1. EGLISH BUSINESS LETTER
外贸英文书信

2. Claim An Overview Main points:
A demand by an insured party(投保的一方) on the insurer(保险商) for payment under an insurance policy.

3. Claim An Overview Methodology Convey positive message Structure
1)Thank you for your correspondent dated…
2)We have done something as you told us…
3)We wish further cooperation would go on…

4. Claim An Overview Key Terms
claim n. 索赔，索赔要求。 搭配动词1：lodge, raise, file, put in, make, issue, lay, register, render, enter, bring up, set up, file a claim 。 常用句型：lodge a claim against(间用with或on或upon)sb.for sth. e.g. We file a claim against you for the short delivery of 145 lbs 。搭配动词2：accept, admit a claim 同意索赔，entertain 受理，dismiss驳回，reject拒绝，relinquish, withdraw撤回，settle 解决，waive放弃，a claim。claim v.t. to claim US$10.000, to claim a compensation of US$10,000, to claim US$10,000 for damage, to claim US$10,000 on the goods(对该货), to claim US$10,000 from the underwriters(保险公司) 。 to claim (a compensation of )... from sb. for sth. e.g. We should claim US$10,000 from you for the loss caused by improper packing.
complain v.i. 申诉。complain to sb. of sth， make(lodge, lay )a complaint against

5. Unit 11 Claim Lesson 54 Insurance Claim Dear Sirs, Our order No.4567
When the S.S. “Prince” arrived at Singapore on 16 June, it was noticed that one side of case No.7 containing the “Fish” Typewriters was split. We therefore had the case opened and the contents examined by a local insurance surveyor in the presence of the shipping company’s agents. The case was invoiced as containing ten typewriters, eight of which were badly damaged.
We enclose the surveyor’ report and the shipping agent’s statement. As you hold the insurance policy we should be grateful if you would take the matter up for us with the insurers.
Eight replacement typewriters will be required. Please arrange to supply these and charge to our account.
We hope no difficulty will arise in connection with the insurance claim and thank you in advance for your trouble on our behalf.
Yours faithfully,

6. Unit 11 Claim Lesson 55 Complaint of Defective Goods Dear Sirs,
We have recently a number of complaints from customers about your fountain pens. The pens are clearly not giving satisfaction, and in some cases we have had to refund the purchase price.
The pens complained about are part of the batch of six hundred supplied to our order No of Jan.9. This order was placed on the basis of a sample pen left by your representative. We have ourselves compared the performance of this sample with that of a number of the pens complained about, and there is little doubt that many of them are faulty; some of them leak and others fail to write without making blots
The complaints received relate only to pens from the batch referred to. Pens supplied before these have always been satisfactory. We are therefore writing to ask you to accept return of the unsold balance, amounting to 150 pens in all, and to replace them by pens of the quality our earlier dealings with you have led us to expect.
Yours faithfully,

7. Unit 11 Claim Lesson 56 Sending replacement Dear Sirs,
Your letter of July 8 complaining about the pens supplied to your order No has caused us a good deal of concern. We are nevertheless very glad that you brought the matter to our notice.
We ourselves have since tested a number of pens from the production batch you refer to and agree that they are not perfect. The defects have been traced to a fault in one of the machines and this has now been put right.
We are arranging to send you 156 pens to replace the unsold balance 150. Please return them to us by the first available steamer, carriage forward. The 6 extra pens we are sending you without charge will enable you to provide free replacement of any further pens.
Yours faithfully,

8. Unit 11 Claim Lesson 57 Agent’s Complaint of Poor Quality Goods
Dear Sirs,
Since I last wrote to you on 15th May, I have received your consignment of woolen piece goods shipped by s.s. “Flying Cloud” and regret to report that it is not of the quality and colour of the sample piece I sent you .Not only is the cloth supplied of poorer quality, but it is also of a lighter shade and when I passed it to my customers they at first refused to accept it. It was only after much persuasion that they agreed to take with an allowance of 5% of the quoted price.
I am enclosing my account sales for this consignment and also for the blue serge shipped by s.s “Wusih” at the beginning of May, together with a draft for ￡ as already explained in my letter of 15th May, this serge was also unsatisfactory and compelled us to sell at a 5% discount. There have also been complaints on a number of other occasions.
I hope to be able to send you further orders shortly, but must ask you to make sure that there is no repetition of the difficulties to which these two and some earlier consignments have given rise. I cannot always hope to be successful in selling goods that are not exactly as ordered.
Yours faithfully,

