Definition
A freight claim is a formal claim against the carrier (or its insurer) for damage, shortage, attributable delay, or other failure, supported by evidence, amount, and a deadline.
If your claim is a WhatsApp thread without photos or quantities, it is not a claim — it is a complaint.
Related: POD · redelivery · cargo insurance.
What it means in practice
“It arrived wrong” is not enough: you need what was short or damaged, when it was found, evidence (POD, photos, count), and the claimed amount.
Claims close the service and cost loop: without them, leakage becomes normal trip after trip.
Why it matters by role
| Role | What they need | Without a governed claim |
|---|---|---|
| Operations / DC | Evidence at receipt | The moment is lost |
| Traffic | History by carrier | Repeats the same failure |
| Accounts payable | Amount and status | Pays in full and forgets |
| Shipper | Recovery and OTIF | Silent shrinkage |
Minimum claim fields
| Field | Question | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Damage, shortage, delay…? | Classify |
| Evidence | POD, photos, count? | Required |
| Amount | How much claimed? | With support |
| Deadline | Open and response SLA? | SLA |
| Trip / invoice | Which file? | Match |
How to open a claim in 5 steps
Detect
At receiving
Document
POD + photos
Open claim
With amount
Track response
SLA deadline
Close
Credit, pay, or deny
Expensive mistakes
1.Signing a clean POD then claiming later
You lose the strongest evidence.
2.Opening late
Many contracts close the claim window in days.
3.No amount or support
The carrier files it away.
4.Claim outside the TMS
You cannot measure repeats or recover in audit.
OCL and the trip file
OCL concentrates POD, milestones, and trip documents to support the claim. It does not decide insurance coverage. OCL can stamp invoices and Carta Porte.
Sources and further reading
Key takeaways5 points
- Freight claim = a formal claim for damage, shortage, attributable delay, or other carrier failure, with evidence and amount.
- Without a solid proof of delivery (POD) (photos, quantity, timestamp) the claim dies on first review.
- Define open/close deadlines, an owner, and one file: trip + POD + invoice + communication.
- Accounts payable and traffic must see the same claim; if it lives only in email, there is no learning or recovery.
- OCL concentrates trip evidence to build the claim. It is not an insurer or legal opinion. OCL can stamp invoices and Carta Porte.
Does your claim have a file — or only a chat thread?
Frequently asked questions
A formal claim for damage, shortage, or other carrier failure, with evidence and amount.
POD with exceptions, photos or count, trip identity, and claimed amount.
It depends on the contract; act when you detect damage — not at month end.
No: the claim is the demand; a credit note or adjustment is one possible financial close.
Yes: claim against whoever is contractually and operationally responsible, with the same file.
It keeps trip evidence ready to open and track the claim without hunting email.