Glossary
Glossary of Terms on one page – from our Consumer Information Guide
Here’s a list of words and terms we use in alphabetical order.
- Care and Maintenance Fund
A trust fund that helps ensure the long-term upkeep of a cemetery.
- Disbursements
Payments made by a funeral professional or a person who operates a funeral establishment on behalf of a purchaser of funeral services or supplies, or both.
- Embalming
The preservation and disinfection of all or part of a dead human body by means other than by refrigeration. The procedure or embalming means removing the blood and body fluid from the body and replacing it with a chemical preservative.
- Funeral
A rite or ceremony in connection with the death of a person where the body is present.
- Funeral Services
The care and preparation of dead human bodies and the coordination and provision of rites and ceremonies with respect to dead human bodies, but do not include cemetery or crematorium services.
- Grave
A place for the burial of human remains, typically a hole dug in the ground and marked by a stone or mound.
- Interment
The burial of human remains, including the placement of human remains in a lot (grave, crypt or niche).
- Interment Rights
The right to require or direct the interment of human remains in a lot or the disinterment of human remains from that lot.
- Lot
An area of land in a cemetery containing or set aside to contain, interred human remains and includes a tomb, crypt or compartment in a mausoleum and a niche or compartment in a columbarium and any other similar facility or receptacle.
- Pre-arrangement
An arrangement for the provision of specific funeral services, supplies or transportation of a dead human body on the death of a person who is alive at the time the arrangement is made.
- Prepaid Contract
An agreement whereby a person contracts with a purchaser to provide or make provisions for funeral services, funeral supplies, or both or for the transportation of a dead human body. This includes disbursements, upon the death of a recipient, if any payment for the contract is made prior to the death of a beneficiary or the purchaser enters into an insurance contract or plan under which a licensee is to receive directly or indirectly the proceeds of the insurance policy upon the death of the recipient.
- Prepayment
The payment or the guarantee of a payment pursuant to a prepaid contract.
- Prepayment Funds
The money deposited in trust under the provisions of the FBCSA and the income therefrom and includes the proceeds of an insurance policy received by a licensee.
- Provider/Service Provider
An operator of a cemetery, crematorium, funeral establishment or transfer service.
- Purchaser
A person who has accepted financial responsibility under a funeral service contract.
- Recipient
A person for whom funeral services or supplies, or both, are to be provided under a contract or prepaid contract.
- Services
Funeral, visitation, opening and closing of a grave and cremation.
- Supplies
Caskets, markers and monuments, vaults, urns and flowers.
- Transfer Service
Service to the public with respect to the disposition of dead human bodies, including the transportation of dead human bodies and the filling out of the necessary documentation with respect to the disposition or dead human bodies.
- Vault
A secondary container that is protective, rigid, sometimes waterproof, and usually made of concrete, fiberglass, plastic or similar reinforced material, within which the primary casket, coffin or urn containing human remains is placed prior to burial in the ground.