When someone dies as a result of an injury, ACC can help towards the costs of their burial, cremation and related ceremonies. A funeral grant can be paid for both New Zealanders and overseas visitors to New Zealand. The funeral does not have to be in New Zealand. This grant can also be used for memorial costs if the body is not recovered.
What do I need to do to get help?
The funeral grant is requested as part of the claim process. For more information about making a claim, see Injury causing death.
How am I eligible?
The estate of someone who has died as a result of an injury is normally eligible for a funeral grant. This grant is usually paid directly to the executor of the estate, trustee or to the funeral director.
How long might ACC take to determine if I am eligible?
All accidental death claims that have been accepted by ACC are eligible for a funeral grant. If your claim is likely to be delayed we will contact you to discuss.
Note:
Please contact us if you have not heard from us within a reasonable period of time. See Contact ACC Claims for our contact information.
What happens next?
If the funeral costs are to be paid directly to the funeral director then the executor of the estate also needs to send an ACC136 Funeral grant payment authority to ACC. Please contact ACC Claims for a copy of this form.
The estate or funeral director needs to send a detailed invoice to ACC showing the costs of the funeral.
Once we have received the invoice for the cost of the funeral we will make payment directly to the executor, trustee or funeral director.
We will then write to the estate to let them know the payment has been made.
When someone dies as a result of an injury there are other ways that ACC may be able to help, see:
- Survivor’s grant
- Childcare payments following accidental death
- Weekly compensation – accidental death.
Note:
If you are unhappy with the decision, you can ask for it to be reviewed. See What if I have problems with a claim?
Additional funeral grant for families of homicide victims
In October 2009, the Government announced a package of initiatives designed to provide additional assistance for victims of serious crime. Funding for the initiatives comes from revenue gathered through the offender levy, which began to be imposed on all convicted offenders from 1July2010, and funding from the disestablished Sentencing Council.
One of the initiatives introduced is a top-up to ACC’s funeral grant. From 1November2009, families of homicide (defined as murder or manslaughter) victims are able to claim a top-up to the existing ACC funeral grant. A maximum of $10,000 may be claimed by families of homicide victims (including the maximum ACC funeral grant), or the actual cost of the funeral, whichever is the lesser amount.
ACC administers the additional funeral grant on behalf of the Government and the top-up is only payable where the maximum ACC funeral grant has already been claimed.
If you believe that the additional funeral grant for families of homicide victims may be payable, you should let ACC know so we can advise you how to apply.
Related legislation
Accident Compensation (AC) Act 2001
- Section 116: Indexation of lump sum compensation, funeral grant, survivor's grant, and child care payments (external link)
- Section 131: Advances of compensation and grants (external link)
- Schedule 1, Clause 64: Funeral grant (external link)
Published: 1July2010