Date Published: 28/11/2019
ARCHIVED - Avalon named Best Funeral Plan Provider at this year’s Personal Finance Awards
ARCHIVED ARTICLE
Avalon funeral plans are specially designed with British expats in mind
Avalon Funeral Plans is celebrating a coveted award win after being named ‘Best Funeral Plan Provider’ at the 2019/20 Personal Finance Awards.
Now in its 22nd year, the Personal Finance Awards has long been recognised as a benchmark for excellence in the UK’s consumer finance market, providing a reflection of the consumer’s choice of top financial providers over the last two decades. Nominations are sent in directly by consumers based on their experience of outstanding products or customer service in the industry and this year the awards received just over 20,000 votes in this way.
With over 25 years’ experience providing funeral plans to more than 70,000 customers across the UK and Europe, Avalon was recognised for its dedication to its customers as well as the high standard of its service.
These qualities are continuously reflected in the company’s industry-leading customer feedback, with over 2,000 reviews and a rating of ‘excellent’ on Trustpilot as well as a five-star rating on Defaqto, lending justification to the company’s esteemed award win. So trusted is the brand that new customers choose an Avalon funeral plan every 10 minutes.
At the same time Avalon is the fastest growing provider of funeral plans in Europe, providing specialist expat plans in Spain, the Canaries, Portugal and Cyprus.
Avalon funeral plans are specially designed with British expats in mind, with unique features compared to other providers. If expats split their time between the UK and Spain, for example, an Avalon funeral plan is valid in both countries so they can choose to have a funeral either in Spain or back in the UK. They also provide local support for customers and their families, working with local, independent Funeral Directors in the Canaries.
Their 24/7 English speaking expat bereavement helpline is of vital support for families when the time comes, particularly in countries where the funeral process can be unfamiliar and complicated. For example, funerals in Spain can happen within 24 to 48 hours and Funeral Directors can request part of full payment upfront, and of course for many families there is the language barrier to contend with. Having an Avalon expat funeral plan in place makes planning and paying for a funeral as an expat simple.
The latest award follows a successful period of growth for the business under a new senior management team led by CEO, Susan Stevenson.
Speaking about the award win, Ms Stevenson said: “There are few other industries in which taking care of the customer, their journey and their family is quite so important.
“We like to think we’re different to other funeral plan providers in that we go the extra mile in helping customers and their loved ones when they perhaps need it most.
“It’s our promise to always put our customers at the centre of what we do, and the fact that we’ve been recognised for our efforts - particularly by such a widely renowned awarding body as the Personal Finance Awards - really means the world to us.”
Regulated in the UK by the Funeral Planning Authority (FPA), Avalon employs more than 200 people at its offices in Cheshire and across Spain, the Canaries, Portugal and Cyprus.
The company is flexible in offering customers three different ways to discuss their requirements and their range of funeral plans. They can speak to a specialist advisor in the comfort of their own home, or over the phone, or 24/7 online.
For more information, visit www.avalonfuneralplans.com.