Funeral insurance or arranging it yourself?

Françoise Bartelet-Nieuwland

3 min. reading time 26 February 2025

A funeral is an important moment for your loved ones. It offers a chance to say goodbye, but it also comes with costs and logistics. Many people choose funeral insurance for financial security, while others prefer to stay in control themselves. What suits you best? In this article, you can read about the pros and cons of funeral insurance and how myGoodbye helps you document your wishes properly.

Please note: myGoodbye is not funeral insurance. The app helps you document your wishes and important information, so your loved ones know exactly what needs to be arranged. Unlike insurance, myGoodbye does not offer financial coverage, but it does ensure that all important information is immediately available to the right people. And that you do not overlook any important topics or choices.

What is funeral insurance?

Funeral insurance covers (part of) the costs of your funeral. Depending on the policy, the insurer pays out a fixed amount or arranges services directly through an affiliated funeral director.

Advantages of funeral insurance

Financial security: your loved ones do not have to worry about the costs of the funeral.
Coverage of funeral costs: many policies cover standard services such as a coffin, mourning cards, and a ceremony.
Convenience: the insurer often arranges everything directly, so your loved ones have less to organize.

Disadvantages of funeral insurance

Less flexibility: many policies work with fixed packages and offer less room for personal wishes.
Potentially higher costs: in some cases, you pay more in premiums over the long term than the actual funeral costs.
Money loses value over time: if you insure yourself now for, say, 10,000 euros, that amount may be worth less in 10, 20, or 30 years due to inflation.
Payout does not always go to your loved ones: sometimes the money goes to the funeral director, and your loved ones have little influence over how it is spent.

Arranging it yourself with myGoodbye

Do you want full control over your farewell and legacy? You can also choose to set money aside yourself and document your wishes in the myGoodbye app. With myGoodbye, you share all the information your loved ones need, exactly the way you want. That can prevent a lot of confusion.

Why myGoodbye?

Everything in one place: document your wishes and store important documents such as insurance policies and funeral director contact details.
Select trusted contacts: only the trusted contacts you link get access to this information after your passing. This way, you know the right people are informed.
Quick availability of information: in the Netherlands, a funeral must take place within six working days (by law). That means your loved ones have to arrange a lot in a short time. myGoodbye makes this easier because your trusted contacts get immediate access to all relevant information.
No fixed packages: you decide what your farewell looks like, without the limitations of an insurance policy.

What can you do?

Determine your wishes: do you want a simple cremation or an elaborate burial? A farewell at a special location? What music do you want played? You can also create your own guest list so your loved ones can easily inform all your contacts.
Financial preparation: open a separate savings account or take out insurance. Let your loved ones know how the costs are covered.
Document everything in myGoodbye: download the app, get a membership so you can add trusted contacts, and fill in everything you find important. With an active membership, your trusted contacts can access your information later. myGoodbye makes sure you do not overlook anything and that your trusted contacts are informed of your wishes within 12 hours. myGoodbye also keeps you informed about all options regarding farewell and legacy, so you can make the best choices for you.

Would you like to stay in control? Download myGoodbye and document your wishes properly.