Bill of sale

[Birker2020]

Jumping on the back of another post about insurance not paying and that the insurance company wished to see a bill of sale.

Is this always necessary? I have made a claim with my insurance (SEIB) and they didn't ask me for one but I am wondering now (I hope it never happens) but in the event of a big claim or death of horse would they request a bill of sale? Surely if you are paying premium for horses value it would be within your right to expect that sum to be paid upon death as long as its within the realm of 'current market value'?

I did type out a receipt when I went to collect the horse but stupidly felt embarrassed at asking the seller to sign it.

The insurance have always paid up on my lost horses but its a long time ago (2004 when I last lost an insured one) and I can't remember what the criteria was.

 

[milliepops]

I've hardly ever had a bill of sale for my horses...they wouldn't ever have been market value anyway

had many many claims paid out without that, though all under the 5k horse value threshold

 

[SEL]

I've got 3 x freebies. Both KBIS and Petplan have paid out for investigations etc without asking for anything like that, but like MP none of mine were insured for anything that might need justifying

 

[Birker2020]

Yes mine was considerably more.

I'm hoping if they wanted it they would have asked for it when I made the claim which they've paid out on to date. I've been out of the insurance loop since 2016 and last claimed loss of horse 2004 so not very au fait with it all.

Thank you.

 

[AandK]

I've never claimed for loss of horse, but have had some max limit claims over the years, the latest being for a keratoma removal in Nov 2020, and I have never been asked for a receipt for my horses. I don't have one for the 25yo, but I have had him 19.5yrs and he hasn't been insured for about 4/5 yrs now. The 9yo I have owned for 3yrs next month, he was low value as a green exracer, but I did get a receipt for him (private sale), I just took it with me when I collected him and got the seller to sign a copy for me and one for her.

 

[Widgeon]

My last horse, who was more expensive and I bought from his breeder, did have one. My current horse was under £5K and I think all I have is a copy of the sale ad confirming the price and text message conversations confirming that the sellers had received the money from me. Current horse has had an insurance claim for medical treatment and the insurers paid out without ever asking for a bill of sale.

 

[criso]

Maybe not necessarily something that has bill of sale actually written at the top but I have been asked for proof of purchase/amount paid when taking out insurance with NFU, Amtrust, SEIB, Equicover and Shearwater before I got all the policy documents. One very cheap and one a bit more but not expensive. I had a bill of sale and sent it.
If you don't have an actual bill of sale, then I assume they would just ask for other proof of when you purchased and how much you paid.

For insurance , I assume they want to check that you are not deliberately under or overinsuring the horse.
I have also needed something along those lines when getting ownership changed with Weatherbys and SIRE (french horse)

 

[Widgeon]

I don't think I was asked for any sort of proof - they just asked me what I paid. They seemed to have a cut off of £5K though - below that everything was much easier to do.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

When my stallion died unexpectedly he was insured with E&L. This was back in 1990. In fact I had intended to let it lapse so hadn't paid the premium but was still within the fortnight's grace period. I rang to report it and was warned by a very nice man that I would need to produce his sales receipt. I had had him 12 years at this point. I couldn't find one, not sure I had ever had one but I was still friends with the breeders so rang and asked them to send me one. I duly claimed, it was only £1k but a fortune to me and they actually paid out without quibble. That was the only claim for loss of a horse I have ever made.

 

[criso]

Not over 5k in my case and never claimed for loss of horse, only vets fees.

Insurers are getting stricter though about paperwork, I now find myself having to send clinical history for the last year and updated jabs even when renewing with the same insurer.

 

[teddypops]

I’ve never had a bill of sale for any of my ponies. I always forget to ask! The only time the insurance company needed one was when I had a pony pts. However he was on loan and they were happy with the loan agreement.

 

[Birker2020]

If you don't have an actual bill of sale, then I assume they would just ask for other proof of when you purchased and how much you paid.

e)

Yes I suppose they could check internet banking/statements to prove what I'd paid. Never thought of that.

 

[Birker2020]

When my stallion died unexpectedly he was insured with E&L. This was back in 1990. In fact I had intended to let it lapse so hadn't paid the premium but was still within the fortnight's grace period. I rang to report it and was warned by a very nice man that I would need to produce his sales receipt. I had had him 12 years at this point. I couldn't find one, not sure I had ever had one but I was still friends with the breeders so rang and asked them to send me one. I duly claimed, it was only £1k but a fortune to me and they actually paid out without quibble. That was the only claim for loss of a horse I have ever made.

Blimey E&L. We had a nightmare with them with the first horse who had an accident on a fun ride and was pts some 21 days later following 3 operations to save him. They said under the terms of our cover we could either claim for value of horse £2,500 or cost of hospitalisation which was £2,300 but not both. Sure enough when we read the small print it was the case.

We obviously opted for the higher price but I never used them again as we felt we'd been well and truly shafted!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I have never been asked for a bill of sale from any insurance company for any of my horses and I have had plenty of claims over the years, but have never claimed for loss so maybe they only ask in that situation.

 

[iknowmyvalue]

I don’t remember having to provide a bill of sale/purchase when we claimed for loss of horse for Rosie. But to be fair my dad mostly dealt with them as I wasn’t in a good mental place to deal with it so I might be wrong. They did also quibble that her value insured was higher than market value (it wasn’t, could probably have sold her for more than she was insured for) but we got some valuations/letters from independent people and they paid out eventually.

I’m fairly sure we had a receipt when we bought her but I doubt we’d have been able to find it 7yrs later even if they had asked for it…

Definitely didn’t need to provide it when claiming for various things on my previous horse (gastroscope, MRIs etc.)

 

[ycbm]

I always ask the seller to sign a receipt when I buy a horse and give one when I sell, it's just routine.
.

 

[Lady Jane]

I always get a bill of sale as its your proof of ownership (the passport is not). I bought my loan horse at Christmas and KBIS wanted to see the bill of sale. I had him insured as a loan horse previuosly, they needed the loan agreement. I didn't change the sum insured

 

[Errin Paddywack]

We obviously opted for the higher price but I never used them again as we felt we'd been well and truly shafted!

My sister had this when she lost her pony also insured with E&L. Opted for value of pony which was higher than vet bill.
She also got caught out when her mare went over backwards and smashed her saddle. She had insured her tack for £100 (this was 1974ish) but when she filled out the claim form she was too honest, added absolutely everything in which she estimated at £200 so they only paid out half the value of the saddle as they said she was under insured. Lesson learnt, either don't under insure or don't include everything when valuing it.

 

[Red-1]

I have been asked for the receipt, and I had it so that was no problem.

As your horse was from a pro, I would contact them now and ask them to email a receipt, for insurance purposes. Print out and stick it in his file.

 

[Birker2020]

I have been asked for the receipt, and I had it so that was no problem.

As your horse was from a pro, I would contact them now and ask them to email a receipt, for insurance purposes. Print out and stick it in his file.

He wasn't from a pro, he was from a privately owned person like myself.
But i can still ask I guess.

 

[criso]

My 'Bill of Sale' aren't anything fancy. Just a receipt really, bit of paper with date price paid, name of horse, possibly passport number.

 

[Red-1]

He wasn't from a pro, he was from a privately owned person like myself.
But i can still ask I guess.

Apologies, I thought you chose him from a dealer with a good rep. Must have mixed it up with another purchaser.

Yes, I would still email and ask. I have sold a few and would have happily sent an email receipt.