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Carrier claims, lost and damaged packages

What to do when a parcel is lost, damaged or delivered somewhere it should not have been: filing claims with USPS, UPS and FedEx, deadlines, evidence, and what each carrier actually pays.

36 guides

All 36 guides in this topic

Every guide in this topic, in library order. Prices inside them are examples captured on the date each guide shows.

DHL Lost Package Claim: The 21/45/90 RuleDHL eCommerce US opens a lost claim at 21 days domestic, 45 days international, and closes filing at 90 days from shipment. Etsy Shipping Label Refund: The Void WindowEtsy voids USPS and UPS labels within 30 days of purchase and FedEx labels within 10, credit posts as a line on the Etsy bill 15 to 30 days later. How Does Shipping Insurance Work? Start to PayoutHow coverage attaches to a label, who owns the claim, what evidence carriers ask for, and the day thresholds USPS uses to declare a package lost. Lost Package Claim UPS: The 60-Day RuleUPS accepts a lost-package claim within 60 days of scheduled delivery, pays up to $100 default liability, and higher only where declared value was purchased. ShipCover vs USPS Insurance: A Line-by-Line ReadShipCover from Parcel Insurance Plan charges $1.70 per $100 domestic; USPS is a stepped fee under Notice 123 that starts at $2.80 and reaches $7.55 at $500. USPS Insurance Claim on an eBay Order: A Seller PlaybookThe seller owns the label and the claim; the buyer runs on eBay's Money Back Guarantee clock. Who Is Responsible for a Lost Package: Buyer or Seller?If a package is lost, the seller is responsible until delivery under US law and marketplace rules, then files the carrier claim. eBay, Etsy and Shopify compared. Covering High-Value Parcels: Caps by CarrierJewelry and collectibles hit carrier ceilings fast. USPS stops at $5,000, Registered Mail at $50,000, FedEx caps jewelry at $1,000, our pilot at $500. Declared Value vs Shipping Protection ExplainedDeclared value caps what a carrier can ever owe you; it is not a policy that pays. Does Media Mail Come With Coverage?Media Mail carries no indemnity in its price, though USPS allows coverage to be bought for it. Four media cartons priced live on 2026-07-29 beside the rule. FedEx Claim: Deadlines, Documents, PayoutFedEx allows 60 days for damage claims and nine months for a lost US shipment. The document list, packaging rule, self-inspection band, and a rate comparison. FedEx Damaged Package Claim: The EvidenceA FedEx damage claim runs 60 calendar days from the ship date and turns on kept packaging. FedEx Declared Value: Fees, Caps and the $1,000 ListFedEx charges $4.95 from $100.01 to $300 and $1.65 per $100 above that, caps most packages at $50,000, and holds fourteen categories of goods to $1,000. FedEx Lost Package: Trace, Then ClaimA FedEx parcel that never arrived goes through Manage Delivery and a Report Missing Package case before the claim form. How to File a USPS Claim: Steps and DeadlinesFile a USPS claim without guesswork: the earliest and latest day by service, the coverage and value documents DMM 609 names, decision timing. Mail Theft: How to Report It and What FollowsTwo reports exist for a stolen parcel and only one can return money. The Postal Inspection Service route, the carrier claim route, and what separates them. Proof of Delivery: Every USPS Option, PricedA delivery scan, a signature image and a return receipt are three different documents. Proof of Value for a Shipping ClaimThe evidence USPS, UPS and FedEx each accept as proof of what a shipment was worth, gathered in one table. Shipping Protection at Checkout: What You BuyThe protection line on an online order is a merchant-side product, not carrier liability. Third-Party Parcel Coverage: How It DiffersBoth big carriers write that they do not provide coverage and point you outside. UPS Damaged Package Claim: What UPS Asks ForTo claim a damaged UPS package, file within 60 days of scheduled delivery with three photos UPS names and the box dimensions. Keep the contents and packaging. UPS Declared Value Cost: $1.70 per $100, WorkedUPS covers $100 per domestic package and charges $1.70 per $100 of declared value with a $5.11 minimum. USPS Claim for a Lost Package: Both ClocksA USPS lost package claim opens on day 15 for Ground Advantage and Priority Mail, day 7 for Express, and closes on day 60 from mailing. Who can file. USPS Damaged Package: Claim Steps and ProofA damaged USPS parcel is decided by what you keep and what you photograph. The DMM 609 retention rule, a photo checklist, the 60-day window, and a rate table. USPS Insurance Claim: How the Payout WorksWhat a USPS claim actually pays: the $100 included on the base label, the $5,000 added-coverage ceiling, the documents that set value. USPS Missing Mail Search: How to File OneLost mail with USPS? File a Missing Mail search request from day 7 after mailing. Every field the form asks for, what happens after, and how it differs from a claim. USPS Missing Package: Which Fix AppliesThree problems look identical from outside. Sort a missing USPS package by its last scan: acceptance, transit silence, or a delivered scan with nothing there. What Does USPS Insurance Cover? The ExclusionsThe exclusion list is most of the answer. Seven non-payable situations from DMM 609, the $100 on the base label, the $5,000 ceiling, and our own protection. What to Do if Your Package Is StolenPackage stolen off the porch: confirm it is really gone, file with UPS, FedEx or USPS inside their deadlines, report postal theft. DHL Proof of Delivery: Where It LivesDHL does not mail a proof of delivery. It sits inside MyDHL+ against the waybill number, in a signed and an unsigned version, for DHL Express shipments. Proof of Delivery Template, PrintableSix fields turn a blank sheet into a proof of delivery record: a printable template below. Etsy Package Lost in the Mail: Two ClocksEtsy covers an order that never arrived once the buyer messages the seller and 48 hours pass. What Happens to Lost Mail? The USPS Recovery CenterUndeliverable mail worth over 25 dollars goes to the USPS Mail Recovery Center in Atlanta, held 30-60 days, then donated, recycled, or auctioned on GovDeals. Package Stolen From Your Porch: Who Actually PaysUSPS and UPS both exclude theft discovered after a delivery scan from their own claims coverage, per their pages read 2026-08-25. How to Contact USPS About a PackageThe USPS phone numbers, hours, chat and in-person options for a package problem, plus which one to use for a lost, late or delivered-but-missing parcel. Read 2026-08-28. Amazon Package Stolen? Skip the Carrier ClaimA stolen Amazon package skips carrier claims: check the photo, wait a day, then report it from Your Orders or use the A-to-z Guarantee.

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