If you ship LTL freight frequently, you will inevitably experience incidents where damage or loss has occurred to your shipment. When that happens, it can cause a ripple effect that disrupts your entire supply chain, causing new delays and financial stresses. For those that have never filed a cargo claim with their carrier, the process can be intimidating, but the best way to ensure you are compensated for any damages or loss to your shipment is to act quickly. To set yourself up for success, it’s essential to take the appropriate proactive and reactive measures. Before you ship, you should be familiar with the processes and documentation you will need in the event of a claim.
When dealing with damaged freight, it is critical to identify and record the damage as soon as possible, preferably at the time of delivery. It is important to ensure that all items are thoroughly inspected when they arrive. The consignee receiving the delivery should carefully note any damage in detail on the Proof of Delivery form and take accurate photos of the damage, if possible. To file a successful cargo claim, you will need evidence of damage to the freight at the time of delivery so it can be proven that any damage occurred while the cargo was in transit. Once the damage is assessed, you can file a claim for the cost to repair the item or for the entire price of the item, depending on the situation. If the shipment is lost, a carrier will usually trace the path of the shipment to try and locate it. If the load cannot be found in a week or so, the carrier will declare the shipment officially lost, and you can begin filing a claim for the cost of the items.
When you file a cargo claim, several crucial pieces of shipping documentation are required. These documents will allow the carrier’s cargo claim staff to process your claim quickly and accurately and significantly improve the shipper’s chances of recovering the total amount for which the carrier is liable. Here is a list of the most important shipping documents you will need to submit your claim.
The bill of lading (BOL) is a document that serves as a contract between shippers and carriers, a receipt for services, and a title document. The BOL contains all the general shipping information about a shipment. The bill of lading also includes a variety of data necessary to make an accurate cargo claim, including the name and address of both the shipper and recipient of the LTL freight, the number of units in the shipment, accurate weights, dimensions, and descriptions of the items being shipped, and the type of packaging used.
The proof of delivery (POD) is a receipt presented by the carrier to the consignee when the shipment is delivered and includes information such as time of delivery, delivery address, the name of the consignee, and the signature of the person receiving the shipment. The consignee is responsible for ensuring that all the goods in the shipment are accounted for and have arrived without visible damage. If damage or loss is present, the consignee must note it on the POD and take multiple detailed photographs of the items to use in the cargo claim.
A statement of claim is designed to clearly define the details of the loss. It should outline the exact value of the item, the nature of the damage or loss, and the specific dollar amount of the value lost. The form should also provide sufficient information alleging that the damage or loss occurred while the shipment was in possession of the carrier during the transportation time frame outlined by the BOL. You may also need to submit a value verification with your statement of claim. This can include a commercial invoice, sales contract, bill of sale, or a screenshot of an internal accounting page.
Depending on the nature of the item or the damage, in addition to these standard documents, carriers may request additional information or records to verify a claim. These include but are not limited to quality assessment reports, temperature monitoring reports, police or accident reports, repair quotes, or proof of disposal.
While the cargo claims process can seem overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be. If you partner with a tech-enabled 3PL like Koho for your LTL freight needs, filing a cargo claim is a simple undertaking that can be accomplished directly from Koho’s online shipping platform. You can click the “File a Claim” button in the top right corner of your booked shipment to fill out your claim and submit any necessary documents and photos.
Once your claim is filled out and submitted, a claim specialist will contact you within 24 hours. The claim specialist will review your submitted documents and may reach out to you to request additional information. If everything looks good, your claim will either be submitted to the physical carrier or insurer for their review. Once your fully documented claim is received, you can expect ten days for an insured cargo claim and 90-120 days for an uninsured cargo claim to be resolved. You can even view any of your shipments with claims attached to them by going to your “Shipments” tab and filtering through your “Active Claims” or “Resolved Claims.”
How easy is that? Koho makes filing a cargo claim for your lost or damaged shipment simple and painless. Contact Koho today for all your LTL shipping needs.
