There are three different processes for insurance claims, depending on what service and insurance you purchased. If you’re not sure which one your package has, just ask! We’re happy to help 😉
USPS Insurance (Ground Advantage, Priority Mail, & Priority Mail Express)
Priority Mail Insurance: Through Pirate Ship, all domestic Priority Mail services include $100 of free built-in insurance coverage from USPS.
USPS Ground Advantage labels also include $100 of coverage.
Priority Mail International and Priority Mail Express International services include $200 of coverage.
File Priority Mail Claims with USPS: To process a claim for a USPS-insured service, such as a Ground Advantage, Priority Mail, or Priority Mail Express package that had a declared value of $100 or less, you’ll need to file the claim directly with USPS at https://www.usps.com/help/claims.htm.
We’re happy to help answer questions, but cannot directly assist with the process. If USPS approves the claim, they will mail you a check.
Both Shippers & Recipients Can File: For Priority Mail and Ground Advantage claims, the shipper or recipient can file a claim with USPS through their portal.
Does USPS cover my postage as well as my product cost?
Whether or not USPS will compensate you for your product cost and the cost of your label will depend on the type of claim you file.
Missing Packages: USPS does provide compensation for the postage cost along with your product cost for missing package claims.
When filing a missing package claim with USPS, there will be a field available in the claims form to declare your postage cost. There, you'll need to enter the value you paid for postage in Pirate Ship, and must use your Shipment page as proof of payment.
Damaged packages: For damaged package claims, USPS does not provide compensation for the postage cost.
This is because USPS has fulfilled the underlying service that was paid for (transit and delivery of the package), even if the contents were damaged in the process.
To learn more about filing a USPS insurance claim, see our article: How do I file a USPS insurance claim?
UPS Carrier Liability
When you use Pirate Ship, every UPS label you purchase comes with $100 of carrier liability.
Contact Pirate Ship Support for UPS Claims: If you need to file a claim for a lost or damaged UPS shipment, you'll need to contact Pirate Ship customer support so we can file the claim on your behalf.
You can click the button to live chat with us or send us an email at support@pirateship.com.
Does UPS cover my postage as well as my product cost?
UPS Refunds Postage Costs: On top of paying out for your product cost, UPS will always also refund your postage cost regardless of whether you file a claim for a damaged or missing package.
For example, you could claim $100 in product costs and receive a total payout of $110 if your label was $10.
How to submit a claim for a UPS shipment
To submit a claim for a UPS shipment, our team will ask you for the evidence that we need to present to UPS. Here's what we need:
For Missing UPS Shipments:
The recipient's name, address, and phone number
The UPS tracking number
Invoice/proof of value
Proof of payment
Pickup/drop-off date to UPS
Number of lost items as well as total items in the shipment
Screenshots of any correspondence with the recipient
Whether you've sent a replacement item (we don't recommend doing this until the claims process is complete)
For Damaged UPS Shipments
The recipient's name, address, and phone number
The UPS tracking number
Invoice/proof of value
Proof of payment
Pickup/drop-off date to UPS
Number of damaged items as well as total items in the shipment
Detailed description of the damage
Screenshots of any correspondence with the recipient
Photos of the damaged item
Photos of all the packaging used, including external packaging and any internal packing materials (make sure your recipient doesn't throw any of this away)
For more info on UPS claims, check out our guide: How do I file a UPS carrier liability claim?
3rd Party Insurance (Shipsurance)
Contact Pirate Ship Support for Shipsurance Claims: To file a claim for a 3rd party-insured service, you need to contact Pirate Ship customer support to begin the process.
Only the Shipper Can File: For claims filed with Shipsurance, only the shipper can file a claim as they are the individual who purchased the coverage policy.
What We Need to File a Claim: To file a claim, you will need to provide the following information/evidence:
The tracking number (including a screenshot of a tracking scan from USPS or UPS proving they accepted the package)
An invoice or proof of value of the items
Proof of a payment transaction for the item (i.e. credit card, PayPal, CashApp, Venmo receipt, etc)
If you've refunded the customer or sent a replacement, proof of that (but we do recommend waiting to refund them until your recipient has cooperated with anything the insurance company asks for, if possible)
Screenshots of messages or emails you’ve had with the recipient
For damaged claims, you'll need to submit:
1) a photo of the entire damaged item;
2) photos of the external packaging (aka the outside of the box/envelope);
3) photos of the inside of the box/envelope with any packaging materials you used
Reasons for Evidence: Please note that this evidence is necessary in order to begin the claim filing process 👍
Shipsurance may or may not request additional evidence based on the circumstances of your claim. Please review their Terms & Conditions here.
Not complying with Shipsurance’s additional requests may result in a denial of your claim!
How long to wait before filing a claim for a missing package with Shipsurance
You have to wait a certain amount of days before you're able to file a Shipsurance claim for a missing package. The time you need to wait depends on the carrier you shipped with.
For USPS Shipments: For missing USPS shipments, you'll need to wait 20 days from the shipment date for a domestic shipment, or 40 days from the shipment date for an international shipment before you can file an insurance claim.
If the missing package has already been scanned as "Delivered" and you need to file a claim, there is no minimum waiting period.
USPS Acceptance Scans are Required: For insurance claims on missing USPS shipments to be valid, Shipsurance requires proof of a USPS acceptance scan.
End-of-Day SCAN Forms and scans from the self-service kiosks at Post Offices are not considered proper proof, in this case.
For UPS Shipments: Shipsurance claims for missing UPS packages may be filed for loss before the 20-day mark for domestic shipments and the 40-day mark for international shipments.
UPS Acceptance Scans are Required: For insurance claims on missing UPS shipments to be valid, Shipsurance requires proof of a UPS acceptance scan.
Payouts from Shipsurance are applied to your Account Balance
Account Balance Credits: If the claim is approved by the 3rd-party insurer, the credit will be applied to your Pirate Ship Account Balance.
Other Payout Methods: We can also issue the credit via PayPal, or mail you a check 😃 Just let us know if you'd prefer that!
Does Shipsurance cover my postage as well as my product cost?
Shipsurance Doesn't Automatically Cover Postage: The cost of postage is not automatically reimbursed through Shipsurance unless you specifically include it in your total declared package value, as seen here:
How to Get Postage Costs Covered: Whenever purchasing extra insurance for your package, we recommend always insuring your shipment for the item cost AND the cost of shipping 😊
Where do I send all this info?
Start a Chat for a Single Package: Starting a live chat with our Support Crew is the preferred method for filing an insurance claim for a single package.
You can send us a live chat and request a Claim Form 📝 Click here to learn more about our Claim Form.
Email Us to File Multiple Claims: If you need to file multiple claims at once, emailing us at support@pirateship.com is the preferred option 📩
Click here to learn more about filing multiple claims at once.
Make it Easy with a Google Album: If you’d like to simplify the process, you can create a Google Album with all your evidence here, and then send us the album link.
This way, you only have to send one link in your email instead of several different attachments 😎
Contacting Pirate Ship's insurance team
Email Correspondence Only: Once we file a claim on your behalf, our insurance team is only available to contact through email.
Our live chat support team doesn't have access to claim information, so if you'd like to request an update, please reply to the original email you received notifying you about your claim.
Our Insurance Team Emails All Updates: Don't worry if you don't hear from us for a little while - our insurance team will always proactively email any claim updates once we get them from the insurance company!
We’ll always aim to get back to you within 5-10 business days tops 👌
Get in touch with our Support Crew if you need a hand
Any questions about insurance claims, Matey? Chat with ARRrrr Support Crew and we'll lend a helping hook 😊
Additional Resources