The
BIFA Customer Compensation Fund
The British International Freight Association represents
those companies offering freight forwarding and related
services within the UK. Membership of BIFA is only
granted to companies that can demonstrate competence,
a successful period of trading and a degree of financial
standing. It requires the acceptance and operation
of BIFA's code of conduct, maintaining adequate levels
of freight liability insurance, and the adoption of
efficient management practices. These measures by
themselves provide a level of vetting and a compliance
with minimum standards that offer both reassurance
and reasons for shippers to make a positive choice
to deal with a Member of BIFA rather than a company
that is not in such membership.
To
demonstrate both the value of such monitoring and
once more underline the advantages of using a BIFA
member, the Association has introduced the BIFA Discretionary
Compensation Fund which on application will consider
providing a level of financial recompense, in some
circumstances, to customers of a BIFA member that
suffers financial failure.
The
circumstances when an application for recompense will
be considered by the Fund are when a customer has
pre-paid all or part of the freight, and has to pay
a second time to ensure that his goods reach their
destination.
Only
claims in respect of that part of the freight already
paid (and lost) will be considered.
To
claim, you must apply to BIFA at Feltham within thirty
days of the financial failure of the member. The association
may ask you for further information or documents to
verify your claim, which you will need to provide
within thirty days of the request.
When
the association has processed and verified all claims,
it will in its absolute discretion, decide whether
to pay compensation, and if so how much it will pay
to each payment. No more than £10,000 total
compensation will be paid by the Association following
a failure and if total claims exceed this figure,
claimants may only receive compensation for part of
their claim.
After
sufficient time has elapsed to allow for the processing
of all valid and accepted claims payment will be made
to the customers concerne
For
more information or submission of claims please contact:
British International Freight Association
Redfern House, Browells Lane
Feltham, Middlesex TW13 7EP
Tel: 020 8844 2266 Fax: 020 8890 5546
E-mail:
bifa@btconnect.com
