Cargo Claim
A Cargo Claim is a demand for compensation for loss of, or damage to, goods that occurred while they were in transit — made by the cargo owner (or their insurer) against the party responsible, typically the carrier, freight forwarder or terminal. It is the mechanism by which the financial consequences of damaged, short-delivered or lost cargo are recovered.
Success depends on evidence and procedure: noting damage on delivery, a clean versus claused transport document, surveys, and giving notice within the time limits set by the contract and the governing conventions (Hague-Visby, Hamburg or Rotterdam Rules for sea, Montreal for air, CMR for road), which also cap the carrier's liability — often far below the goods' value. Because of those limits, cargo owners usually rely on marine cargo insurance and then let the insurer pursue the carrier by subrogation. Handling cargo claims well — documenting condition, meeting deadlines, and knowing the liability regime — is important to recovering losses, and their frequency is a measure of supply-chain and handling quality.
When goods arrive damaged or short, the cargo claim is how the loss gets recovered — but carrier liability is capped low and deadlines are strict, so evidence and timing are everything. That gap between liability limits and real value is exactly why cargo insurance exists. Handling claims well protects real money and reveals where a supply chain is failing.
Who is a cargo claim made against?
The party responsible for the loss or damage in transit — usually the carrier, freight forwarder or terminal — by the cargo owner or their insurer.
Why is cargo insurance important given the right to claim?
Carrier liability is capped by convention, often far below the goods' value and subject to strict time limits, so insurance covers the gap and then recovers via subrogation.