FedEx Insurance: Declared Value Coverage and Claims

FedEx insurance is really declared value: FedEx doesn’t sell insurance, but every package includes $100 of FedEx liability at no extra charge, and you can raise that limit by declaring a higher value when you create the label. On most FedEx Express, FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery services you can declare up to $50,000 for each package, with lower caps for envelopes, paks and certain high-risk items.

The FedEx Service Guide is direct about it: “We do not provide insurance coverage of any kind.” What you buy is a higher ceiling on what FedEx will pay if it loses or damages the package, and FedEx’s exclusions, item caps and claim rules still decide the payout. This guide explains those rules and when outside insurance is the better fit.

Does FedEx Offer Insurance?

No, not in the legal sense. FedEx offers declared value coverage, which is a limit on its own liability under its shipping terms. When people say “FedEx insurance,” they mean this declared value, and FedEx’s own pages use the same plain-language shortcut.

The difference matters in two ways. First, FedEx decides the claim itself under its Service Guide, rather than an insurer under a policy. Second, the declared value is a ceiling, not a promise: FedEx pays what you can prove you lost, up to that amount. Our explainer on what declared value means compares how UPS, USPS and FedEx each treat it.

You add declared value while creating the shipment, and FedEx won’t change it after the package is tendered. The step-by-step version, online and at a FedEx Office counter, is in our guide on how to add insurance to a FedEx shipment.

How Much Coverage Does FedEx Insurance Include?

Every FedEx package includes $100 of liability without any declaration. For U.S. package services, the Service Guide says that unless you declare a higher value and pay the declared-value charge, FedEx limits its liability to $100 for each package. Anything worth more needs a declared value on the label.

The declared-value charge rises with the amount you declare and appears on the shipment total before you pay. FedEx shows it in its rate tool, and you can see it for your own package with the FedEx rate finder.

What Is the Most FedEx Will Cover?

The ceiling depends on the service and the packaging. These limits come from the declared value section of the 2026 FedEx Service Guide for U.S. shipments:

A declared value above these limits is void under FedEx’s terms, even if the label prints and the charge shows on your invoice. If an item is worth more than the Envelope and Pak limit, ship it in a box; our guide to FedEx envelope sizes shows which mailers count as an Envelope or a Pak. Palletized goods get one limit for each handling unit, and LTL freight is quoted and protected differently, as our freight class calculator tips explain.

Which Items Does FedEx Cap at $1,000?

Some goods are limited to a $1,000 declared value no matter which service you choose or how much you declare. The FedEx Service Guide’s list includes:

• Artwork, antiques, collector’s items, and scale models or prototypes
• Jewelry, including costume jewelry, watches and their parts, and loose gems or stones
• Glassware and fragile goods such as mirrors, ceramics, porcelain, china and crystal, plus plasma screens
• Furs, and precious metals such as gold and silver bullion
• Stocks, bonds, cash equivalents, gift cards, money orders and lottery tickets
• Collectibles such as coins, stamps, sports cards and memorabilia
• Film, photographic images, negatives and slides
• Musical instruments more than 20 years old, or customized instruments
• Items that are especially easy to damage, or whose market value is hard to determine

For jewelry and watches, FedEx runs a contract program called FedEx Declared Value Advantage. Enrolled shippers can declare up to $100,000 on a domestic shipment, or up to $25,000 to select international destinations. Coins and gold bars are excluded, and you have to sign up with FedEx before shipping.

What Doesn’t FedEx Insurance Cover?

Declared value covers loss and damage while FedEx has the package. These situations fall outside it or pay less than shippers expect:

Porch theft is the gap that surprises most people. Whether FedEx owes anything depends on the signature option and what the delivery record shows; our guide on whether FedEx is responsible for stolen packages works through those cases, and FedEx late delivery refunds covers the guarantee side.

How Does FedEx Pay an Insurance Claim?

FedEx pays the lesser of the item’s repair cost, its depreciated value or its replacement cost, up to the declared value. The shipper has to prove the actual loss, so a declared value of $2,000 on a used laptop worth $900 pays no more than $900.

To support a claim, FedEx expects three things: proof of the loss or damage, proof that it happened while FedEx had the package, and proof that the item was packed properly. A purchase invoice, photos of the box and the item, serial numbers, and a repair estimate cover most cases. If FedEx pays the full value of a damaged item, it can keep the item as salvage.

How Do You File a FedEx Insurance Claim?

You file online at fedex.com with the tracking number, or by phone through FedEx customer service. FedEx’s claims page sets these windows:

The 2026 Service Guide’s U.S. terms give 90 calendar days for loss, damage or delay claims, so the two FedEx sources don’t line up. File as soon as you know there’s a problem and you’ll be inside every window. Keep the box, the packing material and the item until the claim is settled, because FedEx may inspect them.

1. Log in at fedex.com and open the claims tool with your tracking number.
2. Enter the specific amount you’re claiming, up to the declared value.
3. Upload the invoice, photos and any repair estimate.
4. If you’re the recipient rather than the shipper, get the shipper’s written consent, or ask the seller to file.
5. Track the claim under the Reports tab and respond quickly to any request for more documents.

If the package simply never showed up, start with our steps for a FedEx missing package and the full walkthrough of what happens if FedEx loses your package.

FedEx Declared Value or Third-Party Insurance?

FedEx’s own terms note that you can transfer the risk above your declared value to an insurance carrier of your choice. Here’s how the two options compare:

Third-party coverage makes sense when an item falls in a capped category, is worth more than the service maximum, or when you ship valuables often enough that a standing policy is easier. Declared value keeps one advantage: the claim goes straight to FedEx with the tracking number. Comparing FedEx services by speed first? Our FedEx services guide and our comparison of expedited shipping options lay out the transit times.

If you’re open to UPS or USPS instead, ParcelPath offers up to 85% off UPS and up to 89% off USPS, with no subscription or per-label fees, and you can add Shipsurance coverage when you buy the label. Compare live UPS and USPS rates for your package in the ParcelPath rate calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does FedEx insurance come with every package?

Yes, in the form of $100 of liability. Every FedEx package includes $100 of declared value at no extra charge, but FedEx doesn’t sell insurance policies. To cover an item worth more than $100, enter a higher declared value when you create the label and pay the declared-value charge, up to a $50,000 declared value for each package on most Express and Ground services.

What is the maximum FedEx insurance coverage?

For most FedEx Express, FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery packages, the declared value for each package is capped at $50,000. FedEx Envelope and Pak contents are capped at $500, FedEx SameDay shipments at a $2,000 limit, and items such as jewelry, artwork and collectibles at $1,000. Enrolled shippers can declare up to $100,000 on domestic jewelry through FedEx Declared Value Advantage.

Does FedEx insurance cover stolen packages?

Only while FedEx has the package. Declared value covers loss and damage in FedEx’s network. If a package shipped with No Signature Required is left at the address and later stolen, FedEx’s signature page says the shipper assumes responsibility once it’s left. Requiring a signature, or redirecting the package to a FedEx pickup location, reduces that risk.

How long do I have to file a FedEx insurance claim?

FedEx’s claims page gives 60 calendar days for damaged or missing contents on U.S. shipments, 21 days for international damage, and nine months for lost or undelivered packages. The 2026 Service Guide states 90 days for U.S. loss, damage or delay claims. To be safe, file as soon as you spot the problem and keep the box until FedEx settles.

Sources

• FedEx Service Guide 2026: Declared value and limits of liability, claims terms
• FedEx: Declared value and Declared Value Advantage
• FedEx: File a claim, deadlines and documents
• FedEx: Delivery signature options

For more carrier guides, visit our FedEx shipping hub.