Appliance & Functional Product Shipping Damage / Warranty Policy

This policy is a condition of purchase from Elkhart RV Parts ("ERVP"). By ordering a Functional Product, you agree to follow this process for physical shipping damage, fulfillment errors, unused returns, and post-install performance issues. It is the process we use, and the process a payment-network reviewer should use, when deciding whether a claim or dispute was handled correctly. Nothing in this policy waives rights that cannot legally be waived.

This page separates three different problems that require different remedies:

Physical shipping damage — crush, puncture, broken parts, or other physical transit damage to the product or package. Handled under the ParcelGuard / Shipsurance process below. Report it to customer service. Do not use the unused-returns portal.
An ERVP fulfillment error — wrong item, wrong variant, shortage, or missing components we failed to ship.
A Functional Product that does not operate correctly after delivery or installation — no evidence of physical transit damage. That is not a shipping-damage claim. It goes through the manufacturer warranty / diagnosis process.

Do not mix these. An unused return is not a damage claim. A unit that "doesn't work" after install is not automatically shipping damage. Filing the wrong process, or skipping this one, can prevent us from helping and can result in a denied insurance claim or a contested payment dispute.

What this policy covers

This policy applies to appliances and other products whose proper operation depends on installation, adjustment, electrical or mechanical connection, programming, calibration, vehicle compatibility, or interaction with other RV systems. These are Functional Products.

Functional Products include, without limitation: air conditioners and heat pumps; refrigerators; fireplaces; furnaces; water heaters; microwaves, ranges and ovens; awnings and awning assemblies; awning motors, arms and controls; slide-out components; leveling and stabilization systems; steps and step assemblies; powered vents and fans; pumps; converters, inverters and electrical equipment; control boards, thermostats and electronics; motors and actuators; powered shades and doors; generators and related equipment; and similar mechanical, electrical, electronic, powered, plumbed, or installed RV components.

1. How to report physical shipping damage

Damages are not self-serve. Do not open a request through the unused-returns portal for shipping damage. You must contact customer service directly:

Email: help@elkhartrvparts.com
Text: (574) 675-6919

Give your order number, what arrived, and that you are reporting physical transit damage. We will tell you exactly what to send. The unused-returns page at elkhartrvparts.com/pages/returns is for unused, uninstalled items only.

Report within 7 calendar days of delivery

Report visible or concealed physical transit damage within 7 calendar days of delivery (receipt). Report it as soon as you discover it. Do not wait.

If you are unwilling or unable to provide the required information, or you do not provide it within 7 calendar days of receipt, ERVP cannot fully assist. The claim is then in ParcelGuard / Shipsurance's hands. Approval is not guaranteed.

ParcelGuard's own concealed-damage rule is longer than our reporting window (see Section 4). That does not extend our 7-day requirement. We still need your report and evidence within 7 calendar days of delivery so we can file a complete claim in time.

2. Stop. Do not install, operate, or tear the unit apart.

Inspect the shipment when it arrives. If you see physical damage to the box or the product — or you find concealed physical damage when you open it — stop.

Do not install, mount, wire, connect, energize, plumb, operate, disassemble, or tear the product apart after damage is found. Do not discard boxes, packaging, foam, labels, or broken pieces.

Continuing after damage is found makes it impossible to show what arrived versus what happened later. That is a common reason a transit claim fails. Installing, tearing the unit apart, discarding packaging, or skipping photos after damage is found can prevent a transit claim and can result in a contested payment dispute.

3. Required evidence (claimed package only)

You must send photographs and information for the claimed package only. Close-up damage shots alone are not enough. All of the following are required:

Whole unit, exterior, all sides
Close-ups of each damaged area
Broken pieces shown separately if they came off
Outer shipping box, all sides, including crush, puncture, and tape
Shipping label still on the received box, barcode readable
Inner packing as it arrived (foam, cardboard, bags)
Packing slip or paperwork that was in the box

Preserve the product and all original packaging until the claim is finished. ParcelGuard may inspect. Do not dispose of the unit, release it to the carrier, or return it to us unless we tell you to.

If damage is visible at delivery, note it on the carrier delivery receipt. ParcelGuard requires the recipient to take proper exceptions on the delivery receipt when loss or damage is apparent at the time of delivery.

