> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.orderprotection.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Filing a Claim > Step-by-step guide for how claims get filed — either by the customer through the OrderProtection.com portal, or by your team directly from the order page. A claim can be filed two ways: the customer can file it themselves through the OrderProtection.com portal, or your team can file it on the customer's behalf directly from the order page — for example, when a customer reaches out to your support team by phone, email, or chat instead of using the portal. Both paths lead to the same claim record and the same review process; only how the claim gets started differs. Below is a step-by-step overview of how your customers can file a claim through the OrderProtection.com portal. Feel free to share or adapt this information for your own support documentation. All descriptions in this guide reference our default OrderProtection.com-branded portal. Your own portal can be co-branded or customized. To learn more, see [Branding Your Claim Portal](/education-basecamp/customizations/branding-your-portal). Customers must file their claim within **45 days** of the order being fulfilled. Once this window passes, the portal will not accept new claims for that order. There may be exceptions depending on your contract with us. The customer navigates to the claim-filing page or portal link you provide. They are prompted to enter their **Order Number** and the **Email Address** used at checkout. Order verification screen If the order shipped in multiple parts, the customer will be asked which shipment has the issue. If not, they skip directly to the next step. Multiple shipments selection The customer selects whether the problem is a **Shipping issue** or an **Item issue**: * **Shipping Issues:** stolen package, returned to sender, tracking not moving, order says delivered but not received, etc. * **Item Issues:** defective, damaged, wrong item, or missing item. Choose the issue type If the customer selects an **Item issue**: * They are asked which item(s) are affected and how many. * If the issue is Damaged, Defective, or Wrong Item, the portal prompts them to upload photos showing the problem. Item issue details If the customer selects a **Shipping issue** (e.g., stolen, tracking not moving, or returned to sender): * They pick the scenario that best describes the situation. * They provide additional comments (e.g., describing where the package was left or when they last saw movement on the tracking). Shipping issue details The portal asks the customer how they'd like to resolve the claim. Depending on availability and your store's settings, options typically include: * **Store Credit** -- Generated as a discount code or gift card (Shopify only). * **Reshipment** -- Another item is shipped to replace the missing/damaged items (subject to stock availability). * **Refund** -- The amount for the affected items is refunded to the original payment method. The final decision on issuing store credit, reshipments, or refunds will be determined by our team and may be dependent on stock levels or claim eligibility. If a claim is denied, none of these resolutions will be offered. The customer sees a **Review** screen summarizing the claim details. They confirm that everything is correct and complete. Review and confirmation The customer is prompted to add a signature (e.g., typed or drawn), confirming they have provided accurate information. Signature requirement A confirmation page appears with a message that the claim was received. A link to **View My Claim** is provided, allowing the customer to check claim status and communicate further if needed. Anytime after filing, the customer can: * Return to the claim portal and enter their Order Number and Email again. * View the **Claim Status**, **Claim Details**, and **Chat** with support if needed. They will also receive email notifications when you or the OrderProtection.com team sends them a new message, and when a claim is Approved or Denied. Customers can respond to claim-related emails directly from their inbox or by logging back into the portal. Checking claim status Your team can file a claim directly from the order page in your OrderProtection.com dashboard — useful whenever a customer reports an issue somewhere other than the self-service portal. The options, issue types, and resolutions are the same ones customers see on the self-service portal; this walks through where they show up in the order-page flow instead. Navigate to the order in your dashboard. If the order is still eligible for a claim (the same eligibility rules as the self-service portal apply, including the **45-day filing window**), a **Create a claim** button appears at the top of the order page. Create a claim button on the order page A **What claim is it?** picker appears, letting you choose between **Shipping** and **Warranty**. Choosing between a Shipping or Warranty claim This picker only appears if your store has **warranties** enabled under **Settings → Warranties** (see [Manufacturer & Extended Warranties](/education-basecamp/claims/warranties)). If warranties aren't enabled, this step is skipped and the claim is filed as a Shipping claim automatically. Before continuing, two toggles let you adjust how this specific claim behaves: * **Require Customer Signature (has not been resolved externally)** -- Turn this on when you've already agreed on a resolution with the customer outside the portal (e.g., over the phone) and just need it on record with their signature. The claim is created as a **Draft** and skips the automatic "claim received" email, since the customer already knows about it. * **Suppress all customer communication for claim** -- Stops every automatic email or notification tied to this claim from going out to the customer. This is only available when your team files the claim -- it isn't offered on the self-service portal. Signature and communication toggles when creating a claim Pick between the same two categories a customer sees: **Haven't received my order** (a shipping issue) or **Issues with my items** (an item issue). See **Choose the Issue Type** in the Customer Self-Service tab above for the full list of shipping and item issue reasons. If you chose **Issues with my items**, every line item on the order is listed so you can select which one(s) are affected. Selecting which items have an issue Clicking an item opens a modal to record the details: **What's the issue with this item?** (Damaged, Defective, Wrong Item, Missing Item, or your store's own configured sub-types), an upload for supporting photos or videos under 30 seconds, and a required note describing the issue. Click **Add issue to claim** to save it. Recording issue details for an item Back in the main panel, each item you've added shows its issue as a badge (e.g., **Damaged**), with a **Remove** option if you need to undo it. Repeat the previous two steps for any other affected items. Item flagged with a Damaged badge and Remove option Pick how to resolve the claim: **Instant store credit**, **Reship them to me**, or a refund. Choosing a resolution for the claim If both store credit and refund are enabled for your store, refund doesn't get its own card -- it appears as a small **"I want a refund"** text link below the two resolution cards, so it's easy to miss if you're scanning quickly. Which resolutions are offered is controlled by the same [Store Credit setting](/education-basecamp/claims/claim-settings#account-store-credit) used for self-service claims. Click **Create Claim** to submit it. The claim is created exactly as if the customer had filed it themselves on the self-service portal. From the confirmation screen, copy the claim URL or send it directly to the customer's email so they can track status, add more information, or communicate further -- it's the same claim view a customer reaches externally. Claim created confirmation with a shareable URL The order picks up the same system tags any claim generates -- claim state, claim type, and category tags all apply automatically (see [Order and Claim Tags](/education-basecamp/settings/order-and-claim-tags)). If your store has custom tag rules configured, those can add their own tags too. The claim also enters the same automated review as any customer-filed claim -- you may see an **"AI is analyzing this claim..."** banner for up to a minute while it's evaluated. See [Claim Automation](/education-basecamp/claims/claim-automation) for details. This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.