Frequently Asked Questions

The first thing to do is contact our Customer Care team on 1800 071 176 (we're available 24/7). On speaking with your dedicated concierge, they will take some brief details and talk you through the process, along with answering any questions you might have. Their role is to make your life just a little bit easier, and so they will do everything they can to make the funeral arrangement process as simple as possible. Once we have those initial details, we'll transfer your loved one into our care and begin the process of arranging a cremation. We'll guide you through the paperwork that must be completed, and keep you constantly informed of what's happening with your loved one. Once the cremation is complete, we'll register the death, arrange for the Death Certificate to be mailed to you, and work with you to have you receive your loved one’s ashes.

Firstly, this is quite normal and many families find themselves in this position. If no plans were made, that’s totally fine. We can help you choose a burial location, service type and other necessary arrangements at your time of need, making the process as smooth as possible for you.

A memorial is similar to a traditional funeral service, it simply happens separate to the cremation without your loved one's presence in their coffin. This gives you, and us, the time and the space to arrange a service that best reflects your loved one. Some families choose to have beautifully presented ashes as the centrepiece of the event, like the coffin is for a traditional funeral.

Bare can help arrange a personalised memorial service at one of our recommended venues. You can also include optional extras such as celebrant, flowers, and stationery all thoughtfully arranged to celebrate the life that was lived.

You can see this option as a Bare Memorial when you can get an instant quote here. 

Yes, in most circumstances. Your loved one will be washed and dressed by our mortuary staff. Your arranger will speak to you about providing suitable clothing for your loved one and we will organise to gather that from you, or the clothing can be given to our staff when we come to bring your loved one into our care.

Arranging a burial service typically involves choosing a burial plot or location, selecting a coffin or casket, and coordinating the service details with your Bare arranger. From the moment you call us, we’ll be there to guide you. That includes ensuring all legal paperwork (such as burial permits) is handled efficiently, and making sure both you and your loved one are cared for at every step. Your arranger will also help you plan the different parts of the service, like music, readings and eulogies.

This is a very personal decision that will be respected by your memorial arranger in either case. The ashes can provide a tangible representation of your loved one, and they may form part of a special moment in the service for everyone to pay their respects to the deceased.  Many families choose not to bring the urn, and instead, display a large framed photo to represent the life of their loved one.

If you already have a venue in mind, you can inform your arranger and we’ll liaise with the venue management to check the availability and cost.

It’s important to ensure that your next of kin or executor knows your wishes. That will make the process seamless at the time of your passing. If you are in an aged care facility or hospital, we encourage you to let them know that you have a prepaid contract with Bare and provide our phone number 1800 071 176. They will then be able to contact us immediately when the time comes. 

We know that paying for a cremation or funeral can be daunting, particularly when bills and financial commitments don't stop. At Bare, we don't ask for payment upfront for an immediate or imminent arrangement. We offer affordable services and flexible payment options to support your family. If you have any questions about this, please give our care team a call on 1800 071 176.

Depending on the location and circumstances of your loved one’s passing, this option may be offered. Please speak to your Bare Arranger so they can advise if this option is possible. 

Depending on the location and circumstances of your loved one’s passing, we may be able to arrange for this to happen at the chapel or crematorium prior to the funeral service. Alternatively, at an additional cost, a viewing may be able to be organised at a date prior to the day of the funeral. Please speak to one of our arrangers so they can provide confirmation.

​

Before engaging with your family lawyer, it’s worthwhile comparing their fees with our fees. It’s just as quick and easy for Bare Law to arrange a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration, and more often than not, our fees are lower. We’re so confident our estate administration services are the most affordable in Australia, we’ll beat any genuine quote for the same service by 10%. If you have any questions about this, feel free to call us today or book a free consult with our lawyers for some no-obligation advice.

If there is no Will, it is most common that the next of kin of the deceased will apply to the Court for Letters of Administration. The distribution of the estate would then occur in accordance with particular rules of intestacy. The rules of intestacy are a set of rules that determine exactly who will receive a benefit from the estate and in what proportions. Bare Law can help you with a Grant of Letters of Administration if the deceased had no will.​

Absolutely. The Base Funeral package includes a limited selection of coffins covered in the price. If you wish a different one, our Coffin Upgrade offers a wider selection. This is an optional extra, and the cost difference will then simply be added on to your invoice.

