Coverage
All UPS labels that you purchase on Pirate Ship come with $100 of carrier liability for free*. Carrier liability is limited to $100 for loss or damage to each domestic or international UPS shipment plus the cost of the shipping label.
*Note: UPS® Ground Saver packages may be handed to USPS for last-mile delivery. UPS carrier liability only applies to the portion of the journey when UPS has the package.
How to file a claim
If you need to file a claim for a lost or damaged UPS shipment, do NOT contact Pirate Ship or UPS directly. Instead, use the self-service InsureShield Claims Portal.
In addition to offering third-party insurance you can add to your packages, InsureShield provides up to $100 in carrier liability for all UPS shipments on Pirate Ship.
Learn more about how to file an insurance claim through InsureShield.
What to provide
In order to submit a claim for a missing or damaged shipment, InsureShield will require you to upload documents such as a receipt, merchandise invoice, a bill of sale, and more. For damaged shipments, you will also need to provide photo evidence of the damaged content(s) and packaging from different angles.
For a full list of documents and evidence you’ll need to provide for a UPS carrier liability claim, see our article on filing an InsureShield claim.
For missing 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 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)
Note: InsureShield has the right to request additional evidence after a claim's initial filing.
Time Limits
All claims for loss or damage to property must be filed with UPS within the following time limits:
For domestic shipments (including shipments to and from Puerto Rico)
UPS must receive notice of claims within sixty (60) days after delivery of the package or, in the case of a failure to make delivery, within sixty days after the date of scheduled delivery.
Claims must be completed within nine (9) months after delivery of the package or, in the case of a failure to make delivery, within nine (9) months after the date of scheduled delivery.
For international shipments
Claims must be filed within sixty (60) days after delivery of the package or pallet or, in the case of non-delivery, within sixty days after the date of scheduled delivery.
Timeline for Claim Payouts
Once a claim for a lost or damaged shipment is properly filed, UPS will pay, decline, or make a firm compromise settlement offer in writing within one-hundred and twenty (120) calendar days after UPS receives the claim.
Limits to Carrier Liability
UPS limits carrier liability for the following items:
Checks
For a shipment containing a check or checks, UPS limits their liability to the cost of stopping payment on and reissuing the check(s), not to exceed $100 per package or pallet.
UPS is not liable in any way for the face value of the check(s).
Phone Cards, Tickets, Gift Cards, and Similar Items
For a shipment containing a phone card, ticket (such as event or airline ticket), gift certificate, gift card, coupon, or other similar printed matter with an exchange value, UPS limits their liability to the cost (which shall not include any amount of the value attached to the card, certificate, or coupon, or similar printed matter) of replacing the physical card(s), certificate(s), or printed matter, not to exceed $100 per package or per pallet.
UPS is not liable in any way for the face value of any phone card, ticket, gift certificate, gift card, coupon, or similar printed matter.
Media
For a shipment containing documents, film, photographs (including negatives), slides, transparencies, videotapes, compact discs, laser discs, computer tapes, and media of similar nature, UPS limits their liability to the replacement cost of the media on which the content is recorded.
Pairs or Parts of Items
In the event of loss of or damage to a pair or set of articles, UPS limits their liability to the value of that part of the pair or set which is lost or damaged, and UPS shall not be liable for the value of the whole pair or set. In the event of loss of or damage to any part of property (including any part of a machine) which, when complete for sale or use, consists of several parts, UPS shall be liable only for the value of the part lost or damaged, not to exceed the declared value of the part lost or damaged. In no event shall UPS be liable for the value of the complete item.
Exclusions
UPS doesn't provide coverage for the following:
Articles of unusual value, which include but are not limited to:
Coins, cash, currency, bonds, postage stamps, money orders, and negotiable instruments (such as drafts, bills of exchange, or promissory notes, but excluding checks)
Any article that contains more than 50 percent (50%) by weight of gold or platinum, or any combination thereof in raw form including but not limited to, bullion, bars, or scraps of these metals
Prepaid letters
Loss or damage resulting from insects, moths, vermin, inherent vice, deterioration, dampness of atmosphere, extreme temperature, ordinary wear and tear, or that which occurred or arose prior to or after the course of transportation by UPS
Packages that aren't packed or wrapped properly as pursuant to UPS' published Packaging Guidelines
Perishable commodities, including food, plants, and live animals
Human remains, fetal remains, human body parts, human embryos, or components thereof
Fluorescent tubes or bulbs
Data stored on any type of media, or information including but not limited to personal, health or financial information
Packages subject to the unavailability or refusal of a person to accept Delivery of the Shipment, acts of God, natural disasters, war risks, acts of terrorism, acts of public authorities acting with actual or apparent authority, acts or omissions of customs or similar authorities, authority of law, insufficient information provided by a customer, Hazardous Materials Packages improperly offered for transport, the application of security regulations imposed by the government or otherwise applicable to the Shipment, riots, a government agency hold, strikes or other labor disputes, civil unrest, disruptions of any kind in national or local air or ground transportation networks (including, but not limited to, UPS’s transportation network), disruption or failure of communication and information systems, and adverse weather conditions
Shipments for which UPS has no acceptance scan or other record reflecting that the package or shipment was given to UPS by the shipper
Packages containing any items that UPS prohibits.
Note: Taxes and fees associated with product orders are not covered in the $100 of carrier liability that comes with all UPS labels purchased on Pirate Ship.
Additional Resources