To make a breakage claim, record the damage when the container is opened, notify the carrier, your insurer and the factory in writing quickly, arrange a survey if the insurer asks for one, and then file a claim with photos, counts and the shipping documents. Who pays depends on where and why the breakage happened.
Most claims fail on evidence or timing, not on the damage itself. Act on the day the container is opened.
Step 1: record it on arrival
Photograph the seal, the load as the doors open and every damaged pallet. Count broken and damaged boxes by design and batch. Write the damage on the delivery receipt before you sign it. Checking a tile container on arrival gives the full checklist.
Step 2: notify everyone in writing
Send a written notice to each party that may be responsible. Keep the damaged goods and packing until the surveyor or insurer says you can dispose of them. Throwing them away early can weaken the claim.
- Your cargo insurer, who may appoint a surveyor and tell you what to keep.
- The carrier or its agent, with a written notice of damage; under many carriage rules the notice period is short.
- The trucking company, if the damage may have happened on the road.
- The factory, if the damage points to poor packing, wrong pallets or bad loading.
Step 3: work out who is responsible
The cause decides who pays. A load that shifted because of rough handling at sea points to the carrier or to an insured transit risk. Crushed boxes from weak cartons or pallets point to the packing, which the factory controls. Breakage found inside sealed boxes that were sound on the outside may be a production or sorting problem.
Your loading records help here. Photos of a sound, well-braced load at sealing show the damage came later. Without them, the insurer may argue the goods were packed badly, which is a common exclusion. See insurance for tile shipments.
Step 4: file the claim
- A claim letter stating the loss in boxes, square metres and value.
- The commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading.
- The insurance certificate or policy.
- Photos from unloading, the signed delivery receipt with your notes, and the survey report.
- Copies of your notices to the carrier and other parties.
- The loading report from India, if you have one.
Breakage allowances in the contract
Some purchase contracts set a breakage allowance that the buyer accepts without a claim, with replacement or credit above it. If you agree one, write the level, how it is measured and how the factory compensates you. Penalty clauses in a tile purchase contract covers the wording.
Next step
We document every load before the container is sealed, so you have the Indian side of the evidence if a claim is needed. To set up loading supervision for your orders, book a free sourcing review.