International Funeral Shipping
Funeral Shipping to Latin America Become More Affordable
Across New England, the number of Latino families repatriating a deceased loved one home to Latin America for burial is trending up as funeral shipping options become more affordable. International funeral shipping expert Dave Casper of Casper Funeral & Cremation Services in Boston is debunking the myth that shipping from New England to South America, Central America, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico is necessarily complex, confusing, and costly.
Your Five-Step Funeral Shipping Plan
“Every day we educate Latino families on how to fulfill a loved one’s wish to be sent home for funeral services,” shared Casper. “All too frequently, a family learns too late that they could have shipped their family member home with greater ease and significantly less cost. It begins with understanding the steps involved in the process.”
Here are five steps Casper recommends to families who want to ship a deceased loved one to Latin America (or across the world):
- Decide as a family (as far in advance as possible) to send your loved one home
- Select your family spokesperson(s)
- Call an international funeral shipping provider such as Casper Funeral & Cremation Services to discuss your wishes/details (including possibly a local memorial service, coordination of your memorial/funeral service in your home country, and your country’s consulate repatriation requirements.
- Obtain a cost for your personalized international funeral shipping plan
- Request a second international funeral shipping cost
International Funeral Shipping Experience Required
When shipping a deceased family member home to Latin America, it stands to reason that each country will have different rules and regulations. An International funeral shipper such as Casper Funeral & Cremation Services intimately understands these country-specific requirements. Using a company that has experience working with your Latin American consulate will ensure that everything goes smoothly and as planned.
According to Dave Casper, it is critical that you ask how many families your funeral provider has shipped to your country. As a third generation, family-owned company that is intimately familiar with all international shipping guidelines, Casper Funeral & Cremation Services has specialized on the repatriation of deceased loved ones for over 90 years.
“Our expertise and experience in this important international arena have resulted in us being named a Massachusetts-licensed international funeral shipping provider, as well as designation as a certified “known shipper” by the U.S. Transportation Services Administration (TSA) and international airlines,” Casper explains. “We believe our experience and knowledge in the world of international shipping adds significant value and peace of mind for the families we help.”
Latin America Funeral Shipping Costs
While most people think it is prohibitively expensive to ship to Latin America, Casper says that is usually not the case.
“One of our main goals is to help you clearly understand the financial impact of shipping a deceased loved one home,” he says. “While many people assume they will spend between $15,000 to $20,000 to repatriate a loved one home, frequently the number is significantly lower. We provide transparent funeral shipping costs so a family can make an appropriate, informed decision.”
For example, Casper says that depending on what you want to do locally and the type of casket that you purchase, it is possible for all costs to fall under $4,000, not including the airfare (which runs about $1,350 if you’re funeral shipping to the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, El Salvador, or most of the Central America region).
“That means you can transport someone back home for under $6,000,” Casper notes. “That’s a very reasonable figure, especially when you compare that number to the least expensive cemeteries in the Boston area.”
Preplanning: Your Best Course of Action
Sending a deceased family member home for burial should not be a spur-of-the-moment decision. While planning for someone’s ultimate passing is not an easy discussion to have upfront, it is a necessary discussion, especially for someone who may wish to return to his or her home country for burial.
About the Author: Joe Casper is a licensed Massachusetts funeral director and owner of Casper Funeral and Cremation Services, a Platinum Associate Member of the Hospice and Palliative Care Federation of Massachusetts. Casper’s provide low cost cremation services and international funeral shipping services across Massachusetts. They are always available to answer your funeral questions at 800-314-1890.