The timeframe to bring your loved one into care depends on their location. When a person passes at home, an aged care facility or a private hospital, we do our best to attend as quickly as possible once a healthcare professional has attended and confirmed their passing by completing in writing. Generally, we’re able to attend within 2-3 hours of your healthcare professional confirming the death. If your loved one passes away in a hospital which provides a morgue, or if they are taken into the care of the Coroner, we’ll need the Next Of Kin to complete an authority for their release. It’s quite normal for this process to take a day or so. We make the arrangements to bring them into care from a hospital or the Coroner on your behalf, and with your permission.

At Bare, we collect anytime day or night. Sometimes we will be dictated by the location of collection, for example certain hospitals will have dedicated collection times that we must adhere to. Needless to say, we will always collect as soon as possible - and there are never any out of hours hidden fees.

We are almost always in a position to be able to attend to your cremation care as planned, however additional costs may be incurred if the death occurs outside 50km of the address nominated on your prepaid contract. We encourage you to keep in touch and provide us with updated details should you change address. In the rare event we can't complete our services, your finances are released back to your estate, or can be transferred to a local funeral director.

In most cases, without a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration, the executor will be prevented from accessing and managing the assets of the estate. Occasionally, a smaller estate will not require these documents to access and distribute the estate’s assets, but this is uncommon. If you’re unsure if you’ll require a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration based on the size and types of assets in the estate, feel free to give us a call for some no-obligation advice.

‍

Yes, we can help you arrange a viewing or private time with your loved one, allowing family and friends to say their goodbyes. This typically happens before the burial service and can be held within our dedicated viewing spaces or, if possible, your funeral venue. If you’re considering burying your loved one in a vault or crypt, a viewing may take place in the days leading up to the funeral. Please feel welcome to call us so we can guide you based on your individual needs.

The short answer is - almost anywhere you like.

We use a wide variety of venues to suit your individual wishes, whether it be a formal service to something more casual. A Bare Memorial offers a wider variety of venue options as it doesn’t include a coffin which is commonly not accommodated in some venues. You choose your venue based on your wishes, be it a cemetery chapel, a function centre, a sports club, community hall, or a restaurant or pub. We can also work with you if you have somewhere specific in mind that’s not currently listed in our hundreds of Bare partner venues.

To view our Bare Memorial venues, simply head to our venues page and enter your postcode and preferences: https://bare.com.au/venues

If you have arranged the cremation through Bare, we will organise the Death Certificate to be sent to you via Registered Post with tracking. From the time of cremation, we typically advise a wait time of about two to three weeks. At times it can take longer if there is a delay in processing by the Births, Deaths & Marriages Registry Office. 

You may request to not have the ashes returned after the cremation. If that is your wish, we will require a signature as confirmation. We can then organise to have the ashes scattered in a cemetery in an undisclosed location as a complimentary service. We cannot hold your loved ones ashes for an indefinite period, so scattering at a cemetery is required if you do not want them returned to you.

Yes! We also recommend storing your Final Wishes and any prepaid cremation contracts here as well and nominate who should get access to those documents, either now or when you pass. 

Bare is one of the largest independent funeral directors in Australia, having supported over 50,000 families to date. Bare and our partners are registered or licensed as per each state’s local guidelines and regulations for Funeral Directors. We're ISO certified, have more than 4,000 5-star reviews, and have featured in a number of media stories for the difference we're making in the industry.

We’ve seen those reports too – it’s exactly why we started Bare. As our customer reviews show, we’ve committed our lives and our company to providing the highest level of care in the industry. Our team have come from all walks of life, drawn to the purpose of doing right by families going through an incredibly difficult period. It’s also important to note that we use the many of the same crematoriums, mortuaries and transfer vehicles as “premium” funeral homes – we’re affordable simply because we don’t charge you for the things that you don’t need.   

Flowers can be a beautiful way to add a touch of colour to a service. They are not required, but they can be included in your package as an optional extra. If you choose to have flowers, you might also consider complementing them with a personal touch of your own; lots of families get creative when it comes to honouring their loved one, so feel welcome to add an array of photos, letters, books and other unique mementos that speak to your loved one’s story.