Is Embalming Necessary, and What Does It Cost?

Detailed Explanation

Many people assume embalming is part of every funeral, largely because of how funerals appear in American film and television. In practice it's an optional procedure in most of the world, and it's often unnecessary. Knowing when it's needed, and when it isn't, can save money and spare the family a procedure they may not want.

What embalming is

Embalming is a procedure carried out by a trained embalmer. The blood is drained and replaced with a preservative and disinfectant solution, usually through an artery, and the body is washed and prepared. The aim is to slow natural changes for long enough to hold a funeral, a viewing, or a long journey. It isn't permanent preservation.

The alternative is refrigeration. The funeral home keeps the body in a mortuary cool room, which is enough for the time between death and a funeral held on an ordinary timeline. See how long after death the funeral is held for what counts as ordinary in different places.

Is it a legal requirement?

For an ordinary funeral in Australia, the UK and the US, no.

• United States. The Federal Trade Commission states that no state law requires routine embalming for every death. Some states require embalming or refrigeration if the body isn't buried or cremated within a certain time, and refrigeration is often an acceptable alternative. The time limits and exceptions differ from state to state.
• United Kingdom. Embalming is not required for burial or cremation. Citizens Advice lists it as an optional service, and the standard funeral price that UK funeral directors must publish under the Competition and Markets Authority's price-list rules covers care of the body (washing and dressing) rather than embalming.
• Australia. Refrigeration is the standard, and embalming is the exception. State public health rules cover the handling and transport of bodies, and they can bring embalming into play in particular circumstances, such as some transport arrangements. Embalming in Australia covers when it comes up there.

Other countries set their own rules, and some require embalming for bodies leaving or entering the country. If a death happens overseas, the local rules apply to the first stage of the journey.

When embalming genuinely comes up

There are a few recurring situations:

• Long-distance transport, especially by air. Airlines and destination countries often require a body to be embalmed and carried in a sealed container. This is the most common reason families end up paying for it. How much it costs to transport a body and repatriating a body after a death overseas cover the wider process. Rules differ by airline and country: US federal import rules, for example, don't require embalming, but they do set conditions for remains that aren't embalmed, and in practice the country of departure or the airline often requires it anyway.
• A long delay before the funeral. If the funeral is weeks away, perhaps while relatives travel from overseas or a coroner's investigation finishes, the funeral director may recommend embalming to keep a viewing possible.
• A viewing held some time after death. An open casket at a public visitation days after the death is the classic reason for embalming in the US. See what happens at a funeral viewing or visitation.
• A legal time limit. Where a jurisdiction requires embalming or refrigeration after a set period, and refrigeration isn't available or practical.

Faith, culture and personal choice

Several traditions avoid embalming. Islamic practice and Jewish practice generally don't permit it unless a legal requirement, such as international transport, makes it unavoidable. Most natural burial grounds refuse embalmed bodies or accept only non-toxic methods. Some families simply don't want it done. Where a funeral home knows this at the first conversation, it can almost always plan around it.

What it costs

Embalming is priced as its own line item rather than being built into the basic fee, and the price varies by country, region and provider. What families can expect to see:

• United States. Embalming must appear as a separate item on the funeral home's General Price List under the FTC Funeral Rule. A funeral home generally can't charge for embalming without express prior approval from the family, unless state or local law requires it in the circumstances. If it does charge, the itemised statement must explain why.
• United Kingdom. Where offered, embalming sits outside the headline standardised price, so check the funeral director's list of additional options or ask for it in the written estimate.
• Australia. It's typically an itemised add-on to the funeral director's professional fee. Ask for the specific figure in an itemised quote.

In every case, the useful question is less "how much?" than "why is this needed for our arrangements?" See how to choose a funeral director for what else to ask when comparing quotes.

How it works where you are

• In Australia: When is embalming required in Australia, and how much does it cost?

Things to Consider

• Say what you want early. Tell the funeral home in the first phone call if you don't want embalming. Once it's done, it can't be undone.
• Ask what refrigeration allows. Ask how long the body can be kept in their facilities without embalming, and whether a private viewing is possible in that time.
• Transport can change the answer. If the person is being moved a long way, particularly by air, ask whether the route requires embalming before you decide anything else.
• Weigh a viewing against the cost. Some families choose a brief private viewing soon after death instead of a later public one, which often removes the need for embalming.
• Donation and investigations affect timing. Organ or tissue donation and coronial or medical examiner investigations can delay the funeral, which may bring embalming into the discussion.

Common Mistakes

• Assuming embalming is automatic. It's the exception in Australia and the UK, and optional for most arrangements in the US.
• Not asking why it's recommended. A clear reason, such as an airline requirement or a delayed service, is fair. A vague "it's standard" is worth questioning.
• Letting it go ahead against the family's beliefs. If faith or a natural burial rules it out, say so explicitly rather than assuming the funeral home knows.
• Paying for it with a direct cremation. A direct cremation seldom needs embalming. If it appears on the bill, ask why.
• Not checking the itemised bill. Embalming should appear as a separate line. If it's hidden in a package total, ask for the breakdown. How to complain about a funeral home explains what to do if a charge was never agreed.