Lost Shipment Claim Documentation and Filing
A shipment that stops updating in transit and never arrives requires tracing its last confirmed location, gathering the bill of lading, proof of tender and value documentation, and filing a formal claim with the carrier within a strict deadline — usually nine months under the Carmack Amendment for US domestic freight, but often much shorter under individual carrier tariffs. That documentation chase happens manually after someone finally notices the shipment never showed up, and by the time it's assembled, the carrier's investigation window has narrowed, tracing data has aged out of the carrier's own system, and the claim goes in weaker and later than it needed to.
STARTING PRICE
From €299
Standard tier · Multi-step workflow with AI extraction/decisioning and 2-3 integrations.
Get a quote →Saves roughly 3-6 hrs per claim, plus meaningfully improved recovery rate from faster, better-documented filing.
How the automation works
We detect a likely lost shipment automatically when tracking data stops updating and delivery confirmation doesn't arrive within a configured window past expected delivery, then assemble the claim documentation immediately while the tracing trail is still fresh — last confirmed scan location and timestamp, bill of lading, proof of tender, and the shipment's declared value. The claim is drafted against the specific carrier's filing requirements and deadline, flagged for a quick review before submission, and filed within the carrier's window instead of after a slow manual discovery process has already eaten into the available time. Claim status is tracked to resolution, with an escalation flag if the carrier doesn't respond within their own required timeframe.
Process flow
- 01
Detect likely non-delivery trigger
A shipment whose tracking stops updating and doesn't confirm delivery within a configured window past expected delivery date is flagged as a likely loss.
- 02
Assemble tracing evidence ai
Last confirmed scan location, timestamp, and full shipment movement history are pulled together automatically while the tracing trail is still fresh in the carrier's system.
- 03
Gather claim documentation integration
Bill of lading, proof of tender, and declared or invoiced value documentation are gathered automatically from the shipping and order records.
- 04
Draft claim against carrier requirements ai
A claim is drafted matching the specific carrier's filing format and required documentation, referencing their applicable deadline (Carmack Amendment or carrier tariff terms).
- 05
Route for review output
The drafted claim routes to a logistics or claims team member for a quick review and confirmation before submission.
- 06
File and track to resolution output
Once confirmed, the claim files with the carrier automatically, and status is tracked to resolution with escalation if the carrier misses their required response window.
Inputs
- Shipment tracking data and last confirmed scan
- Bill of lading and proof of tender
- Declared or invoiced shipment value
- Carrier-specific claim filing requirements and deadlines
Outputs
- Assembled tracing evidence packet
- Drafted claim matching carrier requirements
- Filed claim with tracking status
- Escalation flag on carrier non-response
Works with
Prefer a fully custom build instead of an off-the-shelf integration? We scope both options during your free consultation — most jobs like this one work fine on standard connectors, but higher-volume or non-standard systems sometimes need bespoke API work, reflected in the complex tier.
Where this goes wrong if you get it wrong
- Waiting for someone to manually notice a shipment never arrived before starting the tracing process wastes exactly the time window that matters most — tracking data and scan history age out of a carrier's own system, and detection needs to trigger automatically from a missed expected-delivery window, not from a customer complaint days or weeks later.
- Filing under the wrong deadline framework — assuming the full Carmack Amendment window applies when a specific carrier's tariff terms impose a shorter contractual filing deadline — can get a valid claim rejected on a technicality; the draft needs to reference the actual applicable deadline for that specific carrier and shipment type.
- Claiming full retail or invoiced value when the carrier's liability is actually limited by a released-value rate on the original bill of lading understates what will realistically be recovered and can trigger a dispute — the claim needs to reference the actual liability terms agreed on the shipment, not just the shipment's commercial value.
- A shipment that eventually turns up after a claim has already been filed needs a clear process to withdraw or amend the claim — filing automation needs a way to catch a late delivery and stop the claim before it proceeds as if the loss were confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
How is a lost shipment detected before someone reports it missing?
Tracking data that stops updating and no delivery confirmation within a configured window past expected delivery triggers an automatic flag, rather than waiting for a customer or team member to notice.
What deadline does the claim reference?
The carrier's actual applicable deadline — which may be the Carmack Amendment window for US domestic freight or a shorter contractual deadline under that specific carrier's tariff — not a single default assumption.
What if the shipment turns up after a claim is filed?
A late delivery detected after filing triggers a claim withdrawal or amendment flag, so the claim doesn't proceed as a confirmed loss once the shipment is actually located.
Does the claim account for released-value liability limits?
Yes — the claim amount references the actual liability terms agreed on the bill of lading rather than the shipment's full commercial value, which keeps the filed claim accurate to what's recoverable.