Protecting Your Freight for the Holiday Shipping Rush
The holiday rush is a good problem to have. Orders are up, customers are counting on you, and freight is moving fast. But the same things that make peak season busy also make it risky. More volume, more handling, and long holiday weekends all give your shipments more chances to be damaged, delayed, or stolen. The good news is that protecting your freight doesn’t have to be complicated. Between a few smart habits and comprehensive cargo insurance from Loadsure, built right into MyCarrier, you can head into peak season with a lot more peace of mind.
Why the Holidays Raise the Stakes
Peak season means fuller trailers, busier terminals, and more touches between pickup and delivery. Every time a pallet gets moved, there’s another chance for damage.
Holidays also tend to bring a rise in cargo theft. Thieves look for long weekends, reduced staffing, and closed facilities, so freight sitting in a trailer or yard over a holiday can be an easy target. Add winter weather to the mix, and it’s easy to see why claims tend to pile up this time of year.
What Carrier Liability Covers (And What it Doesn’t)
Many shippers assume their freight is fully protected once a carrier picks it up. In reality, LTL carriers provide limited liability, which isn’t the same as insurance.
Carrier liability is set by each carrier’s rules tariff and is usually calculated by weight, not by what your freight is worth. That means a light shipment with a big price tag may only be covered for a small portion of its value. Used or refurbished goods and some discounted rates often carry even lower limits. Recovery also generally depends on showing the carrier was responsible for the loss.
That’s simply how the system is designed, and it’s exactly the gap Loadsure’s comprehensive coverage is built to fill.
How Loadsure Coverage Works in MyCarrier
MyCarrier partnered with Loadsure to make cargo insurance part of the workflow you already use every day. Instead of going to a separate site or managing another vendor, you can quote, book, and insure a shipment in one place.
Here’s what you get:
– Comprehensive protection. Get coverage for your shipments at an affordable price, without having to prove carrier liability.
– Built right into your quote flow. There are no extra steps or separate systems. You add coverage right where you’re already booking your shipment, without slowing down your workflow.
– Closes the carrier liability gap. Carrier liability is limited by design. Loadsure allows coverage up to the amount of the product and transportation cost.
– Coverage that adapts to every shipment. Loadsure is a trusted third-party insurance partner delivering real-time shipment protection, with proactive loss prevention tools and scalable coverage.
– One place for all your claims. See all claims activity in one view, so it’s easy to file, track, and manage claims across every shipment.
– Prompt settlement. Claims are typically resolved within 7 to 10 days.
– No surprises. You skip entering duplicate information and receive a policy in your name with transparent terms and conditions of coverage.
Your Holiday Freight Protection Checklist
Coverage matters, but prevention still comes first. A few small habits go a long way:
– Package for extra handling. Stretch wrap, corner boards, and stable stacking help your freight hold up to more touches.
– Keep your bill of lading accurate. The right description, weight, and class give you a clean record if you ever need to file a claim.
– Plan around holiday closures. Try not to ship right before a long weekend if your freight would end up sitting at a terminal.
– Inspect and photograph at delivery. Check freight before signing, note any visible damage on the delivery receipt, and take pictures.
When Cargo Insurance Makes Sense
Not every shipment needs insurance. If you’re moving low-value, durable freight, carrier liability may be enough, and that’s a reasonable call.
Coverage tends to make the most sense when your freight is high-value, fragile, used, or light for its value, or when it’ll be in transit over a holiday weekend. Since Loadsure coverage is booked on individual shipments, you can add it where the risk is real and skip it where it isn’t.
Ship Through the Holidays with Confidence
Peak season will always come with some risk, but it doesn’t have to come with surprises. Know what your carrier liability covers, build a few protective habits into your routine, and add Loadsure coverage where it counts.
Curious how coverage works? Learn more about comprehensive cargo insurance in MyCarrier.
