The True Cost of Saying Goodbye: What Irish Families Need to Know

This article is sponsored by An Post Insurance

In Ireland, we’re famous for our stories, our rituals, and our instinct to gather around one another in hard times. Yet when it comes to the practical side of saying goodbye, many of us still tiptoe around it. We don’t love talking about our own mortality, but the truth is that planning ahead isn’t morbid; it’s an act of love. Having recently planned a funeral myself, I know firsthand how much easier it is when you have even a small sense of your loved one’s wishes. It brings clarity at a time when everything else feels uncertain. 

As research* from An Post Insurance shows, it’s something many of us are quietly thinking about already. Three in four adults aged 50+ have spoken to loved ones about their end-of-life wishes, even if just in passing.

What a Funeral Really Costs in Ireland Today

Funerals are expensive; there’s no gentle way to put it. According to research carried out in 2024*, the average cost of a funeral was €6,250 then and is likely to have increased since. and that’s before you add in personal touches like flowers, music, or a gathering afterwards. The research notes that “Irish adults aged 50+ expect to pay, on average, just over €6,000 for a funeral in Ireland”.

For many families, these costs come at a time when emotions are already stretched thin. It’s no surprise, then, that 41% of people worry about leaving bills behind for their loved ones. That worry is deeply human. None of us wants our final act to be a financial burden.

A Simple Goodbye or Something More Personal

One of the most striking things in the research is how personal funeral wishes have become. Over half of people aged 50+ say “a simple goodbye is fine with me”. Others want music, flowers, or a gathering of friends and family, while 71% say a send-off matters to them.

Cremation is now the more common preference (47% vs. 39% for burial), and many people want their ashes scattered somewhere meaningful. As the research notes, “A special place that means a lot to me” is the top choice for scattering ashes.

Why Planning Ahead Matters

Even though Irish people are very comfortable with the ritual of the Irish funeral, only 1 in 3 have made any funeral plan for themselves. And among those who have a will, just 12% have included their funeral wishes. The research states plainly: “The vast majority do not have funeral preference included in their will”.

Yet planning, even a little, can make an enormous difference.

It can mean:

• Your family know what you want.
• There’s less pressure to make decisions quickly.
• Costs don’t come as a shock.
• Your goodbye feels like you. 

And that’s where Funeral Insurance comes in.

How Funeral Insurance Helps 

Funeral Insurance isn’t about expecting the worst. It’s about easing the load for the people you love most. With 83%* of adults aged 50+ currently without any funeral insurance product, there’s a gap between the desire to protect family and the steps taken to do so.

An Post Insurance offers a simple, practical way to prepare. If you’re aged between 50 and 75 years and resident in the Republic of Ireland, you may be eligible to apply for this product. Premiums start at just €20 per month#, and your monthly premium is based on the age you commence your policy and the level of cover you choose. For example, a 50 year old paying a monthly premium of €20 per month# (including 1% Government levy) would be assured for cover of €6,270 after 2 years and there are no medical questions or doctors reports needed. The full lump sum is paid to your family to help cover funeral costs or other outstanding bills, giving them breathing room at a time when they’ll need it most.

A Final Thought

We don’t get to choose when we say goodbye, but we can choose how gently we leave things behind. A conversation today, a note in a will, a small policy tucked away… these are gifts of clarity and comfort.

And if there’s one thing Irish families do best, it’s looking after one another.

*Research from An Post Insurance Funeral Insurance survey conducted by Red C in February 2024 of Adults aged 50+.

# The total premiums paid over the term of your policy may exceed the death benefit.

One Direct (Ireland) Limited, trading as An Post Insurance, is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. One Direct (Ireland) Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of An Post. An Post Insurance is a tied agent of New Ireland Assurance Company plc for life assurance business. Life assurance policies are underwritten and provided by New Ireland Assurance Company plc. A Government levy (currently 1%) applies to all premiums paid.