CSS Claims and Extra Freight Insurance FAQs

Protect your claim rights by reporting any damages or shortages upon receipt of your shipment. When your shipment is delivered, please inspect your shipment for visible damages or shortages.

If damage or shortage is visible, please note the exceptions on the delivery receipt.

PROVIDE A CLEAR AND SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION

DO write:
Examples of Damages:

• 1 carton damaged – 10 lamps, 2 broken
• 1 box wet, top right corner crushed, contains 4 glass jars, 1 broken and leaking
• 2 out of 3 boxes of paper crushed, damaged

Example of Shortages:

• 2 pieces tires short
• 3 out of 10 boxes of connectors short

DO NOT write:
X Possible Damage
X Possible Shortage
X Pending Inspection
X Subject to Inspection

If the delivery receipt has no notation of any exceptions, it would imply that the freight was received in the same good order the freight was picked up in.

If damage or shortage is discovered after delivery, please report the damages to Complete Shipping Solutions immediately.

You should report any damage or shortage to your shipment as soon as it is discovered, as it also provides a record that will be used to process your claim. Important information to provide includes (but is not limited to):

• The bill of lading number or tracking number
• Date the shipment arrived
• For shortages: piece count and itemized description of the product(s)
• For damages: photos, itemized description of the damaged product(s)
• If you want the damaged product(s) to be forwarded, recouped, salvaged, or dumped

Damages or shortages are to be reported in our CSS SMARTT Shipping Technology platform.

• Login to your CSS SMARTT Shipping account
• Under History> Interactive Zone> Click on the BL#> Report Damages or Shortages

Our claims specialist will notify the carrier of the damage or shortage and provide you with further instructions to file a claim.

A freight claim is a formal request to the carrier for reimbursement of shipment damages or losses while in transit. Complete Shipping Solutions will act as your advocate offering full claims process assistance.

• If you did not purchase extra freight insurance, the freight carrier claim will be filed on your behalf with the carrier under the standard carrier liability coverage.
• If you purchased extra freight insurance, the extra freight insurance claim will be filed on your behalf under the extra insurance terms and conditions.

The standard carrier liability coverage refers to a limited liability that carriers can be held liable for in the event of damage or loss. The standard carrier liability is usually included on every shipment and may differ by each carrier’s terms and conditions.  Some commodity exceptions apply.

Most motor truck carriers provide coverage up to a liability limit of of$2.00/lbs. or $4.41/kg.

For example :

• If the total weight of a shipment is 200 lbs. and your claim amount is $800.00
• The maximum limit of liability is 200 lbs. X $2.00 = $400.00.

Most small package couriers provide coverage up to a liability limit of $100.00.

For example :

• If your claim amount is $800.00, the maximum limit of liability is $100.

The standard carrier liability coverage often does not cover the full value of the shipment in the event of damage or loss. For extra protection, SMARTT Shipping offers extra freight insurance that provides more freight coverage than the standard carrier liability.

Only one party can process a claim in our CSS SMARTT Shipping Technology platform. The claimant must either be the shipper, consignee, or third party with an active CSS SMARTT Shipping Technology account.

Claims under $ 50.00 USD will not be processed.

Please note that GST and HST are not claimable.

If you did not purchase extra freight insurance, the amount claimable is limited to the standard carrier liability.

If you purchased extra freight insurance, the amount claimable is the invoice value of goods + freight charges.

Claims are to be filed in our CSS SMARTT Shipping Technology platform.

• Login to your CSS SMARTT Shipping Technology account.
• Under History> Interactive Zone> Click on the BL#> Claims Form
• The claims form is mostly completed for you.
• Attach all required documents.

Fully complete all required fields on the CSS SMARTT Shipping Technology claim form and attach all documents related to the claim. Information or documents required (but not limited to) are:

For damages

• Delivery receipt showing notation of damage
• Photos showing damaged goods and packaging of goods before shipping
• Itemized description of damaged goods
• Itemized invoice or picking slip outlining the damaged product
• If you are claiming for replacement, repair, or allowance (usable at a reduced dollar amount)
• Claim amount and details on how the claim amount is determined

Documents substantiating your claim amount for damages

For replacements

• invoice value of damaged goods showing your cost, or
• if you manufacture the goods, your manufacturing invoice and invoice(s) showing the cost of parts

For repairs

• Repair estimate
• Invoice(s) showing cost of parts

For allowance

• Invoice value of damaged goods showing your cost, or
• if you manufacture the goods, your manufacturing invoice and invoice(s) showing the cost of parts

For shortages or loss

• Itemized description of shortage or missing goods
• Itemized invoice or picking slip outlining the missing goods
• Invoice value of damaged goods showing your cost, or
• If you manufacture the goods, your manufacturing invoice, and invoice(s) showing the cost of parts

Our claims specialist will reach out to you if there is further information or documents required for full claim submission.

