Which type of agent is authorized to perform a broad range of activities for their principal?

The correct choice, general agent, refers to an individual who is authorized to conduct a wide variety of activities on behalf of a principal. This broad authority allows the general agent to perform numerous functions within the scope of a particular business or service. In the context of funeral service, a general agent might be responsible for overseeing daily operations, managing finances, and representing the funeral home in various transactions, allowing for significant autonomy while still acting under the directives of the principal.

In contrast, a special agent is typically limited to a specific act or function and does not have the broad authority entailed in the role of a general agent. A universal agent possesses even more authority, able to perform virtually any act on behalf of the principal, but this designation is less commonly used in specific contexts like funeral service. A contract agent does not traditionally denote a specific type of authority in the way that special, general, or universal agents are defined. Therefore, the general agent is the most fitting answer for the type of agent authorized to perform a broad range of activities.