2 elements of a winning Survey Report.

Edition no. 52

Life is too short, and your export business is too important to waste your profits on cargo damages. We give you the straight talk and confidence to recover cargo claims from liable carriers.

In this newsletter, we'll talk about the latest industry news, lessons, tactics, good practices that our clients - exporters, traders as yourself use to prevent and recover cargo losses, helping you achieve similar results.

We know you’re busy. So we'll keep this short, okay?

The problem: when cargo damage is extensive or cargo insurance policy insists, the receiver has no other choice but to appoint a cargo surveyor. The price of the survey can go up to 1,200 USD per reefer box and a bit less for dry cargo! 

Today we do not discuss when not to appoint a surveyor (a conversation for the future), instead, you learn what information needs to be inserted into the survey report so you have clarity of the outcome and not just paper in your hands. 

I've seen too many cargo survey reports. Some of them are extremely vague, without clear damage extent mentioned and no idea who the liable for damage party is. This leads to cargo claims being rejected by the liable party or cargo insurer.   

ACTION FOR TODAY❗

It is your legal right to ensure each survey report contains below information:

✅ Damage extent

For example: 60 boxes of lemon spoiled without possibility to salvage; or 13 boxes pilfered and etc. 

✅ Liable party for the damaged cargo

For example: damage happened during loading or discharging operations at the terminal; or due to water infiltration through the rusty roof of the container, etc.

Always request a surveyor to provide a preliminary survey report for you to review. You need to make sure above mentioned 2 parts are covered in the final report and to avoid contradictory statements in the report.

Even if surveyor is paid by your insurer, I suggest you check these key details in the survey report. If surveyor every time without physically being present alleges, that the cause of the damage is condensation, it allows Insurers to increase the loss ratio incrementally because condensation is always insureds fault and water ingress is not. Not to mention insurance cargo policies where deductibles for certain cargo damage types are much higher than for others. 

NOTA BENE.  

Make sure your guns are loaded before you enter the dispute with the liable party for cargo damage or with the insurer.

Did your cargo arrive damaged?

Submit claim documents now and get free, non-binding legal appraisal on your recovery likelihood and best defense strategy!

Recoupex is one of the fastest growing cargo claims recovery hubs helping customers globally to obtain the compensation they are entitled to when cargo is lost or damaged in transit (ocean, multimodal, air shipments: dry and refrigerated cargo). If you think Maersk, Sealand, Hapag-Lloyd, Mediterranean Shipping Company – MSC, CMA CGM, and other carriers might owe you compensation because of cargo loss or damages, you’ve come to the right place.