When cash flow is tight, many trucking companies turn to freight factoring to stabilize their finances, maintain smooth operations, and cover essential expenses. But what happens when a broker doesn't pay?
That's where chargebacks come into play—and if not handled carefully, they can quietly erode your profits and hurt your business.
In this guide, we’ll explain what chargebacks are, how they influence your factoring costs, and what steps you can take to reduce your risk and choose a partner who truly protects you.
What Are Chargebacks in Freight Factoring?
Factoring helps trucking companies unlock working capital by converting invoices into fast payments. Here’s a quick breakdown:
- You submit your invoice and documents (Proof of Delivery, Bill of Lading, rate confirmation) to your factoring company.
- The factor advances a percentage of the invoice’s value.
So, where do chargebacks come in?
If the broker doesn't pay within the agreed-upon timeframe, the factor may issue a chargeback, requiring you to repay the advance (often with a processing fee).
Chargebacks are common in recourse factoring, where the carrier assumes the risk of non-payment. But chargebacks can still occur under many non-recourse agreements, which only protect against broker bankruptcy, not documentation issues or payment delays.
Understanding what’s actually covered (and what isn’t) is essential when choosing the right factoring partner and protecting your business.
Read more: 5 Key Questions Small Carriers Should Ask Freight Factoring Companies
How Chargebacks Impact Your Business
At Summar, our approach to factoring is simple: Protect, not penalize. If your load is approved, your documents are clean, and your broker checks out, you're covered.
Unfortunately, many factoring agreements in the market aren’t built that way.
Chargebacks are a significant pain point for trucking companies working with recourse factors, or with "non-recourse" providers whose fine print leaves carriers exposed. These chargebacks don’t just cause short-term financial strain—they can lead to:
- Unexpected deductions from your pay
- Reduced advance rates
- Increased factoring fees
And it only takes a few chargebacks a year to make a big difference.
🚛 Scenario: A $3,000 Load Gone Wrong
Let’s break down a real-world example to see how a single unpaid invoice can derail your cash flow:
You haul a load and invoice the broker for $3,000. Under your non-recourse factoring agreement:
- Advance Rate: 96% → You receive $2,880 upfront
- Reserve: 4% → $120 held until the broker pays
- Factoring Fee: 3% (or $90) is deducted from the reserve once the broker pays
If everything goes smoothly, you collect $2,880 upfront, plus $30 from the reserve ($120 - $90), totaling $2,910 in hand.
But what if the broker disappears? If the invoice goes unpaid after 90 days—and your agreement doesn’t cover ghosting or aging—your factor issues a chargeback. That means:
- You must return the $2,880 advance
- You’re charged a $20 processing fee
- Total out-of-pocket: $2,900
You just lost nearly the full value of that load, plus the cost of fuel, time, and tolls.
And that’s just one load.
The Hidden Cost of Weak Non-Recourse Agreements
Chargebacks quietly eat into your margins. That low advertised factoring rate? It doesn’t account for chargebacks.
Let’s say a carrier with a 2.5% factoring plan invoices $150,000 a year. Based on volume, they expect to pay $3,750 in fees. But if they face two chargebacks—one for $3,000 and another for $2,000—their real cost rises to $8,750, making the effective rate 5.8%, not 2.5%.
This is what Summar Shield was designed to prevent.
✅ Coverage beyond 90 days
✅ Protection from broker ghosting
✅ No chargebacks on approved invoices
✅ When payment failure isn’t your responsibility
If your factor’s idea of “non-recourse” still leaves you footing the bill, it’s time to switch gears. Summar Shield keeps you covered—and on the move.
How to Prevent Chargebacks Before They Happen
Whether you’re with Summar or not, the best way to protect your cash flow is to stay ahead of the risk. Here’s how:
- Vet Brokers Before You Haul: se your factor’s credit tools to verify brokers. Summar offers unlimited free credit checks, so you can avoid hauling for risky payers.
- Submit Clean, Accurate Paperwork: Missing or unclear documents can also delay your payment. Be sure to include:
- Signed POD.
- Correct BOL
- Rate confirmation
- All relevant receipts or authorizations.
- Confirm Accessorials in Advance: Disputes over lumper fees or detention time can lead to withheld payments. Always confirm these extras in writing before delivery.
- Monitor Aging Invoices: If a broker hasn’t paid within 60–90 days, follow up immediately. Most factoring companies—unlike Summar—don’t cover aged invoices, which can leave you exposed if you wait too long.
- Use Technology as Proof: ELD logs, GPS timestamps, and TMS records can help you fight delivery-related disputes. Use this data to your advantage.
- Stay in Touch with Your Factor: A good factor should feel like a partner, not just a processor. If you’re unsure about your chargeback exposure or want to improve your terms, ask. Transparency and guidance should be part of the service.
A Smarter Way to Factor: Summar Financial
If avoiding chargebacks is key to keeping your factoring costs down, the next step is choosing a partner who helps you do just that.
At Summar Financial, we go beyond fast payments. We work closely with carriers to prevent chargebacks before they happen, offering transparency, flexible tools, and real protection.
What Makes Summar Different?
- We go beyond Non-Recourse Factoring with Summar Shield – We absorb the risk when brokers don’t pay for reasons beyond your responsibility.
- Unlimited Free Credit Checks – Know who you’re hauling for.
- Transparent Terms – No surprise fees or hidden clauses.
- Real-Time Dashboards – Stay on top of payments and risk.
- Bilingual Support – Human help when you need it.
Chargebacks can silently chip away at your profits. With the right strategy—and the right partner—you can protect your business.
Introducing Summar Shield
Even when everything goes right on your end, things can still go wrong. That’s why we created Summar Shield—our enhanced credit guarantee program that adds another layer of security.
With Summar Shield, eligible invoices are backed by our internal risk review before you even haul. If payment failure isn’t your responsibility, your paperwork is clean, and your broker is approved, you’re covered.
Coverage includes:
✅ Broker ghosting
✅ Invoices aging beyond 90 days
✅ Proactive support for collection efforts
We don’t believe in chargebacks as a penalty. We believe in preventing them together.
At Summar, factoring means support, transparency, and protection—so you can focus on the road ahead.
Ready to factor smarter?
Learn more about Summar Shield or contact our team today to get started.