Planning to Use a Hearse Service? Here's What You Need to Know!

You may often see hearses on the road. In reality, using this service is not something you can arrange on the spur of the moment. There are a few requirements that the family of the deceased must meet before they can book a hearse service.

About Hearse Services

When someone passes away, someone needs to take their body to the cemetery, whether from the hospital or from the funeral home. To do this, you need to rent a hearse service or a funeral vehicle.

Hearses are very much needed because transporting someone who has passed away requires great care. Special treatment is needed to show respect to the deceased and to the family who are grieving.

Hearse or funeral vehicle services are not only offered by hospitals. You can also ask for help from various parties, both government and private.

So, how much does a hearse actually cost?

Hearse Service Costs

If you want to use a hearse to transport the deceased, you may want to first calculate the distance from where the body is located to the destination, such as the funeral home.

Hearse service rates are based on a per-kilometer (distance traveled) benchmark. This means the cost of using a hearse depends on the distance that must be covered. Each hearse provider offers quite varied prices, so simply contact whichever hearse service you wish to use.

And if you use a funeral service, it usually already includes a hearse, so you no longer need to look for a separate hearse service. One of the best funeral management services in Indonesia is provided by Kamboja. Funeral arrangements will be fully handled and managed by professionals, which can ease the burden on your family and relatives when the time comes. Kamboja also offers funeral costs at various levels, with several packages to choose from.

Free Hearse Services and Their Requirements

Hearse costs for transporting the deceased can be quite high, as you may already know. If you find this a burden, there is no need to worry, because the government or other non-profit institutions provide funeral vehicles that the public can use.

Below are some providers of free hearse services, along with the requirements you must meet to use them.

1. City Government

The first provider of free hearse services is the city government, commonly abbreviated as Pemkot.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many city governments competed to provide free hearse services. However, it appears this service has continued in several city governments, including Yogyakarta.

The Yogyakarta City Government has provided 6 vehicles or ambulances that residents can use to transport the deceased. (source: jogjakota.go.id)

If you are a resident of Yogyakarta City and plan to use this free funeral vehicle service, you need to contact (0274)4331351.

Applicants only need to provide a photocopy of the death certificate issued by the hospital or the RT/RW neighborhood office. In addition, prepare photocopies of the ID card (KTP), child ID (KIA), or family card (KK) of the deceased and of the person in charge.

Although the requirements for the free hearse service apply to the Yogyakarta City Government only, the requirements are unlikely to differ much from other city governments that offer free funeral transport.

You may also need to include a family card and a certificate of inability to pay or a BPJS document, as the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government requires.

2. PMI (Indonesian Red Cross)

Besides its regular blood donation activities, the Indonesian Red Cross (Palang Merah Indonesia, PMI) also provides funeral transport services free of charge.

One PMI branch that offers this is in Semarang City, Central Java. PMI Semarang City only requires two documents: a photocopy of the KTP and a letter from the RT stating that a resident has passed away, which is a death certificate.

In Medan City, PMI recommends that 4 passengers and 1 driver accompany them when transporting the deceased to the cemetery. This means you may not need funeral insurance if such a service is available.

3. Political Parties

Although their reputation is viewed unfavorably in some circles, political parties have proven to provide meaningful help to residents in their areas. One service that often brings blessings is funeral transport or hearse services.

As with the two previous institutions, you need to contact the nearest branch office of the political party to receive this funeral transport assistance. The good news is that some parties do not require any specific conditions before transporting the deceased.

This is certainly very positive, especially since grieving is often hectic, which makes people lose focus on handling paperwork. Even so, you should still be prepared for any specific requirements that may apply.

Now, Do You Know the Cost of Hearse Services?

Whether you use a free or paid hearse service, we hope your choice will make it easier for your loved ones to rest peacefully with a dignified funeral.