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(815 ILCS 390/14) (from Ch. 21, par. 214)
Sec. 14. Contract required.
(a) It is unlawful for any person doing business within this
State to accept sales proceeds, either directly or indirectly, by any
means unless the seller enters into a pre-need sales
contract
with the
purchaser which meets the following requirements:
(1) A written sales contract shall be executed in at |
| least 11 point type in duplicate for each pre-need sale made by a licensee, and a signed copy given to the purchaser. Each completed contract shall be numbered and shall contain: (i) the name and address of the purchaser, the principal office of the licensee, and the parent company of the licensee; (ii) the name of the person, if known, who is to receive the cemetery merchandise, cemetery services or the completed interment, entombment or inurnment spaces under the contract; and (iii) specific identification of such merchandise, services or spaces to be provided, if a specific space or spaces are contracted for, and the price of the merchandise, services, or space or spaces.
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(2) In addition, such contracts must contain a
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| provision in distinguishing typeface as follows:
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"Notwithstanding anything in this contract to the
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| contrary, you are afforded certain specific rights of cancellation and refund under the Illinois Pre-Need Cemetery Sales Act, enacted by the 84th General Assembly of the State of Illinois".
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(3) All pre-need sales contracts shall be sold on a
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| guaranteed price basis. At the time of performance of the service or delivery of the merchandise, the seller shall be prohibited from assessing the purchaser or his heirs or assigns or duly authorized representative any additional charges for the specific merchandise and services listed on the pre-need sales contract.
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(4) Each contract shall clearly disclose that the
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| price of the merchandise or services is guaranteed and shall contain the following statement in 12 point bold type:
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"THIS CONTRACT GUARANTEES THE BENEFICIARY THE
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| SPECIFIC GOODS, SERVICES, INTERMENT SPACES, ENTOMBMENT SPACES, AND INURNMENT SPACES CONTRACTED FOR. NO ADDITIONAL CHARGES MAY BE REQUIRED FOR DESIGNATED GOODS, SERVICES, AND SPACES. ADDITIONAL CHARGES MAY BE INCURRED FOR UNEXPECTED EXPENSES."
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(5) The pre-need sales contract shall provide that if
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| the particular cemetery services, cemetery merchandise, or spaces specified in the pre-need contract are unavailable at the time of delivery, the seller shall be required to furnish services, merchandise, and spaces similar in style and at least equal in quality of material and workmanship.
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(6) The pre-need contract shall also disclose any
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| specific penalties to be incurred by the purchaser as a result of failure to make payments; and penalties to be incurred or moneys or refunds to be received as a result of cancellation of the contract.
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(7) The pre-need contract shall disclose the nature
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| of the relationship between the provider and the seller.
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(8) Each pre-need contract that authorizes the
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| delivery of cemetery merchandise to a licensed and bonded warehouse shall provide that prior to or upon delivery of the merchandise to the warehouse the title to the merchandise and a warehouse receipt shall be delivered to the purchaser or beneficiary. The pre-need contract shall contain the following statement in 12 point bold type:
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"THIS CONTRACT AUTHORIZES THE DELIVERY OF MERCHANDISE TO
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| A LICENSED AND BONDED WAREHOUSE FOR STORAGE OF THE MERCHANDISE UNTIL THE MERCHANDISE IS NEEDED BY THE BENEFICIARY. DELIVERY OF THE MERCHANDISE IN THIS MANNER MAY PRECLUDE REFUND OF SALE PROCEEDS THAT ARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE DELIVERED MERCHANDISE."
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The purchaser shall initial the statement at the time
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| of entry into the pre-need contract.
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(9) Each pre-need contract that authorizes the
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| placement of cemetery merchandise at the site of its ultimate use prior to the time that the merchandise is needed by the beneficiary shall contain the following statement in 12 point bold type:
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"THIS CONTRACT AUTHORIZES THE PLACEMENT OF MERCHANDISE AT
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| THE SITE OF ITS ULTIMATE USE PRIOR TO THE TIME THAT THE MERCHANDISE IS NEEDED BY THE BENEFICIARY. DELIVERY OF THE MERCHANDISE IN THIS MANNER MAY PRECLUDE REFUND OF SALE PROCEEDS THAT ARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE DELIVERED MERCHANDISE."
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The purchaser shall initial the statement at the time
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| of entry into the pre-need contract.
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(10) Each pre-need contract that is funded by a trust
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| shall clearly identify the trustee's name and address and the primary state or federal regulator of the trustee as a corporate fiduciary.
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(b) Every pre-need sales contract must be in writing.
The Comptroller may by rule
develop a model pre-need sales contract form that meets the requirements
of this Act.
(c) To the extent the Rule is applicable, every pre-need sales
contract is subject to the Federal Trade Commission Rule concerning the
Cooling-Off Period for Door-to-Door Sales (16 CFR Part 429).
(d) No pre-need sales contract may be entered into in
this State unless there is a provider for the cemetery
merchandise, cemetery services, and undeveloped interment,
inurnment, and entombment spaces being sold. If the seller
is not the provider, then the seller must have a binding
agreement with a provider, and the identity of the provider
and the nature of the agreement between the seller and the
provider must be disclosed in the pre-need sales contract
at the time of sale and before the receipt of any sale
proceeds. The failure to disclose the identity of the
provider, the nature of the agreement between the seller
and the provider, or any changes thereto to the purchaser
and beneficiary, or the failure to make the disclosures
required by this Section constitutes an intentional
violation of this Act.
(e) No pre-need contract may be entered into in this
State unless it is accompanied by a funding mechanism
permitted under this Act and unless the seller is
licensed by the Comptroller as provided in this Act.
Nothing in this Act is intended to relieve providers or
sellers of pre-need contracts from being licensed under any
other Act required for their profession or business or from
being subject to the rules promulgated to regulate their
profession or business, including rules on solicitation and
advertisement.
(f) No pre-need contract may be entered into in this
State unless the seller explains to the
purchaser the terms of the pre-need contract prior to the
purchaser signing and the purchaser initials a statement in the contract
confirming that the seller has explained the terms of the contract prior to the
purchaser signing.
(g) The State Comptroller shall develop a booklet for
consumers in plain English describing the scope,
application, and consumer protections of this Act. After
the booklet is developed, no pre-need contract may be
sold in this State unless the seller
distributes to the purchaser prior to the sale a booklet
developed or approved for use by the State Comptroller.
(Source: P.A. 96-879, eff. 2-2-10.)
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