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Free tool · Damage claim assistant

Car damaged during shipping? File a claim that holds up

Answer a few questions to see how strong your claim is, the deadlines federal law gives you, the evidence you still need — and get a ready-to-send claim letter for the carrier as a PDF.

We don't accept or handle damage claims

Best Car Shipping Companies is an independent directory. We are not a carrier, broker, insurer or law firm, and we are not part of your shipment. This free tool only helps you prepare your own claim to send to the carrier that moved your car. It is general information, not legal advice — don't send your claim to us.

Private: what you type stays in your browser. We don't store or send it anywhere.

  1. 1
    Answer the questionsWhat happened, your evidence, the carrier
  2. 2
    Check your claimStrength, deadlines, missing evidence
  3. 3
    Download the letterPDF, text or email
  4. 4
    Send it to the carrierThen follow the step-by-step guide
1What happened
2Your evidence

Tick what you have. Missing items aren't fatal — the tool tells you how to get them.

3The carrier and the shipment
On the Bill of Lading, the truck door, or ask your broker.
4The damage
5Your details — for the letter only

Your claim letter

Ready to send to the carrier

It includes everything 49 CFR § 370.3 ↗ requires in a claim: the shipment, the carrier's liability and the amount. Highlighted gaps still need your details — click one to jump to its field.

General information about federal rules for interstate shipments, not legal advice. Shipments within one state follow that state's law. For large losses, talk to an attorney.

After you send it

Your next steps and dates

    Step by step

    What to do if your car was damaged during shipping

    Most claims are won or lost in the first hour after delivery. Follow these steps in order — each one links to the federal rule behind it.

    1. 1

      Inspect the car before you sign

      Walk around the car with the driver at delivery and write every new scratch, dent or broken part on the Bill of Lading before you sign it.

      • Check in good light — use a flashlight after dark. Look at the roof, bumpers, wheels and under the front lip.
      • Compare with the pickup Bill of Lading: anything new is transit damage.
      • Describe each item with its location and size ("4-inch dent, rear passenger door") and ask the driver to sign or initial it.
      • Don't sign "received in good condition" if it wasn't. If you are rushed, write "subject to inspection" next to your signature.
    2. 2

      Photograph the damage before the driver leaves

      Take wide shots and close-ups of every damaged area, with the truck and the delivery place in the frame, and keep the original files.

      • Wide shot of each side of the car, then close-ups with a coin or key for scale.
      • Get the truck, trailer number and driver in at least one photo.
      • Keep the original files: their date and location data is evidence. Don't send only screenshots.
    3. 3

      Collect proof of the car's condition at pickup

      The carrier's first argument is that the damage was already there. The pickup Bill of Lading and your pickup photos answer it.

      • The driver must give you a copy of the pickup Bill of Lading or inspection report — ask the broker or carrier if you don't have it.
      • Look for photos from the pickup day on your phone; many drivers also take photos in their dispatch app.
      • Save your booking confirmation and payment receipts.
    4. 4

      Find out which carrier hauled the car

      Your claim goes to the motor carrier that transported the car. The broker you booked with only arranged it.

      • The carrier's name and USDOT number are on the Bill of Lading and the truck door.
      • Ask the broker in writing for the carrier's details and its certificate of cargo insurance.
      • Check the carrier in our company lookup to confirm its legal name, address and insurance on file.
      • A broker's $75,000 bond covers its unpaid obligations to carriers and shippers, not damage caused by a carrier.

      Sources: 49 U.S.C. § 14706 (Carmack Amendment) ↗ · 49 CFR § 387.307 ↗

    5. 5

      Get a repair estimate

      A claim needs a specific dollar amount. One or two written estimates from body shops set it.

      • Get written estimates that list parts and labor.
      • If the carrier or its insurer asks to inspect the car, allow it promptly — but don't wait weeks for them.
      • Keep damaged parts and receipts for any extra costs, such as a rental car.
    6. 6

      Send a written claim to the carrier

      A valid claim is in writing, identifies the shipment, holds the carrier liable and demands a specific amount. Send it by email and by certified mail.

      • Use the letter this page builds — it contains everything the regulation requires.
      • Attach copies (never originals) of the Bills of Lading, photos and estimate.
      • Send by email and by certified mail with return receipt, and copy the broker.
      • Federal law gives you at least 9 months to file, but send it within days.

      Sources: 49 CFR § 370.3 ↗ · 49 U.S.C. § 14706 (Carmack Amendment) ↗

    7. 7

      Track the carrier's response

      The carrier must acknowledge your claim within 30 days and pay, decline or make a firm offer within 120 days.

