What all did you do prior to tarping to protect your tarps? Did you use blankets and carpet or anything? Regardless of the load it’s in your best interest to do what you can to protect your tarps.
Irregular size, the last 200 loads you moved exactly like this without tarping, or the customer wanting this one tarped has nothing to do with your tarps ripped. That is on you. You cant saddle someone who had nothing to do with the installation of said tarps with the cost of damage plain and simple.
Covering a load with tarps is part of the job. It is also part of the job to take care of your equipment, tarps are part of your equipment. The tarp damage is your problem, not someone else. You see the load, you make the decision. Seems you had a reasonable thought the tarps would get damaged. Seems like an expensive lesson was learned. Repair or replacement is your choice.
I don't see where anybody here insulted you. I'm glad you got paid. It surprises me though. If you had to haul the same load all over again and tarp it would you do anything differently? Like pad the sharp corners and rough edges maybe?
The driver is responsible for his own tarps. Don’t want your tarps messed up, either learn how to pad the problem areas or refuse the load. Once you sign that BOL, anything that happens to that load or your equipment is on you.
I have been told no tarp before on irregular load and get there and they want it tarped. If they won't agree to a better price (the cost of a new tarp) I leave without the load. I don't carry carpet or extra padding nor do I except loads that require it.