Do not ask us to invent photos you did not take. If the box is gone, the label is gone, or the unit has been installed or torn apart, we may not be able to complete a claim.

ERVP supplies the following. Do not send them and do not wait on them before contacting us:

Invoice / line list
Our ShipStation label PDF
Tracking and insured value

4. How the insurance claim actually works

ERVP purchases independent ParcelGuard / Shipsurance transit insurance on shipments we send through ShipStation for this reason. Coverage is package-by-package at the declared value. ERVP is the Insured. You are not. The coverage is underwritten by American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida. Claims are administered by Shipsurance.

ERVP files the claim. You do not file it yourself. You must cooperate, send the required evidence, and you may be asked to verify facts. ParcelGuard pays ERVP, not the customer.

How a damage is resolved is ERVP's decision, not the customer's. If we accept the claim, we handle it with a partial refund, a full refund, or a replacement order. We choose which, case by case. That decision depends on where the item shipped from and the vendor terms for that item. A replacement or refund is not automatic and is not the customer's to elect. We may wait for the ParcelGuard result before we move. We may decline to advance a second unit or issue a refund if the required evidence is missing, the product was installed or torn apart after damage was found, packaging was discarded, or the report is late.

The following are ParcelGuard / Shipsurance published rules, not ERVP rules. They come from ParcelGuard's terms (last updated 21 July 2026) at parcelguard.com/terms. We quote them so you and any reviewer know what the insurer requires. We do not control their decision.

Complete claim documents must be received by Shipsurance within 120 calendar days from the shipment date.
A complete claim typically includes: the Shipsurance claim form, a carrier tracer if applicable, the invoice, photos of the damaged goods and the packaging, a repair estimate from a disinterested third party if repairs are possible (or a note that it is not repairable), and any other documents they request. Failure can mean non-settlement.
All packaging and damaged goods must be kept in original form as received. Do not dispose of them, release them to the carrier, or return them to the seller before the claim is completed. Failure can result in denial.
Concealed damage: discovery up to 15 days after final delivery may still be treated as in-transit. Discovery 16 or more days after delivery is deemed not in transit and is not covered. ERVP still requires you to report to us within 7 calendar days of delivery so we can file in time.
Mechanical or electrical derangement without evidence of external damage to the package or packaging is excluded.
Loss of use, delay, and consequential costs are not covered.
Coverage is package-by-package at the declared value. We are the Insured.

ParcelGuard states on its site that most claims are processed within 7 business days. That is their typical processing statement, not a guarantee of approval or of payment on that clock. Their terms say that once a claim is accepted and approved, prompt payment is made to the Insured (ERVP). We do not control their decision or their clock. Approval is not guaranteed. If you do not give us what we need, we cannot force a settlement.

5. Wrong item, shortage, or missing components

If we shipped the wrong product, the wrong variant, or a shipment is missing parts we were supposed to include, contact us within 7 calendar days of delivery at help@elkhartrvparts.com or text (574) 675-6919. Send photographs of what was received, the shipping label, product labels, contents, and packaging.

These are ERVP fulfillment issues. They are not manufacturer warranty claims and they are not unused returns. They are also not ParcelGuard transit-damage claims unless the missing or wrong item is also physically damaged in transit.

6. "Doesn't work" is not automatically shipping damage

A Functional Product that does not operate, extend, retract, cool, heat, ignite, pump, move, level, communicate, respond, or otherwise perform as expected — but has no evidence of physical transit damage — is not a shipping-damage claim. It is not automatic proof that the product was defective when ERVP shipped it.

The cause can include a manufacturing defect, installation error, mounting geometry, wiring, polarity, voltage, amperage, grounding, power quality, plumbing, gas supply, programming, calibration, adjustment, control components, sensors, vehicle-side components, compatibility, pre-existing RV conditions, damage during installation, or another technical condition ERVP cannot reliably diagnose from a distance.

Once a Functional Product has been installed, mounted, connected, wired, energized, plumbed, programmed, adjusted, operated, modified, or used, it is not eligible for a standard unused-product return. A no-transit-damage performance complaint proceeds through the applicable manufacturer's technical diagnosis and warranty or service process.

