What is a freight claim?
A freight claim is a breach of contract claim. Also known as shipping claim, logistics claim, or cargo claim, it is a legal demand by a shipper or consignee against a transportation provider. With a freight claim, the claimant seeks a financial reimbursement for an overcharge or a shipment damaged, lost, or classified within more than 400 different claim reason codes.
When to file a freight claim
A shipper or consignee initiates a carrier claims process against the transportation service provider contracted to transport freight cargo or parcel shipments under agreed-upon Bill of Lading terms.
Different Logistics Claims Types for Freight Transportation
Freight Damage Claim
Part or all of a freight shipment has been damaged to the extent that its value is affected.
Concealed Damage Claim
A claim filed when cargo damage was not apparent until final unboxing and inspection.
Shortage Claim
Multiple pieces are missing from an order, creating a shortage.
Concealed Shortage Claim
Miscounts that could not be detected until unboxing occurred.
Refused Claim
Claims that occur when the recipient denies acceptance of the entire order.
Loss Claim
An entire order has been lost and not delivered as intended.
Who should I file a Freight claim against?
How to File a Freight Claim
Every carrier provides a different claim form to file with, but a specific form is not necessary to make it legally valid. Common forms used in the carrier claims process resemble FedEx Freight Claim Form, or the UPS Supply Chain Services Customer Cargo Claim Form.
Whether you use a carrier form, a generic form, or a typed letter, the following is required for a freight claim form to be legally valid.
- Identify the shipment.
- State the type of loss or damage.
- State the claim amount.
- State expectations for payment.
Get our Beginner’s Guide to Freight Claims Filing
What documents are needed for a logistics claim?
Proactively including all documents and information at the time of a logistics claim can speed up the claims process and resolution. Include the following documents with a claim:
- Original shipment invoice.
- Copy of the signed delivery receipt
- Copy of the original bill of lading.
- Invoice to provide the values of the lost or damaged goods.
- Invoices for repairs or replacements.
Depending on the type of claim, commodity, transportation mode, and severity of the damage, additional documentation may be required and/or helpful.
- Copy of the freight bill showing all charges are paid.
- Notification of loss.
- Copies of the request for inspection – required if making a damaged product or concealed damage claim.
- Inspection report, if completed, or waiver of inspection by the carrier.
- Photographic evidence of any damage – this is highly recommended.
- Temperature reports.
- Impact reports.
- Condemnation certification.
- Dumping certificates.
- Lab reports assessing the damage.
- Quality control reports.
- Package certifications.
- Loading diagrams.
- Weight certificates.
- Affidavits.
- Carrier’s passing reports.
- Loading and unloading tallies.
How Does MercuryGate Streamline Freight Claims Management?
MercuryGate Claims centralizes data to support easy management and automation of any type of claim: loss and damage claims, over, short, and damaged (OS&D) incidents, overcharge claims, vendor claims, and return authorization requests.
MercuryCarrierClaim and MercuryMyEZClaim reduce transaction and administrative costs by eliminating postage, paper, fax, and file management, as well as the manual data errors that come with these processes.
