How to Claim FBA Reimbursements for Lost or Damaged Inventory
Amazon loses inventory too
In FBA warehouses, stock gets lost or damaged, and sometimes a customer is refunded but never returns the item. Amazon reimburses most of this automatically, but some cases slip through, and then the seller has to file a claim within the deadline.
The updated reimbursement policy
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Claim window | Cut sharply from October 23, 2024 (previously up to 18 months); warehouse loss or damage must be claimed within 60 days of being reported |
| Customer returns | Between 60 and 120 days after the refund or replacement |
| Amount | From March 31, 2025, based on manufacturing cost, not sale price (loss after a customer order: sale price less fees) |
| Evidence | Invoices, proof of purchase and shipping records may be required |
Windows and terms can change, so also check the FBA reimbursement policy in Seller Central Help (summary of the changes).
Where to see it in Seller Central
- Supply chain reports → Inventory Ledger — receipts, shipments, lost, found and damaged events
- Supply chain reports → Reimbursements — reimbursements already paid
- Help → Get support — claims for missing reimbursements
The hard part: a ‘lost’ event is often offset by a later ‘found’, or reimbursed on another day, so you must match both reports over a long period to see what is truly unpaid.
The Reimbursements page in Amazon Fulfillment Reports. You pick a date range and download a file before you can see anything.
Finance and reimbursements in SellerMorning
- Pulls 18 months of inventory ledger, reimbursements, returns, refunds and FBA fees through the official API and matches them.
- Nets losses against later finds, and reimbursements against reversals, leaving only what is still unreimbursed. Cases under 30 days old are marked ‘waiting’.
- Finds orders that were refunded with neither a return nor a reimbursement.
- Lists each case with its deadline, Reference ID and the menu path to file it; cases near their deadline go to P1 in Today’s Summary.
- The seller files the claims. The program only finds them.
The finance and reimbursements Summary: claimable lost or damaged units and refunds without returns, with deadlines and how to file (SKUs, amounts and Reference IDs masked; the program’s reports are in Korean).
Amazon seller series
- Anyone can become an Amazon seller
- The real challenge after you start
- Sales data at a glance
- Ads at a glance
- Listings at a glance
- Keeping your account healthy
- FBA inventory without stock-outs or overstock
- Finding problems in orders and returns
- Reading conversion in business reports
- Finding drop-offs with Brand Analytics
- Guarding your Buy Box from hijackers
- Getting reimbursed for lost FBA inventory (this post)
- Check profit before you change a price
- A 15-minute morning routine
- Safe automation with the official API
Based on personal experience. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Policies and fees are as of the time of writing — check Seller Central for the latest.