ParcelGuard excludes mechanical and electrical derangement when there is no evidence of external damage to the package or packaging. A unit that "doesn't work" after install, with an intact box and no physical damage photos, is not a transit claim.

Awnings and other mechanical systems

Awning assemblies and similar mechanical systems can be affected by installation alignment, mounting location, arm spacing, rail condition, wiring, controller setup, fabric tension, adjustment, vehicle structure, wind and weather, and other conditions outside ERVP's control. A report that an awning binds, will not extend or retract, tracks improperly, makes noise, has a motor or control issue, or does not function as expected after installation does not by itself establish shipping damage and does not entitle you to an automatic return or replacement.

If an awning or other Functional Product shows physical damage before installation, stop and report it under Sections 1–4. If it has no physical transit damage but has an operational problem, follow the manufacturer diagnostic / warranty procedure.

7. Manufacturer warranty and technical diagnosis

Many Functional Products sold by ERVP are made by third parties such as Dometic, Furrion / Lippert, Coleman-Mach / Airxcel, Greystone / Way Interglobal, MORryde, Irvine Shade & Door, and others. When a manufacturer warranty applies, the manufacturer or warranty provider decides required diagnosis, testing, service location, repair, parts, replacement, and other remedies under its own terms.

ERVP will provide proof of purchase and reasonable administrative help, identify the right warranty contact, and participate when the manufacturer's procedure requires the selling dealer. We do not make technical findings for a manufacturer and we do not override a manufacturer's warranty determination.

ERVP does not automatically advance-ship a second unit, issue a refund, or authorize return of an installed or operated Functional Product solely because you report that it does not work. A return, repair, replacement, parts shipment, or refund may be authorized when required by the applicable warranty process, when ERVP made a fulfillment error, when required by applicable law, or when ERVP approves a customer-service exception.

8. Installation, compatibility, and third-party work

You are responsible for verifying compatibility and following the manufacturer's installation, adjustment, safety, and operating instructions unless ERVP made a specific written fitment representation for your exact application. Where the manufacturer requires qualified or authorized installation or diagnosis, those requirements apply.

To the extent permitted by applicable law and the manufacturer warranty, ERVP is not responsible for third-party installer workmanship; incorrect installation, mounting, wiring, adjustment, programming, or setup; incompatible or defective vehicle-side systems; improper voltage, polarity, grounding, gas, plumbing, or power quality; wind, weather, or environmental damage after delivery; damage caused during installation or use; diagnostic charges; removal or reinstallation labor; travel or towing; loss of use; or other consequential costs not covered by the applicable warranty. ParcelGuard also does not cover loss of use, delay, or consequential costs.

9. Unused returns (not damage)

Unused returns are a separate process. They are only for items that remain new, unused, uninstalled, unmodified, complete, and in resalable condition, with original packaging, labels, serial numbers, hardware, accessories, and documentation intact — unless the product page said otherwise at purchase. Special-order, custom, electrical, and other categories may be final sale or have extra terms.

Start an unused return at elkhartrvparts.com/pages/returns. Do not use that portal for shipping damage. Do not use this damage process for a change of mind or an unused return.

10. Payment disputes and chargebacks

If there is a problem with your order, contact ERVP so we can route it to the correct process: shipping damage, fulfillment error, unused return, or manufacturer warranty. Do not treat a chargeback as a substitute for this process.

ERVP may contest payment disputes (chargebacks) that ignore this published process, ignore delivery evidence, or omit the required documentation. We may submit this policy, tracking and delivery records, insurance records, photographs you sent (or the fact that required photographs were never sent), packaging evidence, installation or use history, and customer communications. A chargeback filed after the product was installed, torn apart, or operated; after packaging was discarded; after the 7-day reporting window; or without the evidence listed in Section 3 does not create an automatic refund and does not replace the ParcelGuard / Shipsurance claim.

Nothing in this policy limits rights that cannot legally be waived.

11. Contact

For physical shipping damage, a fulfillment error, or a Functional Product that does not operate:

Email help@elkhartrvparts.com
Text (574) 675-6919

There is no self-serve damage portal. For unused items only, use elkhartrvparts.com/pages/returns.