9. Unit 11 Claim Lesson 58 Exporter’s Reply to the Complaint Dear Sirs,
Thank you for your letter of 18th enclosing accounts sales for the last two consignments and your draft for ￡3.872 the amount of which we have credited to your account.
I am very surprised that you should complain about the quality of the worsted cloth. Because of your earlier complaints I made it my business to inspect this cloth personally before it was packed and satisfied myself after most careful examination that it exactly matched your sample in both weight and quality. As for the difference in shades, the cloth is specially dyed to your sample and any difference there may be is so slight that no dyer would guarantee a closer match.
We have again compared your sample piece with reference sample of the worsted clothe supplied and find the qualities are identical. This has been confirmed by the manufacturer, who assures us that both were taken from his stock of the same grade.
I think it only fair to tell you that yours are the only complaints we have received, and as there have been a number of them recently we cannot help feeling that some of your customers are complaining with the sole aim of obtaining an allowance. From now on we shall not accept any reduction in price invoiced to you and if you cannot dispose of your materials on the terms which our other agents in your country find satisfactory, then I am afraid further business between us will no longer be financially worthwhile.
I very much regret having to write to your in this way, but hope you will understand when I explain that we conduct our business on very narrow profit margins, which we cannot reduce.
Yours faithfully,

10. Unit 11 Claim Lesson 59 A Claim for Short weight Dear Sirs,
Re: Contract CF6543 for 1000 M/T chemical Fertilizer
Further to our telex dated 26th August reading: “CHEMICAL FERTILIZER SSFENGCHING 36BAGS FOUND BROKEN MATERIAL IRRETRIEVABLY LOST SHORTAGE ESTIMATED 1800LBS AWAITING SURVEY REPORT”
We have just received the Survey Report from the Shanghai Commodity Inspection Bureau evidencing the short weight of 1800 lbs. A thorough examination showed that the broken bags were due to improper packing, for which the suppliers should be definitely responsible.
On the basis of the SCIB’ s Survey Report, we hereby register our claim with you as follow:
Our claim on short-delivered
Quantity…………………………..………Stg
Plus survey charges ….…….,,,,,,,,,,Stg
Total amount of claim………………. Stg
Survey Report No. SH(75) 735 is herewith enclosed and we look forward to your settlement at an early date.
Faithfull yours,

11. Unit 11 Claim Lesson 60 Settlement of a Claim Dear Sirs,
Re: Your Claim on 1,000 M/Ts Chemical Fertilizer
With reference to your letter of September 6th in which a claim was lodged for a short delivery of 1800 lbs. chemical fertilizer, we wish to express our deepest regret over the unfortunate incident. You must have had much difficulty in meeting the orders of your clients.
After a check-up by our staff at the warehouse in Glasgow, it was found that some 40 bags had not been packed in 5-ply strong paper bags as stipulated in the contract, resulting in breakage during transit. This was due entirely to negligence on the part of the warehouse managers, for which we, the exporters, tender out apologies.
In view of our long-standing business relations of which, we trust, there is a good prospect of further development, we will make payment by cheque for ￡382.00, the amount of claim, into your account with the Bank of China, upon receipt of your agreement.
We hope this matter with the Bank of China, upon receipt of your agreement.
Yours faithfully,

12. EGLISH BUSINESS LETTER
外贸英文书信

13. Complementary Formal and Informal Letters
There are various types of letters such as: letters of complaint, letters asking for/giving information, letters of request, letters asking for/giving advice, letters of invitation, letters accepting/refusing an invitation, letters expressing congratulations/thanks/regret/sympathy, letters giving news, letters of apology, letters of application for a job and letters to the editor providing solutions/suggestions.

14. Complementary A good letter should consist of:
a) an appropriate greeting (Dear Peter, Dear Mr Ford, Dear Sir/ Madam,);
b) an introduction clearly stating the reason you are writing;
c) a main body in which the subject is developed. Begin a new paragraph for each main point;
d) a final paragraph in which you sum up the topic or express your wish for something to be done ; and
e) an appropriate ending (Yours/Best wishes, + first name, Yours sincerely,/Yours faithfully, + full name).

15. Complementary
The characteristics of formal style in letters are: • the greeting (Dear Mrs Lee, Dear Sir,) • frequent use of the passive • formal language (complex sentences, non-colloquial English) • no abbreviated forms • the ending (Yours sincerely Yours faithfully, Jason McNeil) The characteristics of informal style in letters are: • the greeting (Dear Alex, Dear Dad,) • informal language and style (idioms, colloquial English) • abbreviated forms, pronouns omitted • the ending (Yours/Love/Best wishes/Regards, Anthony)