A letter requesting reimbursement is a letter written to repay you for out-of-pocket expenses. When writing reimbursement letters, it is important that you follow the right steps and tick all the appropriate boxes. If a reimbursement letter isn’t written properly, there’s a chance you may be required to write the letter more than once, or worse, do not get reimbursed.
In this article, we are going to discuss what a reimbursement letter is, everything you need to know to write a reimbursement letter and the types. We’re going to round it up by providing different reimbursement letter samples to help you better understand how to write your own reimbursement letters.
Without further ado:
What is a Letter Requesting Reimbursement?
A reimbursement letter is a letter written to request compensation for out-of-pocket expenses by an employee. It could also be to request overpayment or refunds. While most reimbursement mainly deals with out-of-pocket expenses, it also cuts across other sections. For instance, there are reimbursements for payments such as insurance, taxes, etc.
Unlike other compensations, one of the perks of reimbursement is that it is not subject to taxation.
Reimbursements is generally for business expenses, so, before attending to your company’s needs out-of-pocket, ensure to read the company policy on these matters, or simply reach out to your manager or HR to ensure you’ll be reimbursed for your troubles.
Some of these business-related expenses may include travel-related expenses such as hotels, food, transportation, flights, etc. In some not-so-common cases, your company may even refund you for taking personal development training. This can be anything from getting a degree to a certification course.
As said earlier, do not assume your company is automatically going to reimburse you for all your business-related expenses. It is always good to have this information beforehand.
There are different avenues where you’re entitled to receive a reimbursement, such as tax refunds, insurance reimbursements, etc. The difference in most of these cases is that the reimbursements are done automatically. This means there’s usually no need to send any letter reminding the institution of the reimbursement.
How to Write Payment Received Emails: Samples Included
How to Write Reimbursement Letters
When writing reimbursement letters, you need to take extra caution than you would when writing other professional letters. If not done properly, reimbursement could open a can of worms and lead to disagreement. As such, when writing these kinds of letters, you need to make sure you follow the guidelines to the letter to ensure you’re reimbursed without much hassle.
In this section of this article, we’re going to look at some of the most important guidelines to follow when writing these kinds of letters.
1. Remember You’re Writing a Professional Letter
When writing a reimbursement letter, you need to remember you’re writing a professional letter. This means it must follow all professional writing etiquette. This includes using the right subject, addressing it with the appropriate honorifics, signing the letter off appropriately, etc.
2. Your Letter Should Be Straight to The Point
Like all professional letters, reimbursement letters should go straight to the point and not waste time with any unnecessary information. This means you shouldn’t include any information that doesn’t serve the general purpose of the letter. The first paragraph should go straight to the point and explain to your recipient what the letter is all about.
3. Include All the Appropriate Documents
Reimbursement letters are letters written to ask for repayment of any out-of-pocket expense. This means you’re presenting a case to your company telling them how much you spent and how much you want to be reimbursed. This means your letter should include all the documents that help your case. This should include all the invoices you paid out-of-pocket, all the hotel bills, taxi fees, and anything you spent during the course of the event.
4. Tally the Experience
You could also decide to take things up a notch by giving a brief description of each receipt you included. This is more important when you’re requesting reimbursement for activities that span through the course of days or weeks. If you’re reimbursed for a one-time event, you do not need to tally your experiences.
5. Send to The Right Party
Before sending a reimbursement letter, reach out to HR or your manager to find out who’s in a better position to receive your letter. When doing this, also remember to CC or Bcc the appropriate recipients. Doing this saves you the stress of having to send multiple emails and also ensures your reimbursement request gets the attention it deserves and is acted upon swiftly.
6. State how You’d Like to Receive the Refund
Before closing the letter, you can decide to include how you’d like to receive the reimbursement. If you feel unsure about this, you could simply ask that the recipient of the letter get back to you on how best to proceed.
Sample Reimbursement Letters
In this section of this article, we’re going to list out multiple samples of reimbursement letters for various instances to help you write the best reimbursement letters.
Reimbursement Letter Sample for Waste Charge
Dear Mr. James, My name is Jeffery Simmons and I am the director of internal affairs. I'm writing this letter to request a reimbursement for the waste disposal charge I paid last week. On the 7th of May, the waste disposal agency came by and the head of affairs wasn't around and I could get a hold of them. To ensure the disposal was carried out, I paid the bill of $60 out-of-pocket. A copy of the receipt has been attached to this email for confirmation. For further inquiries on how to pay this reimbursement, please reach out to me. Kind Regards, Jeffery Simmons
Reimbursement Letter Sample for Electricity Bill
Dear Ms. Samuel, My name is Jacob James and I am the Head of Design at Micro Inc. I am writing this letter to request a reimbursement for the electricity bill I paid on the 7th of March. On my way into the building to collect my belonging on Saturday, I met the electricity collection agents knocking on the door, requesting our bill be cleared. I informed them that the company didn’t work on weekends, and would be unable to clear the bills. The agents told me that if the bill wasn’t cleared, we’d be disconnected. The design team is currently rendering designs all through the weekend and as such, I couldn’t afford for the power to be disconnected. So, I paid the electricity bill of $200 out of pocket. I would like a complete reimbursement. Copies of the receipt have been attached to this email. Please reach out to me if you’d like to make further inquiries. Kind Regards, Jacob James
Reimbursement Letter Sample for Expenses Incurred on a Trip
Dear Mr. Frank, My name is Jude Osas and I am the head of growth marketing. On the 5th of February, I was charged to fly to Denver to close the Forthwide client personally. Upon getting to the hotel, the company card was declined. I tried to reach the CFO and the Finance department but was unsuccessful. As such, I had to pay for the hotel room out of pocket. Later that evening, I went out to dinner with the representative from Forthwide and I tried to pay for dinner with the company’s card but the card was declined again and the issue persisted. I had to pay for the dinner out of pocket. Upon leaving, I tried to check out of the hotel and book a cab to the airport using the company’s card and was also met with a decline. This was the third time I had to pay out of pocket. My total expenses tallied up to $700 and I would like to request a reimbursement. All the receipts and the transactions have been attached to this letter. If you have any inquiries, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. Looking forward to your response. Kind Regards, Jude Osas
Sample request reimbursement office expense
Dear Mr. James, I would like to bring to your attention the work related expense that I paid and need reimbursement for. On the 17th of September, I purchsed food for the guests from ABC company. I have included a copy of the receipt to the letter. Thank you very much for your time. Please let me know if you need further information. Kind Regards, Fred Mercury
Reimbursement Mail to Hr
Subject: Reimbursement Request Dear [HR Manager's Name], I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to request reimbursement for the expenses I incurred during [purpose of expenses, e.g., business travel, office supplies, etc.] on [date(s)]. The total amount of the expenses is [amount in currency]. I have attached all the necessary receipts and supporting documents for your reference. Kindly review the details and process the reimbursement at your earliest convenience. Your prompt attention to this matter would be highly appreciated. If you require any further information or have any queries regarding the reimbursement process, please feel free to reach out to me. I am happy to provide any additional details needed. Thank you for your assistance in this matter. Best regards, [Your Name]
Conclusion
We have included everything you need to know to write a reimbursement letter in this article. When writing a letter of this kind, it is important to ensure all the necessary receipts are attached to save both you and the receipt from any unnecessary back and forth. Also, ensure that you communicate with the recipient before writing the letter to ensure they expect it.