If you did not purchase extra freight insurance, full claim submission must be received by Complete Shipping Solutions within the carrier’s time limitation to file a claim. Carrier timelines may differ. Please reach out to claims@completeshipping.ca for more information.

If you purchased extra freight insurance, full claim submission must be received by Complete Shipping Solutions within 120 days from the date of the shipment.

Yes. A deductible will apply for all claim settlements.

If you did not purchase extra freight insurance, all carrier claim settlements will be subject to a deductible amount as follows:

• $0 deductible on claim valuation less than $1,000.00 USD.
• $150.00 USD deductible on claim valuation equal to or greater than $1,000.00USD.

If you purchased extra freight insurance, all extra freight insurance valuation will be subject to a deductible amount as follows:

• $0 deductible on claim valuation less than $1,000.00 USD.
• $150.00 USD deductible if the value of the shipment declared and paid for, is equal to or greater than $1,000.00 USD.

No. Freight charges are claims that are considered separate items. Freight charges must be settled for claims to be processed. Please refer to your credit agreement.

Carrier claims and extra insurance claims are filed with the carrier or insurance company. Claims are processed in accordance with their respective timelines and policies. It is common for claims processing to take 60 days or more. The current average is 60-90 days for resolution.

You will be assigned a ticket once a claim is filed.

Complete Shipping Solutions will notify you via the ticket as soon as the adjudication of your claim is complete.

To view the ticket in SMARTT Shipping, go to Contact Us/ Help> View Tickets.

Please refer to the ticket for updates, or if further information/ documentation is required for claim processing.

When shipments are in transit, they are subject to many hazards. Sometimes, unfortunate damages or losses do occur. If your shipment is damaged or lost in transit, the carrier’s standard liability is limited and often does not cover the full value of your shipment.

That is why it is important to consider extra freight insurance for your shipment. Extra freight insurance provides extra protection for your shipments to help reduce financial loss in the event of damage or loss.

Yes. Extra freight insurance is offered for purchase in CSS SMARTT Shipping. For more information on extra freight insurance, please review the extra freight insurance terms and conditions (T&C).

Choose extra freight insurance to minimize your financial loss in the event a shipment is damaged or lost in transit. This small investment provides peace of mind as your goods leave your facility.

• If you do not purchase extra freight insurance, the shipment is covered under the carrier’s standard liability coverage, which is limited and often only covers part of your financial loss.
• If you purchase extra freight insurance, it covers the invoice value of goods + freight charges. Review the extra freight insurance coverage terms and conditions.

For example :

You ship goods weighing 200lbs. with an invoice value of goods totaling $800.00, and freight charges of $100.00. If damage or loss is sustained in transit, your recovery of financial loss is as follows:

Claim without extra freight insurance – standard carrier liability

• Most motor truck carriers coverages are limited to a maximum of $2.00/lb  or $4.41/kg. Recovery of financial loss in this example is $2.00/lb x 200lbs = $400.
• Most courier and post coverages are limited to $100/package. Recovery of financial loss in this example is $100.

Claim with extra freight insurance – invoice value of goods + freight charges

• Coverage for motor truck carriers with extra freight insurance will be the invoice value of goods + freight charges. Recovery of financial loss in this example is $800 + $100 = $900.
• Coverage for courier and post with extra freight insurance will be the invoice value of goods + freight charges. Recovery of financial loss in this example is $800 + $100 = $900.

Your insured value must reflect 100% of the true invoice value of goods. If the insured value is found to be less than the true value, the claim settlement may be pro-rated to a lesser amount.

Minimum insurable amount

• $50.00 USD on motor truck shipments and small package couriers or post

Maximum insurable amount

• $75,000.00 USD on motor truck shipments
• $25,000.00 USD for small package couriers or post

A higher insurance amount will require approval.

When setting up a shipment in CSS SMARTT Shipping,  simply enter the value you want to insure, and the extra freight insurance cost will be added to the overall freight cost. Review the extra freight insurance coverage details here.

Claims under $50.00 USD will not be processed.

Extra freight insurance covers the invoice value of goods + freight charges.

For full terms and conditions, review the extra freight insurance coverage details here.

Yes. All extra insurance claims settlements will be subject to a deductible amount as follows:

• $0 deductible on claim valuation less than $1,000.00 USD.
• $150.00 USD deductible if the value of the shipment is declared and paid for is equal to or greater than $1,000.00 USD.