§441-22.8 Cancellation; default and termination; refund. (a) At any time before pre-need funeral services or pre-need interment services are received by the purchaser or the purchaser's contract beneficiary, the purchaser may cancel the contract containing any pre-need funeral services or pre-need interment services by notifying the cemetery or pre-need funeral authority, in writing, of the purchaser's desire to cancel the contract.

(b) Before a cemetery or pre-need funeral authority terminates a contract containing pre-need funeral services or pre-need interment services because of a delinquency in payment, the following conditions shall be met:

(1) Four months in advance of the contemplated termination date, the cemetery or pre-need funeral authority shall provide written notice to the purchaser at the purchaser's last known address and the notice shall include at a minimum:

(A) The total amount owed under the contract at the time it was originally signed, dates and amounts of payments, adjustments, and credits received to date, and the amount of the delinquency;

(B) An explanation as to how the purchaser may effectuate continuance of the contract within four months of the date of notice;

(C) A statement that failure to effectuate continuance of the contract may result in termination of the contract; and

(D) A statement that advises the purchaser of all other requirements under this subsection;

(2) During the four-month period, but not less than once a month, and only so long as the purchaser fails to effectuate continuance of the contract as provided herein, the cemetery or pre-need funeral authority shall provide the written notice required under paragraph (1);

(3) If, however, there is a reasonable good faith bona fide dispute between the parties as to the amount of delinquency, the four-month period shall not start until the dispute is resolved; and

(4) If the purchaser fails to effectuate continuance of the contract by the end of the four-month period, the cemetery or pre-need funeral authority may terminate the contract under the terms and conditions of the contract.

If the purchaser elects to effectuate continuance of the pre-need funeral services or pre-need interment services contract within the four-month period, the cemetery or pre-need funeral authority may require that the purchaser make payment to effectuate the continuance; provided that the amount required shall not be in excess of one installment payment of the purchaser's contract. The purchaser shall resume payment on the pre-need funeral services or pre-need interment services contract in the amounts and as often as required under the terms and conditions of the contract and until all payments owed on the contract are paid in full.

(c) A cemetery or pre-need funeral authority shall not be obligated to:

(1) Allow a purchaser to effectuate continuance of a contract where a purchaser becomes delinquent again after the four-month period provided in subsection (b) has passed, and may thereafter terminate the contract under the terms and conditions of the contract; provided that the cemetery or pre-need funeral authority gives written notice of the termination to the purchaser at the purchaser's last known address at least ninety days prior to termination; or

(2) Provide pre-need funeral services or pre-need interment services unless the contract is paid in full.

(d) If the contract is canceled or terminated pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) or for any other reason, the purchaser shall be entitled to a refund of the amounts paid by the purchaser, less amounts that may be retained by the cemetery or pre-need funeral authority for its costs pursuant to section 441-38(b). The cemetery or pre-need funeral authority shall make the refund to the purchaser within thirty days of:

(1) Receipt of the purchaser's written notice of cancellation; or

(2) Termination of the contract. [L 2007, c 188, §1]