The steps you can take when your shipment is lost are not much different from any other steps in similar situations. It is crucial to act fast and check all you can before your items are gone forever. The company can help you in this process significantly. It is why you should choose professionals like Kokusai Express Japan, the company with experience and professional procedure for those situations. They will help you create documents and inspect the load to find your items. Whatever happens, do not panic. In most cases, your bag is lost between two stations, and you have a big chance of getting it back. If that does not happen, follow the procedure.

Steps you can take when your shipment is lost

Companies face this problem often; you should be prepared for it, too. Thanks to their experience, companies have designed a simple procedure you should follow in those situations. Before starting with any of them, make sure that you have checked all stations before the destination.

Try to find out what happened

Although shipments are lost daily, it is not always a severe problem. Sometimes, people at port might send it to the wrong address. On the other hand, companies face conditions they cannot change, like weather or broken ships. In those situations, companies must do whatever they can to find your items or offer a refund. Professional sea freight forwarders will ensure that client is satisfied as much as possible, so always choose the best company.

Inspect your items

If you have faced a lost shipment, you may feel disappointed at first, but maybe the loss is not that big. Most people forget about all items they have or imagine them as much more significant losses than it is. So, take a step back and remember what was in the package. You can make a rough shipment price and calculate how much you lost. It will help overseas shipping companies estimate the cost and find the shipment.

Talk with carrier or broker

You still should not need to panic since your shipment is maybe still out here. Before starting with the procedure of reporting the loss, talk with the cargo forwarding Japan. In some situations, they can have troubles that will be resolved. Your shipment is maybe stopped during the trip, along with many other loads. In that case, the company will do all they can to fix the problem, and you should wait a little longer. Also, they may resolve the issue without filling out documents or other procedures.

Document for the damage or loss

Finally, when you are sure that something terrible happened, you should document all you have faced with. It is essential to make a list of all items you have lost. It could be a simple list of the things, or you can put it all in a form that the company will give you. If the container or box is damaged, you should take photos of it. You should also learn to evaluate damage on shipping boxes. 

Documentation when shipments are lost

Companies take lost shipments seriously, so you should take them with them first. In most cases, they have a form to fill out where you will write what was inside the boxes. Ensure you have answered all questions and explained the problem in detail.

Inform about the paperwork in these situations

Companies face those situations often, so you should prepare for the procedure they have designed. The first you need to do is to report the loss of your shipment officially. You can do it by filling out the form and explaining to the workers what happened. According to the procedure, they will help you do whatever is needed.

• File a refund claim as soon as it is possible so you can get a refund fast;
• Contact freight insurance and talk with them about the problem you had;
• Communicate with the company about surveillance – although it is not one of the essential steps you can take when your shipment is lost, it could help.

Ask for foundation

If the company cannot find your shipment, they must refund it and pay for the stress it caused. Companies are prepared for these situations, too, so do not worry about the procedure. You will see that company has all it is needed to make these problems less stressful. One of the first things they will do is to offer a refund. You should estimate the value of your shipment precisely.

Check which your rights

Although companies will do all they can to resolve the problem, it is possible to face problems when asking for a refund. Companies will avoid too high costs, so you can have trouble getting a refund. Luckily, it happens with bad companies, so you should not have problems cooperating with professionals. You can also ask agencies for your rights and act accordingly.

Ask for a refund even if items are only damaged

Sometimes, companies find shipment after a while and give you back your items. However, it could happen that things inside are damaged, or boxes are ripped. You should be able to get a refund in those situations, too. It is a company’s job to check what is damaged and give you an explanation or pay for the damage they caused. You should take photos of the damages and write the following letter explaining. Make sure that you are precise.

Precisely estimate the costs of your items

You should do this before loading the ship or when you make a contract with the shipping company. Companies have forms where you can write the estimated value of the shipment so that it will make the procedure faster. However, do not forget that you can take insurance, which will charge you more for more expensive items. They will refund you a higher amount for damage or loss when the problem happens. The most important, though, is that you should follow the steps you can take when your shipment is lost and not panic.