Underwriting Undertakers
In dealing with the deceased, funeral homes must carry coverage against an array of unusual risks
BY SHAWN MOYNIHAN
GIVEN THE myriad problems that can arise in the handling and prepara- tion of a dead person’s body, funeral
homes face a number of unique risks that
must be addressed by their insurance policies.
Craig Shink, an experienced producer
with Fabricant & Fabricant Inc. in Roslyn,
N.Y., not only regularly handles such
policies—but also has seen firsthand the
emotional damage that can be inflicted on
a family at a highly sensitive time when
something goes wrong.
“I’ve been to a funeral where the casket
is dropped and the body spills out,” he
says. “That creates emotional scars for
various patrons of the funeral home.”
In one case in particular, the deceased
“was a person of girth, and [the pallbearers]
ended up dropping the casket. That’s
the type of case that [funeral home]
Professional Liability would cover.”
(In many cases, pallbearers arranged for
by the funeral home are the ones called
upon to do the heavy lifting.)
EMOTIONAL E&O; CREMATION CONCERNS
As with any providers of professional
services, funeral-home directors obviously
need Errors & Omission coverage.
But what sets their risk profile apart
from accountants, architects and others is
that they are dealing with clients during
the emotionally charged grieving period.
