Immigrating to a new country is a massive change. How easy it is to adjust to that change depends a bit on the country you’re immigrating from and how different certain customs and cultures are. That said, even immigrating to Canada from the United States will induce a bit of culture shock; the laws are different, customs are different, greetings are different, the list goes on. Coupling this change of scenery with thinking about death can be a daunting task which is why we decided to create this brief guide. In it, we’ll discuss life insurance, choosing a funeral home, and international funerary arrangements:
Life Insurance
Funeral costs can be covered by insurance; depending on the type of life insurance you have, many other costs may be covered as well because life insurance is often paid out in a lump sum. There are a lot of different types of life insurance, ranging from guaranteed acceptance plans to plans that require a detailed medical history in order to enroll. Which plan is right for you will, of course, depend on your medical history.
More often than not, life insurance providers will require that you have a detailed medical exam conducted by a Canadian physician. There are a number of different reasons that this is preferred. The first is that when medical records are sent internationally, there are often language barriers that are impossible for the insurance company to overcome. The second is that medical standards aren’t necessarily the same between countries; a standard blood test in one country might look different than a standard blood test in another country, depending on what illnesses tend to crop up in the country.
Life insurance comes with a number of benefits, but it’s not for everyone. Those with substantial savings probably won’t need life insurance, and as with all insurance, calculating the cost of premiums, the chances of needing the insurance, and how much the insurance will pay out are all essential to know whether or not the purchase is worth your time.
Finding a Cemetery or Funeral Home
Canada is a global bastion of multiculturalism. That means that no matter what your spiritual beliefs are if you’re in an urban centre, you’re very likely to find groups who share your beliefs. One of the best ways of finding a funeral home that can conduct the appropriate rites for your beliefs is to find other people who share your beliefs. There are almost certainly places of worship for your belief system near you.
Once you’ve found a community that has the same spiritual beliefs as you, they’ll be able to direct you to funeral homes they use. These homes should be familiar with your beliefs and will be able to accommodate your needs.
There are circumstances in which you might not find a place of worship that corresponds with your beliefs in the community that you’re in. During these times, you can always go online and find organizations that share your beliefs in Canada and you can then consult with them to see if they know of funeral homes near you that can accommodate you.
A memorial forest is also a great option for people of all faiths. A memorial forest provides an opportunity to commemorate a life, in a unique way, without having prior ties to a funeral home or cemetery. It is an affordable, non-traditional alternative that gives back to the environment.
Failing all of the above, many funeral homes or memorial services in Canada are “all faiths” or “all beliefs”. That means they’ll be willing to accommodate the rituals you need. One of the reasons that pre-planning is best is that it allows you to find all of these resources long before the funeral is actually needed and that helps you avoid unforeseen problems.
International Planning
Many new immigrants to Canada have a lot of family members in their home country; that’s why international planning is an important consideration. You may not even want to have the funeral in Canada, depending on the circumstances. Those who want to have the funeral overseas will still need to get in touch with a funeral home in Canada because they can help make arrangements to fly the deceased body or remains to the country where the funeral will take place. There are a number of rules for transporting remains; you won’t have to look them over, but be aware that the process is complex, another reason why pre-planning is a good idea.
The prospect of flying friends and family from overseas to Canada can be daunting - it takes a lot of time and planning, and can cost a lot of money. That’s one of the reasons life insurance can be to your advantage; a lump sum can help you pay for these costs if your relatives cannot afford to. This is another reason it’s a good idea to pre-plan your funeral arrangements; it gives your friends and family the knowledge of where the funeral would take place, so they can save up if need be.
Here at Treeternity, we offer memorial grounds for people of all faiths. You can choose which type of tree you would like, as well as a plaque to commemorate your loved one. We offer a special way to remember your loved one. You’re making roots in Canada and it’s hard to think of a better way to honour that than a tree that will grow and flourish for decades to come.
Written by Christie Simon