On the roadPlaybook · 4 min read
My load was stolen. What do I tell the broker?
The first 24 hours in order, what goes in the email to the broker, what never to say, and how to keep the cargo claim alive.
By Aditya EnterprisesUpdated September 13, 2026General operational guidance, not legal advice
Move fast and put everything in writing. Most cargo claims are not lost on the facts. They are lost on late notice and on something the carrier said in the first hour.
The first 24 hours, in order
- 01Confirm it is theft, not a misdelivery. Check the receiver and the driver's last known position before you call anyone.
- 02File a police report where the theft occurred and get the report number. Nothing else moves without it.
- 03Notify the broker in writing inside the window in your rate confirmation, usually 24 hours. Call first, then email.
- 04Open the cargo claim the same day. Late notice is the most common reason a claim gets reduced or denied.
- 05Preserve everything: ELD and GPS data, seal numbers, the BOL, gate receipts, photographs, and the driver's written statement while it is fresh.
What goes in the email to the broker
- BOL and load number, pickup and intended delivery
- Last known location and the time the loss was discovered
- Police department, report number and officer
- That the cargo claim is open, and one named point of contact
Facts only. Do not speculate about fault, do not accept liability, and do not agree to a dollar figure. Your liability for interstate freight runs through the Carmack Amendment and the terms of that rate confirmation. You are reporting a loss and opening a claim, not settling one.
Protecting the insurance side
- Read your theft clauses before you describe what happened. Unattended-vehicle and unsecured-lot exclusions are common and wording matters.
- Expect the adjuster to want the police report, BOL, rate con, ELD/GPS, driver statement and the shipper's invoice for value.
- If the load's value exceeds your cargo limit, that gap is yours. Get declared value confirmed in writing on high-value freight from now on.
Get a transportation attorney involved the moment a claim approaches your cargo limit, or if the broker starts talking about offsetting it against payment for unrelated loads.
