Many businesses across the globe rely on everyday shipments. Using overseas moving services will ensure your business is thriving and that all your demands are met. More importantly, the shipping business is doubling the income and productivity of all those who use it. But sometimes, due to damages or cargo misplacement, you can be at a significant loss. Although, you shouldn’t worry much because there is a damaged cargo claim procedure and we will explain how it works. It is crucial for you to understand and learn more about it so you can make claims and get reimbursed in case something bad happens. Let’s take a look.

Damaged cargo claim procedure – The basics

Like in any business, there are chances for success and failure. If you do business with reputable shipping and moving company, then the chances are lower for any mishaps. Although, there is always a game of chance and your cargo can be damaged regardless of the situation. Even if your Kokusai Express Japan shipping company is one of the best in the area and they are using cutting-edge technologies, your cargo can still be damaged. Safety standards and procedures can minimize the chance but there is nothing that can provide 100% safety coverage when it comes to the shipping business. The nature of it is not allowing it to happen. Therefore, the need for a damaged cargo claim procedure is obvious. When your cargo is damaged, you will follow the procedure in order to determine the following:

• How has it happened?
• Who is responsible?
• Will you be reimbursed and how?
• What is the contingency plan?

Without this procedure, you wouldn’t be able to prove whose fault it is and who is responsible for the damage. Therefore, all shipping companies should have this procedure in place. You must confirm it before you begin doing business with a shipping company of your choosing.

Customer satisfaction

All legit shipping companies take special attention to customer satisfaction. It is important to honor the deal and uphold the standards of the shipping and moving industry. But sometimes customers make the whole procedure a bit harder to handle than it should be. Firstly, to make claims against the company you must have a bill of lading and understand the content of it. Without it, you can’t make any claims against the company. Secondly, as a customer yourself, you should know the damaged cargo claim procedure inside out or at least the basics of it. More so if you are shipping daily with a huge business behind you.

In case you do not know how it works, these are the basic steps. Your shipping company is obligated to report damages right away and if they do, your shipment is insured. They are not allowed to unload the container but to set it aside for further inspection. It is a required step to determine how the damage occurred in the first place. After the evaluation is done, you must contact your shipping company and their customer help desk to report the damage. Once you confirmed verbally, it is required to send them an email with all the details you have so they can start the claim and reimbursement procedure. It sounds simple but if you do not have your bill of lading or you do not report this within 24 hours, you will lose the privilege to make claims. Hence, be swift about it.

Accepting the responsibility for damages is one of the steps in the damaged cargo claim procedure

As for the evaluation process, you must know that it won’t work in your favor 100% of the time. Simply because there are several crucial aspects they are considering. Firstly, you are not on-site and you do not know anything about damaged goods before your company notifies you. This means that if you are working with a shady company, it leaves a lot of room for setting things up to make it look like they are not responsible for it. That is why it is important to have insurance on your cargo or work with a company that already has one in place. As for the evaluation, someone from the insurance company will take photos of the cargo container, shipment, damages, etc.

They will take into account the way you pack your goods, the loading process, the equipment that is used, and more. If you used professional packers for this occasion, then the responsibility is on their side. But if you packed your shipment yourself, then the chances are slim for you to make claims. But worry not, as long as you work with a legit and reputable shipping company, you’ll be covered. Most of them already have insurance and safety standards in place. So, let them evaluate the damage and focus on your part of the process which is to make that phone call and to send an email once you get a damage report.

The proof of damages must be valid

You’ll have a few documents in the whole shipping process. A letter of intent to make claims, cargo invoice, bill of lading, and a few receipts. We all know legalities can be confusing but you must understand it if you are using these services. More so if you want to make claims against a shipping company. So, note that you will need the cargo invoice to determine the value of the content inside. Then, you must have a damage report with a thorough explanation of how the damage occurred. And finally, the report on how the container was loaded and disposed of. Once you submit those documents, the company will review the final report.

Guided by the damaged cargo claim procedure, they will resolve the issue within six weeks. Of course, the circumstances, disputes, or state laws might extend this period. But it will surely be over within two months. Hence, if you are using shipping and moving service Japan, you must know how the procedure works to avoid unpleasant surprises. Not knowing what you are dealing with can hurt your business, budget, and your wellbeing.

How to avoid damages in the first place?

As we explained earlier, if you are packing your cargo yourself, you must know how to do it right and use the proper packing materials. For all other stages, your shipping company is held accountable. You are the customer and you are paying for the service. It is up to the company to honor the deal and ensure your cargo is safely delivered. Hopefully, you have good communication with the company’s representatives and you know a bit more about how they operate on the inside. It will provide comfort to know your shipment is handled with care. But just to be sure, we advise you to have shipping and moving insurance in place. Without it, you can’t make claims against the company.

There we go, now you know how the damaged cargo claim procedure works. As long as you understand the procedure and have a reliable shipping company hired, you shouldn’t worry about a thing. In case of damages, follow the steps we explained and mend the situation. Good luck.