Background and objective

A major meat processor / consignor required a technology-enabled consignment claims solution to efficiently manage refrigerated / reefer consignments, rejection notices and consignee claims. The client wanted a digitally-enabled, evidence-rich intake and assessment workflow that would:

• Provide ability to create event-specific Smart.ly intake
• automate CIF / settlement calculations and validation
• capture documentary evidence for temperature / reefer events
• route complex or recovery files to specialist handling
• single-touch payments recommendations
• manage and track franchise and aggregate-level retentions
• deliver real-time portfolio-level insights to the insurer, broker and client
  

The claims situation

• Typical exposures included refrigerated meat consignments rejected on import / unpack; reefer malfunction / temperature abuse; contamination; container damage or short-delivery leading to consignment / value loss or disposal
• Evidentiary claim documentation required documents and data: commercial invoice, packing list / manifest, bill of lading / airwaybill, USDA rejection notices, independent temperature logger graphs, and container temperature downloads
• Operational claim delay due to manual CIF calculations, large file uploads (images, PODs, temperature data), variable supplier valuations and slow payment cycles produced claimant friction and heavy admin
• Back and forth email and document requests between consignee, policy holder, insurer and suppliers
• Complex tracking and management of franchise and policy-level retention arrangements and subsequent fund management to ensure responsible party payment and erosion of retention and funds

The solution we delivered

We worked with the client to design and implement a Digital First marine solution that would address their specific situation and needs.

• A claim-specific FNOL intake web-link (Smart.ly) on consignment documentation to enable capture of claimant / consignee details, purchase order / commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, unpack location / date, temperature logs and images
• Smart.ly embeds CIF logic (item weights × unit price,
• Auto-adds 10% margin, disposal costs) and articulates recovery opportunities
• Submissions include naming conventions and a 200MB upload allowance to support large evidence packs
• Smart.ly calculates settlement value, auto-assigning claim files to the Digital First team for validation of inputs and documentation
• Australian desk-based marine surveyors manage eligible consignment claims end-to-end, while complex matters (reefer control failures, multi-party recovery potential, high value) are escalated to senior marine surveyors to preserve and manage recovery opportunity
• viaOne client portal and customised Power BI reporting dashboards track claim and portfolio performance, variable aggregate erosion and loss fund management for accurate claim and risk exposure insights

Outcomes

• Creation of a fast, auditable and low-touch workflow for routine consignment losses, while preserving specialist survey and recovery capacity for complex matters
• Point-of-receipt information capture through use of embedded Smart.ly link in consignment documentation
• Improved decision confidence and reduction in unnecessary back and forth and disputes through Smart.ly delivering upfront validation of structured data capture
• Reduction in manual and cross-party handoffs through single-point claims management model to manage consignee, policyholder, broker and underwriter communications and resolution
• Multi-level retention exposure and associate loss-fund management across all stakeholders managed by Sedgwick
• Improved risk management through portfolio-level risk insights to client, broker and insurer