The agent is responsible for registering the burial, organizing the digging of the grave, and selecting a place for the farewell ceremony in accordance with the religion of the deceased. We will provide a team of loaders to carry the coffin with the deceased at the farewell ceremony. We will inform relatives, friends and acquaintances about the place and time of the funeral. We will help you choose a cafe for the funeral. All types of our services are included in the total cost of the funeral.

Escort service

To avoid accidents during the ceremony, the agency organizes escort and duty by a medical service carriage. The assistance team includes a doctor, paramedic and driver. The machine is equipped with the required equipment, instruments and medicines to provide medical services. If unforeseen situations arise, service employees will take victims to a hospital or help on the spot. Regardless of how much it costs to conduct a funeral in Moscow, we will select for you the most acceptable type of burial of the deceased.


How to order cremation?

Increasingly, relatives are choosing cremation to bury the body. Combustion occurs in 1.5-2.5 hours. The price for an event such as cremation is lower than for traditional funeral. The cost of cremation in Moscow is 4,300 rubles. Cremation is carried out by Mitinsky, Khovansky and Nikolo-Arkhangelsk crematoriums.
But in addition to burning the body, the price for providing such a service as cremation includes the cost of a coffin, a hearse, collecting documents, and organizing the event. Since it is the most economical, this type of burial is increasingly used in large cities. At the end of the cremation procedure, loved ones can take the ashes of the deceased with them.

The loss of a loved one is pain and emptiness that is difficult to fill. Regardless of our wishes, death comes for everyone human life. To ease your grief, the Moscow ritual agency will provide services for organizing and conducting funerals. Regardless of your religion, we will conduct a burial in accordance with all the canons of the religious beliefs of the deceased and his entourage.