How to inspect vehicles and avoid damage claims

The inspection routine

1. Same order every time: front, driver side, rear, passenger side, roof, glass, wheels, interior.
2. Good light: use a flashlight at night and in parking garages. Low light hides scratches.
3. Photos of everything: all four corners, each side, VIN, odometer, keys and a close-up of every damage spot.
4. Write it on the BOL with location and code before anyone signs.
5. Signature, name and time from the shipper at pickup and the receiver at delivery.

Print the vehicle inspection checklist for your drivers.

Standard damage codes

How freight claims work

For interstate shipments, federal rules set out how carriers must handle cargo loss and damage claims (49 CFR Part 370):

• The carrier must acknowledge a written claim within 30 days of receiving it.
• The carrier must pay, decline or make a firm offer within 120 days, or send a status update every 60 days after that.
• Under the Carmack Amendment, a carrier may set a claim filing deadline, but it cannot be shorter than 9 months after delivery.

Your cargo insurance policy and your contract with the broker also matter. Read both before a claim comes in. This is general information, not legal advice.

When damage happens on your truck

• Note it on the BOL at delivery and take photos; hiding it makes things worse.
• Tell the broker and your insurance agent the same day.
• Keep a claim file: BOL, pickup and delivery photos, repair estimates, emails.
• Track the deadlines above so nothing slips.

Dispatch Autopilot’s inspection app guides drivers through every photo, records location and time, and keeps a claims log with these deadlines.

Questions