WHO TO CALL WHEN THE TIME COMES:
By Johanna E. Sheehe, Esquire Equine Mortality Insurance
Similar to life insurance, equine mortality
insurance policies are designed to pay the
insured horse owner a sum of money after
the death of a horse by accident, injury,
or illness. These mortality policies typically
contain a “notice” provision requiring the
owner to provide the insurance company
with “prompt” or “immediate” notice of
death, illness, or lameness. The language of
notice requirements varies among insurers,
but the proposition is the same: to receive
benefits under the insurance policy, the
carrier must be informed of the animal’s
death as soon as practicable.
The notice requirement is a condition
precedent to recovery under the policy.
To avoid unnecessary stress as
you are grieving, be prepared.
In other words, if you fail to provide
“prompt” or “timely” notice, coverage
could be forfeit. Why do such provisions
exist? A sad reality is that insurance
carriers are commonly presented with
fraudulent insurance claims. Therefore,
an insurance carrier will often require
additional information to process the
claim. For example, the carrier might
request a certificate of health, testing, or
necropsy (post-mortem examination), to
be conducted by a veterinarian. Prompt
notice allows both you, and the carrier, to
Notice Provisions
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EQUINE Lifestyle
I recently experienced the day
that every horse owner dreads
– the day my equine companion
and partner passed away. With
the flurry of phone calls and
waves of emotions, it would have
been easy to delay informing
my insurance carrier of this
event. But experience has taught
me that the failure to provide
timely notice of death or injury
can result in a breach of your
obligations under an equine
mortality insurance policy — and
a denial of your claim.
determine what information is required to process your claim.
To avoid unnecessary stress as you are grieving, be prepared. Read
your policy carefully and keep it in a location that is safe and easy to
access. Most carriers provide 24-hour “Emergency Hotlines” to assist
with your claims. They are prepared to receive calls at all hours and on
weekends and holidays. The death of
your horse is an emergency and you will
want to contact the carrier directly, not
your agent. If you are unable to speak
to a representative immediately, leave
a voicemail with your name, contact
information, policy number, and a short
summary of the facts. In my experience,
an agent will return your call that same
day. Often, the carrier will wish to speak to your veterinarian. It can be
helpful to allow the carrier that opportunity. And keep in mind, most
insurers ask to be consulted before an insured horse is euthanized.
While thinking of insurance at such a difficult time might seem
insensitive, it is necessary to safeguard the protections you put in place.
Should you be unable to make the call, have a trusted loved one handle
the initial outreach on your behalf.
If you have experienced the death of your beloved animal, please rest
assured that the insurance companies are there to help, and the earlier
you contact them the better.
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