(a) Claims for overcharge, duplicate payment, or overcollection shall be accompanied by sufficient information to allow the carriers to conduct an investigation and pay or decline the claim within the time limitations set forth in § 378.8. Claims shall include the name of the claimant, its file number, if any, and the amount of the refund sought to be recovered, if known.

(b) Claims for overcharge shall be accompanied by the freight bill. Additional information may include, but is not limited to, the following:

(1) The rate, classification, or commodity description or weight claimed to have been applicable.

(2) Complete tariff authority for the rate, classification, or commodity description claimed.

(3) Freight bill payment information.

(4) Other documents or data which is believed by claimant to substantiate the basis for its claim.

(c) Claims for duplicate payment and overcollection shall be accompanied by the freight bill(s) for which charges were paid and by freight bill payment information.

(d) Regardless of the provisions of paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of this section, the failure to provide sufficient information and documentation to allow a carrier to conduct an investigation and pay or decline the claim within the allowable time limitation shall not constitute grounds for disallowance of the claim. Rather, the carrier shall comply with § 378.5(c) to obtain the additional information required.

(e) A carrier shall accept copies instead of the original documents required to be submitted in this section where the carrier is furnished with an agreement entered into by the claimant which indemnifies the carrier for subsequent duplicate claims which might be filed and supported by the original documents.

[43 FR 41040, Sept. 14, 1978, as amended at 44 FR 4679, Jan. 23, 1979; 47 FR 12804, Mar. 25, 1982; 62 FR 15424, Apr. 1, 1997; 83 FR 16225, Apr. 16, 2018]