On December 2, 2019, the People of the State of California, represented by the California Attorney General and the District Attorneys of Alameda, Marin, and San Francisco, filed an enforcement action against Service Corporation International and related entities that do business in California as the Neptune Society and the Trident Society. A copy of the People’s Amended Complaint is available here.
Following several years of litigation, we resolved this matter through a settlement and entry of a stipulated judgment. On May 2, 2024 the Superior Court for the County of Alameda entered the Stipulated Judgment resolving this action. A copy of the Press Release announcing this judgment, including links to the settlement documents, is available at https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-announces-service-corporation-international-nation%E2%80%99s.
Under the settlement, eligible customers who previously cancelled a Neptune Standard Plan or Trident Standard Plan and did not get a full refund will automatically receive a payment. A copy of the notice sent to these customers is available here.
If you believe you are entitled to a payment for a cancelled Neptune Standard Plan or Trident Standard Plan and have not received payment by July 15, 2024, please contact the Settlement Administrator at their website www.FuneralCancellationServices.com or by emailing info@FuneralCancellationServices.com.
If you still have your Neptune Standard Plan or Trident Standard Plan, you may cancel it for a full refund, including money paid for merchandise. More information, including instructions on how to cancel can be found in the notice provided to Neptune and Trident customers, a copy of which is available here. More information is also available at www.FuneralCancellationServices.com.
Please Note - If You Purchased a Pre-Need Cremation Plan from Neptune or Trident and Have Not Already Cancelled, Your Plan Is Still In Effect. If you are satisfied with your plan and wish to keep it, you do not need to do anything. You will still receive the contracted for cremation services at the time of the beneficiary’s death. If at any time in the future you wish to cancel your plan, you may do so for a full refund.
Consumers have choices when making funeral or cemetery arrangements. While it is helpful to let your loved ones know your desires regarding burial or cremation, you are not required to prepay for funeral or cemetery services, or to buy a pre-need plan like the Standard Plan. Providers must be licensed by the State, and both California and federal law provide important protections to consumers shopping for funeral and cemetery arrangements, including pre-need funeral arrangements. For example, providers are required to provide consumers with a General Price List so that they can shop around and make informed decisions, and they must provide consumers with an itemized statement of their choices upon agreeing to a contract. Pre-need plans must also come with a cancellation and refund option. For more information, please consult the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau’s guide for consumers considering the purchase of funeral or cemetery arrangements.