523I.312 Disclosure requirements — interment agreements.
1. A nonperpetual cemetery shall not sell any lot or interment space in the cemetery unless the purchaser of the interment space is informed that the cemetery is a nonperpetual care cemetery. Each nonperpetual care cemetery shall have printed or stamped at the head of all of its contracts, deeds, statements, letterheads, and advertising material, the legend:
This is a nonperpetual care cemetery.
2. An agreement for interment rights under this chapter shall be written in clear, understandable language and do all of the following:
a. Identify the seller and purchaser.
b. Identify the salesperson.
c. Specify the interment rights to be provided and the cost of each item.
d. State clearly the conditions on which substitution will be allowed.
e. Set forth the total purchase price and the terms under which it is to be paid.
f. State clearly whether the agreement is revocable or irrevocable, and if revocable, which parties have the authority to revoke the agreement.
g. State the amount or percentage of money to be placed in the cemetery’s care or maintenance fund.
h. If the cemetery has a care fund, set forth an explanation that the care fund is an irrevocable trust, that deposits cannot be withdrawn even in the event of cancellation, and that the trust’s income shall be used by the cemetery for its care.
i. Set forth an explanation of any fees or expenses that may be charged.
j. Set forth an explanation of whether amounts for perpetual care will be deposited in trust upon payment in full or on an allocable basis as payments are made.
k. Set forth an explanation of whether initial payments on agreements for multiple items of funeral and cemetery merchandise or services, or both, will be allocated first to the purchase of an interment space. If such an allocation is to be made, the agreement shall provide for the immediate transfer of such interment rights upon payment in full and prominently state that any applicable trust deposits under chapter 523A will not be made until the cemetery has received payment in full for the interment rights. The transfer of an undeveloped interment space may be deferred until the interment space is ready for interment.
l. If the transfer of an undeveloped interment space will be deferred until the interment space is ready for interment as permitted in paragraph “k”, the agreement shall provide for some form of written acknowledgement upon payment in full, specify a reasonable time period for development of the interment space, describe what happens in the event of a death prior to development of the interment space, and provide for the immediate transfer of the interment rights when development of the interment space is complete.
m. Specify the purchaser’s right to cancel and the damages payable for cancellation, if any.
n. Include an explanation of regulatory oversight by the insurance division in twelve point boldface type, in substantially the following language:
This agreement is subject to rules administered by the Iowa insurance division. You may call the insurance division with inquiries or complaints at (insert telephone number). Written inquiries or complaints should be mailed to: Iowa Securities and Regulated Industries Bureau, (insert address).
2005 Acts, ch 128, §34; 2006 Acts, ch 1117, §122; 2010 Acts, ch 1121, §30; 2015 Acts, ch 30, §169; 2019 Acts, ch 24, §80
Structure Iowa Code
Chapter 523I - IOWA CEMETERY ACT
Section 523I.101 - Short title.
Section 523I.102 - Definitions.
Section 523I.103 - Applicability of chapter.
Section 523I.201 - Administration.
Section 523I.202 - Investigations and subpoenas.
Section 523I.203 - Cease and desist orders — injunctions.
Section 523I.204 - Court action for failure to cooperate.
Section 523I.205 - Prosecution for violations of law — civil penalties.
Section 523I.206 - Cooperation with other agencies.
Section 523I.207 - Rules, forms, and orders.
Section 523I.208 - Date of filing — interpretive opinions.
Section 523I.209 - Misleading filings.
Section 523I.210 - Misrepresentations of government approval.
Section 523I.211 - Fraudulent practices.
Section 523I.212 - Receiverships.
Section 523I.213 - Insurance division’s enforcement fund.
Section 523I.213A - Examinations — authority and scope.
Section 523I.214 - Violations of law — referrals to the Iowa department of public health.
Section 523I.301 - Disclosure requirements — prices and fees.
Section 523I.302 - Installation of outer burial containers.
Section 523I.303 - Access by funeral directors.
Section 523I.304 - Rulemaking and enforcement.
Section 523I.305 - Memorials and memorialization.
Section 523I.306 - Commission or bonus unlawful.
Section 523I.307 - Discrimination prohibited.
Section 523I.308 - Speculation prohibited.
Section 523I.309 - Interment, relocation, or disinterment of remains.
Section 523I.310 - Sale of interment rights.
Section 523I.311 - Records of interment rights and interment.
Section 523I.312 - Disclosure requirements — interment agreements.
Section 523I.313 - New cemeteries and gardens and cemetery registry.
Section 523I.314 - New construction.
Section 523I.314A - Standards for interment spaces.
Section 523I.315 - Unpaid care assessments and unoccupied interment spaces.
Section 523I.316 - Protection of cemeteries and burial sites.
Section 523I.317 - Duty to provide public access.
Section 523I.401 - Neglected cemeteries.
Section 523I.402 - Removal of remains.
Section 523I.501 - Cemetery authorized.
Section 523I.502 - Trust for cemetery.
Section 523I.503 - Authority to receive gifts and deposits for care — certificates.
Section 523I.504 - Appointment of successor trustee.
Section 523I.505 - County auditor as trustee.
Section 523I.506 - Commingling of care funds by governmental subdivisions.
Section 523I.507 - Investment of care funds by governmental subdivisions.
Section 523I.508 - Management by governmental subdivisions.
Section 523I.601 - Settlement of estates — maintenance fund.
Section 523I.602 - Management by trustee.
Section 523I.603 - Owners of interment rights.
Section 523I.604 - Lien against cemetery property.
Section 523I.605 - Private care of graves.
Section 523I.701 - Requirements for lawn crypts.
Section 523I.702 - Request to install lawn crypts in fewer than ten units.
Section 523I.801 - Applicability and conversion by nonperpetual care cemeteries.
Section 523I.802 - Advertising.
Section 523I.803 - Perpetual care registry.
Section 523I.804 - Use of gift for special care.
Section 523I.805 - Initial deposit.
Section 523I.806 - Irrevocable trust.
Section 523I.807 - Care fund deposits.
Section 523I.808 - Annual report — examination fee.
Section 523I.809 - Trust agreement provisions.
Section 523I.810 - Care funds.
Section 523I.811 - Use of distributions from care fund.
Section 523I.811A - Emergency use of care funds.
Section 523I.812 - Suit by commissioner.
Section 523I.813 - Annual report by perpetual care cemeteries.