What's the difference between a freight claim and a detention claim?

A freight claim is any claim a carrier files against a broker or shipper for money owed — it covers damage, loss, shortage, detention, and accessorial charges. A detention claim is a specific type of freight claim for time spent waiting at a facility beyond the contracted free time. Detention claims are the most common and most valuable freight claims that carriers leave unfiled.

How long do I have to file a freight claim?

It depends on the broker. Most broker-carrier agreements specify a claims window of 30 to 90 days from the delivery date. Some allow up to 180 days. Check your rate confirmation and carrier-broker agreement for the exact deadline. Under the Carmack Amendment, the statutory limit for loss and damage claims is 9 months, but contractual deadlines are usually shorter. File as soon as possible — claims filed within 48 hours have significantly higher approval rates.

Can I file a claim without GPS proof?

Yes, but it is harder. Without GPS data, you need alternative documentation: signed BOLs with timestamps, facility check-in/check-out logs, driver logs, photos with metadata, or written confirmation from the receiver. GPS proof from an ELD like Samsara, Motive, or Geotab makes claims nearly automatic because the timestamps are objective and verifiable. Bastion can work with or without GPS — but GPS-backed claims have significantly higher recovery rates.

What if the broker denies my claim?

A denial is not the end. First, request the specific reason for denial in writing. Common reasons include missing documentation, late filing, or disputed terms. If documentation is the issue, resubmit with the missing proof. If the broker disputes the rate con terms, provide the signed rate confirmation showing detention language. If the broker refuses to pay despite valid documentation, you can escalate to the FMCSA complaint process or pursue the claim in small claims court. Bastion handles escalation automatically.

How much does Bastion charge?

Bastion charges a commission on recovered claims only. If we do not recover money, you pay nothing. No monthly fees, no contracts, no setup costs. Your first claim is free. Commission-only pricing means our incentives are aligned with yours — we only get paid when you get paid.

Freight claims: the complete guide for carriers

Most carriers think of freight claims as damage claims — something broke in transit, the shipper wants money. But the claims that cost carriers the most are the ones they never file. Detention, TONU, lumper reimbursement, layover pay. This guide covers every type of freight claim carriers should be filing, how to file them, and why most claims get denied.

Last updated: April 2026 · Bastion Recovery Research Team

What is a freight claim?

A freight claim is a formal demand for payment related to a shipment. It covers any situation where the carrier, shipper, or broker owes money that was not included in the original settlement.

There are five main types of freight claims:

Damage claims — freight was damaged during transit. The shipper or receiver files against the carrier, or the carrier files against the broker for disputed liability.
Shortage claims — part of the shipment is missing. Count discrepancies between the BOL and what was delivered.
Loss claims — the entire shipment or a significant portion never arrived.
Detention claims — the carrier waited at a facility past the contracted free time and is owed detention pay.
Accessorial claims — charges beyond the line haul rate: TONU, lumper reimbursement, layover pay, rate discrepancies.

Most carriers only think about damage and loss — the traditional cargo claims. The real money is in detention and accessorial claims that almost nobody files. The trucking industry loses $15.1 billion annually to unpaid detention alone. Accessorial claims like TONU and lumper reimbursement add billions more.

Types of claims carriers should be filing

Detention claims

When you wait at a pickup or delivery facility past the contracted free time, you are owed detention pay. Free time is typically 1 to 2 hours, and detention rates range from $50 to $100 per hour depending on the rate confirmation. 95% of carriers include detention terms in their rate confirmations, but fewer than half actually file claims when detention occurs.

Read the full detention pay recovery guide →

TONU (Truck Ordered Not Used)

When a broker dispatches you to a load and then cancels after you have already committed — driven to the shipper, turned down other loads, or repositioned your truck — you are owed a TONU fee. TONU fees typically range from $150 to $500. Most carriers never file them.

Read the full TONU guide →

Lumper fee reimbursement

Third-party unloading charges at distribution centers. If your rate confirmation includes lumper reimbursement language, the broker owes you for every lumper fee you paid. Average lumper fees run $150 to $400 per load.

Read the full lumper fees guide →

Layover pay

When a shipper or receiver forces you to wait overnight or over a weekend between loading and unloading, you are owed layover pay. Layover rates typically range from $200 to $400 per day. This is separate from detention — layover covers extended waiting periods, not just hours at the dock.

