Dealing with insurance claims

Discussion in 'Refrigerated Trucking Forum' started by Madrivermary, Apr 14, 2016.

  1. Madrivermary

    Madrivermary Bobtail Member

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    Apr 13, 2016
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    I've been hauling produce lately and I've been hit with some claims that were not my fault. The shipper loaded me, I set my temp where I was told to. When I get to the receiver they pulp the fruit and they said it's above temp. I was later informed by the broker that it was a claim and it was my fault. I pulled a download of the unit and my temp was spot on but they still charged me for a loss anyway. I heard that the load I delivered got loaded on another truck to go out to a store shelf. How can they do that? Anyone else have this issue before?
     
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  3. Razorwyr

    Razorwyr Road Train Member

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    They should have pulped it when they pulled it off of your truck, as you should have done when they loaded your truck. If the product is hot when loaded, it doesn't matter what your reefer is set at, the product in the center of the pallets will not get down to temperature. If you check it and it's hot, tell them you aren't accepting it until it's down to the correct temp. If you do this, you can't get hit for the claim.

    The customer at the other end can't sell it if they are filing a claim against it either I wouldn't think. That sounds like insurance fraud to me.
     
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  4. TallJoe

    TallJoe Road Train Member

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    This is exactly what I dread thinking about hauling a reefer! But I did haul a reefer, and had similar situations. They may want to scam you. For instance, many scam receivers want to claim the product is in a bad shape and regain some money for it. At times they blame shippers, other times they blame a carrier. It happens quite often when they see that they won't sell the product at the rate they though they would (produce market maybe quite volatile almost like stock market) . Other times, they may be overstock, and they will just under some pretense reject the full load. It does happen, however, when you load too hot a product on a reefer, and regardless of how good the reefer is, and the mass of produce is loaded tight, it will keep the isotherm throughout the transit, delivering the produce warm.
    It is therefore essential to pulp at least a few pallets they are loading, and if it is too off, write it on a BOL and call the broker, or don't take it! But, they either take the load or reject the load! If they reject, you have to call the food inspector to state the condition of the product. If they take it under so called protest, then it has to be explained and possibly an inspector called. At least, you have to witness the pulping. I feel for you. Yep, I want to go back to reefers, but these kind of situations are nightmare.
     
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  5. nofilter

    nofilter Light Load Member

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    Wow, Get yourself an attorney. these guys are total crooks
     
  6. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    White County, Arkansas
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    Sometimes rejected reefer freight is resold to wholesalers in the area and offloaded to them. You might wait a while before the buyer completes the transaction to get you unloaded.

    Worse case scenario you will put the rig on top of the landfill and they will dump the cargo at someone's expense which I can only remember happening twice in my time on the road, both of which was not our fault.

    Reefers maintain temperature, whatever you load must be at temp or colder. Once it starts to gain temp, Not even God can keep it cool.
     
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