How Do I File a USPS Insurance Claim?

Is your USPS package damaged, lost, or missing? If so, you might be covered with insurance! You can file a USPS insurance claim on the USPS website, but you’ll need to double-check to make sure your package includes coverage first. All domestic Priority Mail services include $50 of insurance at the Post Office, and $100 of insurance when you buy postage with online shipping software.

Either the Sender or the Recipient Can File a USPS Insurance Claim

USPS insurance claims aren’t limited to only the sender; the recipient can also file one, too. In any case, here are the steps to follow:

• Visit the Claims landing page on USPS’ website (or create an account if you don’t have one yet)
• Scroll down to the bottom and click “Start Online Claim”
• Make sure to assemble everything you need:
  • The tracking number
  • Evidence of purchased insurance (a printout of your label, photos of the outer packaging with the label showing the service and recipient & sender’s names)
  • Proof of value (a sales receipt, an invoice, credit card billing statement, printouts of the transaction containing evidence of the recipient’s name, date of purchase, description of the items, etc)
  • Proof of damage (photos of the outer packaging and of the damaged contents)
• If USPS approves your claim, they will mail you a check

Pro Tip: Do NOT re-ship the damaged package under any circumstance! This will void any claim you have to receive USPS insurance.

You Don’t Have USPS Insurance If You Shipped First Class Package or Parcel Select/Retail Ground

Here’s the kicker. We often get people asking us how they can file an insurance claim for a damaged or lost package they sent either First Class Package or Parcel Select Ground (Retail Ground at the Post Office). In those particular cases, they can’t file a USPS insurance claim because those mail classes don’t come with insurance. Sorry! That’s why we always recommend protecting your packages with shipping insurance, no matter what mail class you ship in.