Items and Situations Not Covered by USPS Shipping Insurance

USPS Ground Advantage, Priority Mail, and Priority Mail Express include insurance of up to $100 against loss, damage, or missing contents, and you can purchase additional coverage of up to $5,000. However, it is important to know that there are items and situations not covered by USPS shipping insurance.

Items Not Covered by USPS Shipping Insurance

Prohibited or illegal items. Items banned from shipping due to being illegal or prohibited by the carrier aren’t covered by insurance because you aren’t supposed to ship them.

Hazardous materials. Although certain hazardous materials can be shipped under specific conditions, they are usually not covered by insurance, even when the shipping conditions are met.

Perishables and live animals. If you ship perishable items, such as food or live plants, you will not be compensated if the contents of your package melt, spoil, or deteriorate. The death of live animals during transit is also not covered by insurance.

Certain fragile items. If the items you’re mailing are too fragile for safe transportation, even with sufficient packaging, you will not be compensated for any damage.

Cash and cash equivalents, checks, gift cards, lottery/sweepstakes tickets. Such items are not covered by insurance unless shipped as Registered Mail.

Situations Not Covered by USPS Insurance

Just because damaged or lost items are covered by insurance doesn’t mean you’ll automatically be compensated. The USPS may reject your insurance claim if it occurs in one of the following situations:

Insufficient packaging. It is the sender’s responsibility to ensure that items are properly packaged to protect them from damage. If the USPS deems the box to be too flimsy or lacking sufficient cushioning, your claim may be denied.

Loss or damage occurred post-delivery. USPS insurance coverage does not include porch theft. Therefore, if your package was marked as delivered, but you never received it, you will not be compensated. However, you should still reach out to your local post office and file a missing mail search request. Post-delivery damage is difficult to prove, but the USPS may deny your insurance claim if there is extensive damage to the items without visible damage to the box.

Delivery delay. Shipping insurance only covers loss, theft, damage, and missing contents, not delivery delays. You may be compensated if a guaranteed delivery package arrives late, but this is a different type of compensation called a USPS refund. Unlike an insurance claim, a USPS refund is not connected to the cost of the items; it only covers the postage cost.

Consequential losses and sentimental value. USPS insurance only covers the actual, proven value of items. It does not cover indirect losses, such as lost income, the time required to replace damaged handmade items, or missed opportunities, like missing a concert due to lost tickets. You cannot file a claim based on an item’s sentimental value either.

Civil unrest, insurrection, war, or seizure of the package by any government agency. These are circumstances beyond the USPS’s control and therefore not covered by shipping insurance.

Finally, keep in mind that insurance reimbursement is not automatic. Even if your items and situation are covered, it is your responsibility to file a claim and provide all necessary documentation, such as proof of mailing, insurance, value, and damage. Your claim will be denied if you fail to provide sufficient evidence or cooperate with the USPS when they request additional information.