      • Write down the dates: received, acknowledged, decided.
      • If it needs more than 120 days, it must tell you why in writing every 60 days.
      • Call your own auto insurer too: comprehensive or collision coverage may pay now and recover from the carrier.
      • Don't sign a release or cash a "full and final" check until you agree with the amount.

      Sources: 49 CFR § 370.5 ↗ · 49 CFR § 370.9 ↗

    8. 8

      Escalate if it is denied or ignored

      Reply to a denial in writing with your evidence, file an FMCSA complaint, and use small claims court or an attorney if needed.

      • Answer a denial or lowball offer in writing, point by point, with your evidence.
      • File a complaint in the FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database or call 1-888-368-7238. FMCSA records complaints but doesn't collect money for you.
      • Small claims court handles most car damage amounts; limits and rules depend on your state.
      • You have at least 2 years to sue from the date the carrier denies the claim in writing. For large losses, talk to an attorney.

      Sources: FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database ↗ · 49 U.S.C. § 14706 (Carmack Amendment) ↗

    Federal law

    Your rights when a carrier damages your car

    For shipments across state lines, the Carmack Amendment (49 U.S.C. § 14706 (Carmack Amendment) ↗) makes the motor carrier liable for actual damage to your vehicle, and 49 CFR Part 370 ↗ sets how it must handle your claim.

    RuleWhat it means for youSource
    Time to file a written claimAt least 9 months49 U.S.C. § 14706 (Carmack Amendment) ↗
    What the claim must includeThe shipment, a statement that the carrier is liable, and a specific dollar amount49 CFR § 370.3 ↗
    Carrier acknowledges the claimWithin 30 days of receiving it49 CFR § 370.5 ↗
    Carrier pays, declines or makes an offerWithin 120 days of receiving it49 CFR § 370.9 ↗
    If it can't decide by thenWritten status update every 60 days49 CFR § 370.9 ↗
    Time to sueAt least 2 years from the carrier's written denial49 U.S.C. § 14706 (Carmack Amendment) ↗

    Avoid these

    Why car shipping damage claims get denied

    • A clean Bill of Lading

      You signed at delivery without noting the damage, so the paperwork says the car arrived fine.

    • No record of the car at pickup

      Without pickup photos or a marked inspection report, the carrier says the damage was already there.

    • Claim sent to the wrong company

      The broker isn't liable for transit damage. The claim must name the carrier that hauled the car.

    • No specific amount

      "Please fix my car" isn't a claim. Put a dollar figure on it, backed by an estimate.

    • Items left inside the car

      Cargo insurance covers the vehicle, not personal belongings packed in it.

    • Waiting too long

      The legal window is months, but late reports look suspicious and evidence disappears. Write the same day.

    Before your next shipment

    Use our car shipping checklist and inspection form at pickup, and check the carrier's insurance before you book.

    FAQ

    Car shipping damage claims

    Need to complain to regulators? Use the FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database ↗ or call 1-888-368-7238.

    What should I do if my car was damaged during shipping?

    Note the damage on the Bill of Lading before you sign, photograph it before the driver leaves, then send the carrier a written claim with a specific dollar amount and your evidence: the pickup and delivery Bills of Lading, photos and a repair estimate. Send it by email and certified mail and keep copies.

    Who is responsible for damage — the carrier or the broker?

    The motor carrier that hauled your car. Under the Carmack Amendment (49 U.S.C. § 14706) the carrier is liable for actual damage to the vehicle while in its care. A broker only arranges the move, but a good one will help you reach the carrier and its insurer — ask for the carrier's cargo insurance certificate.

    How long do I have to file a car shipping damage claim?

    For interstate shipments, federal law doesn't let a carrier give you less than 9 months to file a written claim, and less than 2 years to sue after it denies the claim in writing. Your contract may ask you to report damage sooner — do it right away anyway, because evidence gets weaker every day.

    I signed the Bill of Lading without noting the damage. Can I still claim?

    You can still file, but it is harder: a clean Bill of Lading suggests the car arrived undamaged. Report the damage in writing as soon as possible, explain why it wasn't noted (for example, delivery after dark or damage underneath the car), and back it up with pickup photos that show the car without that damage.

    Is there a deductible on the carrier's insurance?

    Many carrier cargo policies have a deductible, often $500–$2,500, but that is between the carrier and its insurer. The carrier is liable for the damage, so you should not have to pay its deductible.

    Will my own car insurance cover damage during shipping?

    Often, if you have comprehensive or collision coverage. Your insurer may pay for repairs, minus your deductible, and then recover the money from the carrier. Call them early — it can be faster than waiting for the carrier.

    What if the carrier ignores my claim?

    Carriers must acknowledge a claim within 30 days and pay, decline or make an offer within 120 days. If yours doesn't, send a written follow-up, file a complaint with the FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database, and consider small claims court in your state.