These are steps and requirements in claiming for a marine insurance loss. It is said that Marine Insurance claim is one of the hardest and needs fine details of the incident.

Step 1. Notify all parties concerned after the discovery. These includes

the supplier and/or shipper, the local trucking service provider and the insurance.

Step 1 is to make sure that your loss will be paid by the guilty party

after the investigation. There is a lot of probability to whom the damage may arise.

Step 2. Gather pertinent documents like:

Duly-accomplished Cargo Marine Claim Form

Original Marine Risk Note & Endorsements, if any

Original/Certified copy of Commercial Invoice

Original/Certified copy of Bill of Lading

Copy of Packing List

Copies of formal claim filed against the following:

• Arrasstre Operator/Contractor
• Vessel’s owner/Agent
• Other bailees like customs Broker, etc.
• and their respective replies.

Copy of Delivery Receipts

For claim involving short-landed shipments in bad order condition:

• Bad Order Certificate issued by the Arrastre Contractor
• Copy of turn-over Survey of Bad Order on Board cargoes issued by the Arrastre Contractor as attested by

  the vessel’s representative

• Original laboratory or Quality Control Analysis
• Original Invoice for repair/reconditioning of bad order or damaged items

for claim involving short-landed shipments/spillage / leakage:

• Bad Order Certificate
• Turn-over Survey on Bad Order Cargoes

For claim involving short delivered shipments;

• Short delivery or short landing Certificate issued by the Arrastre Contractor certifying the non discharge of package/s or Tally sheet of Discharge
• Notice of unlocated Cargo files by the Insured’s custom’s Broker against the ship owner or Arrastre Contractor
• Permit to Deliver imported goods

For Theft or Pilferage claim:

• Turn-over Survey
• Bad order certificate

Step 3 After notifying your agent on Step 1, a marine insurance representative from your insurance company will call you and ask you initial questions and might probably set an appointment with you and to see the damaged items.

As i mentioned in Step 1, the insurance will conduct a thorough investigation of the claim; the insurance may deny their obligation if they found out that the damages came from another guilty party which they will provide you with a comprehensive report that you can use to prove the guilty parties negligence.

Nevertheless, don’t feel bad that the insurance denied your claim, they just gave you a comprehensive report who should be liable, they are not evading the claim but they are just giving you the right to claim from the guilty party. If the insurance report said that the damage is due to an accident or force majeur then insurance will pay for the damages.

Remember, insurance is not a tool or last resort to get your money’s worth. The insurance will always respond to the accident. Guaranteed.