If you ship LTL freight frequently, you will inevitably experience incidents where damage or loss has occurred to your shipment. When that happens, it can cause a ripple effect that disrupts your entire supply chain, causing new delays and financial stresses. For those that have never filed a cargo claim with their carrier, the process can be intimidating, but the best way to ensure you are compensated for any damages or loss to your shipment is to act quickly. To set yourself up for success, it’s essential to take the appropriate proactive and reactive measures. Before you ship, you should be familiar with the processes and documentation you will need in the event of a claim.
When dealing with damaged freight, it is critical to identify and record the damage as soon as possible, preferably at the time of delivery. It is important to ensure that all items are thoroughly inspected when they arrive. The consignee receiving the delivery should carefully note any damage in detail on the Proof of Delivery form and take accurate photos of the damage, if possible. To file a successful cargo claim, you will need evidence of damage to the freight at the time of delivery so it can be proven that any damage occurred while the cargo was in transit. Once the damage is assessed, you can file a claim for the cost to repair the item or for the entire price of the item, depending on the situation. If the shipment is lost, a carrier will usually trace the path of the shipment to try and locate it. If the load cannot be found in a week or so, the carrier will declare the shipment officially lost, and you can begin filing a claim for the cost of the items.
When you file a cargo claim, several crucial pieces of shipping documentation are required. These documents will allow the carrier’s cargo claim staff to process your claim quickly and accurately and significantly improve the shipper’s chances of recovering the total amount for which the carrier is liable. Here is a list of the most important shipping documents you will need to submit your claim.
The bill of lading (BOL) is a document that serves as a contract between shippers and carriers, a receipt for services, and a title document. The BOL contains all the general shipping information about a shipment. The bill of lading also includes a variety of data necessary to make an accurate cargo claim, including the name and address of both the shipper and recipient of the LTL freight, the number of units in the shipment, accurate weights, dimensions, and descriptions of the items being shipped, and the type of packaging used.
The proof of delivery (POD) is a receipt presented by the carrier to the consignee when the shipment is delivered and includes information such as time of delivery, delivery address, the name of the consignee, and the signature of the person receiving the shipment. The consignee is responsible for ensuring that all the goods in the shipment are accounted for and have arrived without visible damage. If damage or loss is present, the consignee must note it on the POD and take multiple detailed photographs of the items to use in the cargo claim.
A statement of claim is designed to clearly define the details of the loss. It should outline the exact value of the item, the nature of the damage or loss, and the specific dollar amount of the value lost. The form should also provide sufficient information alleging that the damage or loss occurred while the shipment was in possession of the carrier during the transportation time frame outlined by the BOL. You may also need to submit a value verification with your statement of claim. This can include a commercial invoice, sales contract, bill of sale, or a screenshot of an internal accounting page.
Depending on the nature of the item or the damage, in addition to these standard documents, carriers may request additional information or records to verify a claim. These include but are not limited to quality assessment reports, temperature monitoring reports, police or accident reports, repair quotes, or proof of disposal.
While the cargo claims process can seem overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be. If you partner with a tech-enabled 3PL like Koho for your LTL freight needs, filing a cargo claim is a simple undertaking that can be accomplished directly from Koho’s online shipping platform. You can click the “File a Claim” button in the top right corner of your booked shipment to fill out your claim and submit any necessary documents and photos.
Once your claim is filled out and submitted, a claim specialist will contact you within 24 hours. The claim specialist will review your submitted documents and may reach out to you to request additional information. If everything looks good, your claim will either be submitted to the physical carrier or insurer for their review. Once your fully documented claim is received, you can expect ten days for an insured cargo claim and 90-120 days for an uninsured cargo claim to be resolved. You can even view any of your shipments with claims attached to them by going to your “Shipments” tab and filtering through your “Active Claims” or “Resolved Claims.”
How easy is that? Koho makes filing a cargo claim for your lost or damaged shipment simple and painless. Contact Koho today for all your LTL shipping needs.