Read the full layover pay guide →

Rate discrepancy

When your settlement does not match your rate confirmation. The broker agreed to pay $2,800 but settled at $2,600. The difference is a valid claim. Compare every settlement to the signed rate con.

The Carmack Amendment — your right to file

The Carmack Amendment (49 USC 14706) is the federal statute that governs carrier liability for freight loss and damage in interstate commerce. It also establishes the carrier's right — and the right of authorized agents — to file freight claims directly.

Under the Carmack Amendment, carriers have a legal framework for claiming compensation when shipments are damaged, lost, or when agreed-upon terms are not met. This is established law. Brokers cannot simply refuse to acknowledge claims — they have a legal obligation to process them.

For detention-specific regulations, the FMCSA has issued rules requiring brokers and shippers to address excessive detention times.

Read the FMCSA detention rules guide →

How to file a freight claim: step by step

Document everything. Timestamps, photos, signed BOLs, rate confirmations, facility check-in logs. The more documentation you have, the harder it is for the broker to deny. GPS data from your ELD is the strongest proof available.
Calculate what you are owed. Use the detention rate and free time from your rate confirmation. For lumper fees, use the receipt amount. For TONU, use the agreed TONU fee or standard rate. Be precise — vague claims get denied.
Build a proof packet. Combine the rate confirmation, GPS timestamps or facility logs, BOL, lumper receipts, photos, and any relevant communications into a single packet. A complete packet submitted upfront is significantly more likely to be approved than a bare claim followed by back-and-forth.
Submit to the broker with supporting evidence. Send to the billing or claims department — not dispatch. Include the load number, date, amount claimed, and all supporting documents. Email is standard. Keep a delivery receipt or read confirmation.
Follow up within 7 to 14 days. Brokers process hundreds of claims. If you do not follow up, your claim sits at the bottom of the pile. A polite follow-up with the original documentation attached increases recovery rates significantly.
Escalate if denied. Request the denial reason in writing. If the denial is based on missing documentation, resubmit with the missing items. If the broker is disputing terms that are clearly in the rate con, escalate to a supervisor, file an FMCSA complaint, or pursue in small claims court.

Why most claims get denied (and how to avoid it)

Missing documentation. No GPS proof, no BOL, no timestamps. The number one reason claims are denied. Fix: document everything at the time it happens. Take photos. Keep receipts. Connect your ELD.
Filed too late. Most brokers have 30 to 90 day claims windows. After that, they are not obligated to pay. Fix: file within 48 hours when possible. Never let a claim sit longer than two weeks.
Wrong contact. Sent to dispatch instead of billing. Dispatch cannot process claims. Fix: find the billing or accounts payable department. Ask for the claims email address specifically.
No proof of detention terms in rate con. If the rate confirmation does not mention detention, the broker has no contractual obligation to pay. Fix: negotiate detention terms into every rate confirmation before you dispatch.
Bastion handles all of this automatically. Connect your ELD, forward your rate confirmations, and Bastion builds the proof packet, files the claim, follows up, and escalates — all without you lifting a finger.

The claims most carriers forget to file

95% of carriers charge detention fees, but fewer than half actually collect. TONU and lumper reimbursement claims are almost never filed — not because they are invalid, but because the filing process is tedious and carriers are focused on driving, not paperwork.

The trucking industry loses $15.1 billion annually to detention alone, according to ATRI research. Accessorial claims like TONU, lumper reimbursement, and layover pay add billions more. For a 10-truck fleet averaging 2 detention events per truck per month at $250 each, that is $60,000 per year in uncollected revenue.

If your rate con has detention terms and you waited past free time, you have a claim. If you paid a lumper fee and the rate con says "lumper reimbursed," you have a claim. If a load was canceled after dispatch and the rate con includes a TONU clause, you have a claim.

The money is there. Most carriers just never file.

How Bastion automates freight claims recovery

Connect your ELD — Samsara, Motive, or Geotab. Detention is detected automatically using GPS geofence data. No manual entry required.
Forward your Rate Cons — Bastion's AI extracts detention terms, free time, rates, lumper language, and TONU clauses from every rate confirmation.
Proof packets built automatically — GPS-verified timestamps, rate con terms, load details, and supporting evidence compiled into a professional proof packet.
Claims filed and tracked — Bastion files the claim with the broker, follows up on schedule, and escalates if denied. You see the status in your dashboard.
Commission-only pricing — you pay nothing unless we recover money. No monthly fees. No contracts. First claim free.