Frequently Asked Questions

What happens when a loved one dies? What is the funeral process? This is our most often-asked question. Let’s assist you with the answers below…

What should I do when a family member has died?

Depending on how or where they died, there are a few processes that will need to be followed. If you are unsure at any time, please contact our Funeral Director and we’ll do our best to answer any questions or concerns you may have.

Once you have decided on who your Funeral Director (or Undertaker) and someone has died, we do ask if the family can give us a call.  We often get a call from the Rest-home or Hospice or Hospital to confirm that someone has died.

We will arrange for the transfer into our care once the GP or Nurse Practitioner has been to confirm the passing.  Sometimes (during a long weekend etc) the GP or Nurse Practitioner will ask us to transfer the person into our care and they will come and visit when they are free.  In the era of Covid, during some levels the GP will not visit a rest-home, but they will arrange a visit to the Funeral Home.

Once we have the deceased in our care we usually wash and dress them and place them in their casket.  If the person is not for embalming then we usually have them in our temperature controlled facility until their cremation day.

We will meet with families and have a discussion on what they want in terms of funeral services and other paperwork will need to be completed.  During Covid lockdowns we can email paperwork through, or if family are out of town we can also send paperwork via email.

Once we have all the necessary documentation we will forward this to a Medical Referee (who is also a Doctor) who will examine the paperwork and if they are satisfied will issue us with a permit or ‘Permission’ for the cremation to take place.

Depending on the service that the family have decided on, we will work in the background to put everything together.

After the service we will arrange for a Death Certificate to be issued (through Internal Affairs).

This is a very basic overview of what happens, but we are more that happy to assist you with any questions that you have.

Once you have decided on who your Funeral Director (or Undertaker) and someone has died, we do ask if the family can give us a call.  We often get a call from the Rest-home or Hospice or Hospital to confirm that someone has died.

We will arrange for the transfer into our care once the GP or Nurse Practitioner has been to confirm the passing. Depending on circumstances the GP or Nurse Practitioner may or may not attened to confirm the Death.  Sometimes an Amblulance, the Police or a Nurse is called to certify ‘Life No Longer Exists’. Once this has taken place we can arrange the trnasfer back to the funeral home.

Once we have the deceased in our care we usually wash and dress them and place them in their casket.  If the person is not for embalming then we usually have them in our temperature controlled facility until their burial day.  If the family do not want their family member home and the funeral is within a few days we maybe able to keep them cool in our tempretrure controlled facility.

We will meet with families and have a discussion on what they want in terms of funeral services and other paperwork will need to be completed.  During Covid lockdowns we can email paperwork through, or if family are out of town we can also send paperwork via email.

Depending on the service that the family have decided on, we will work in the background to put everything together.

After the burial we will arrange for a Death Certificate to be issued (through Internal Affairs).

This is a very basic overview of what happens, every funeral is always different.  We are more that happy to assist you with any questions that you have.

When a family or friend notifies us about a death, we will usually ask for the following information; The name, phone number and contact details of the person phoning us or the person who will be our main contact throughout the funeral process.  We will also ask about the deceased, their name, where they are, their address etc.

At the Funeral Arrangement we will also ask for information so that we are able to register and order a death certificate. If families can have the deceased parents and marriage details this will be helpful, but this is not all need at the arrangement.

In the case of a sudden or unexpected death, an accidental death or if a doctor is unavailable, a coroner will be called in to establish cause of death. Usually a post mortem or autopsy will take place where the deceased’s body is examined by a pathologist. If the coroner decides to hold an inquest, this usually takes place several months after the funeral and funeral arrangements will proceed as normal.

Along with our Family Chapel at Penrose, (with 8 On-Site Car Parking Spaces) we use other locations throughout Auckland.

We have a number of Chapels that we use in Manukau there is Manukau Memorial Gardens, in Mangere we use Mangere Lawn Cemetery, in West Auckland we use Waikumete Cemetery that have 3 Chapels in Glen Eden , on the North Shore we use North Shore Memorial Park in Schnapper Road, Albany. For a service closer to the center of Auckland we use Purewa Cemetery and Crematorium in Remuera. We arrange funerals in Churches, Clubs and private homes, and can arrange full sea burials.

Provided there are no legal impediments, the funeral usually takes place within three to seven days following death. It may be necessary to wait a little longer if family overseas need to travel to New Zealand. In the Covid age with families coming from overseas, the travelling family will have to apply to MIQ for a space – we can assist with letter and expedite this. For a Funeral that will be delayed we can have a long-term embalm to enable families to have an open coffin at the funeral service or visits by family before the Funeral day.

At Just Funerals we provide a range of funeral packages to suit your preference and budget. Depending on your choice of casket, flowers, death notice, cremation or burial, the costs will vary. Please discuss your individual requirements with our Funeral Director, and we will provide a service to meet your needs. Cremation Services are from $2,650 and Burial Servies are from $3,200, these are starting prices.

Once cause of death is established, ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation) is able to pay compensation to the dependents of an accident victim.

When a death occurs, the deceased’s bank accounts are frozen. If there are sufficient funds in the bank account, we may be possible to request payment from the bank for the cost of the funeral. The final account is sent to the person making the arrangements with the Funeral Director.

You may be eligible for a WINZ Funeral Grant. Please apply directly with WINZ. You’ll find more information on a WINZ Funeral Grant here.

We understand that often there is not enough time to plan a funeral, especially in the case of a sudden death. Please call our Funeral Director as soon as you are able, so that we can assist you with all of the arrangements. In most cases we are able to provide a funeral service with as little as 12 – 24 hours notice.

Just Funerals has viewing facilites at 14 Bassant Ave, Penrose, Auckland. Please call and discuss a time for viewing – ahead of time. We are able to keep our Funeral Prices affordable by using our facilities for viewings for families.

We always offer this option to families. Whether it’s just for a few hours or a few days, we believe that having your loved one at home helps many families begin the healing process.

Anyone is able to officiate at a funeral. Just Funerals can recommend a number of professional celebrants. Or you may prefer to have a friend or family member conduct the service. For a Simple Cremation, if the family requests a prayer, reading or a poem before the cremation, Just Funerals will carry out these wishes.

One of the major costs of any funeral is the casket. At Just Funerals we offer the option of a simple cremation casket; lined on the inside and finished on the outside in the style of a traditional casket, your loved one is placed in a tastefully finished casket. The outer casket is removed prior to cremation. All Just Funeral funeral options include a name plate, cross or other symbol, and a “Rest in Peace” or “At Rest” sign for each casket on request.

Please see the following link for a full range of Coffins available from The Coffin Shop.

In choosing between burial or cremation, the deceased’s wishes are usually followed. If their wishes are not known, the family make this choice. Still favoured by many, burial allows the family a place to go where they can remember the person who has died. For a burial to take place, a burial plot will need to be purchased, an internment fee is paid for the maintenance of the grave site, and a memorial or headstone is purchased. Cremation offers more flexibility in terms of choosing your loved one’s final resting place. Ashes can be buried in a memorial garden or scattered at sea.

This will depend on the crematorium facilities, but at many facilities it is possible. Please discuss your wishes with our Funeral Director.

That largely depends on the family’s wishes; you may wish to scatter them in a special place, place them in a Wall of Remembrance or a Memory Garden. Just Funerals provide a selection of tasteful Ashes Urns.

There is no catch. Working with facilities such as public chapels and crematoriums, we meet with the celebrant and the family to ensure that your wishes are always taken into consideration. Our range of funeral options are designed to suit your budget and preferences, with cost-saving options where possible. There are no hidden costs in our funeral packages. As each funeral is different we encourage family members to provide as much input as they would like.