UPS claim tracking happens in the UPS claims dashboard. Log in at ups.com/us/en/support/file-a-claim and select View Existing Claim to see your claim’s status and any action UPS needs from you. UPS says most claims are resolved in 8 to 10 business days unless more investigation is needed. Full claim details are shown to the shipper, so recipients usually get updates through whoever sent the package.
Below are the steps to check a claim, what each status means, the deadlines that apply, and the most common reasons a claim stalls.
How Do You Track a UPS Claim?
How you track a claim depends on whether you shipped the package or received it.
- Shippers: Log in to your ups.com account and open the claims dashboard from the File a Claim page (View Existing Claim). UPS says shippers can see more details and track a claim’s progress there, upload documents and see payment details.
- Recipients and guest filers: Watch your email. UPS sends time-sensitive notices, such as requests for photos or more information, while it reviews the claim. UPS’s advice to recipients who want updates is to contact the shipper, because the shipper of record handles payment documents and sees the full claim.
- Anyone with the tracking number: Keep tracking the package itself. A lost package that turns up will show new scans, and that can change the claim’s outcome.
UPS recommends logging in to file if you manage several claims, because it gives you full dashboard access. Recipients and third-party shippers can file faster as a guest. You’ll need the tracking number, which usually starts with “1Z.” Our UPS tracking number guide shows where to find it.
If you’d rather call, UPS accepts notice of a claim at 1-800-PICK-UPS (1-800-742-5877). The claim still has to be filed in writing through ups.com, and our UPS customer service number guide covers the phone menu.
What Do UPS Claim Statuses Mean?
UPS lists these claim statuses on its File a Claim page. They appear on the claims dashboard, and an icon flags any status that needs action from you.
| Status | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Claim Reported – Supporting Document(s) Received | Your documents or photos uploaded successfully | Nothing; wait for review |
| Shipment Inspection Scheduled | UPS will inspect the damaged package | Keep the item and all packaging available |
| Claim Review in Progress | The claims department is reviewing it | Watch your email for requests |
| Claim Review Complete | The investigation is finished and results are coming | Wait for the resolution notice |
| Claim Not Approved – Insufficient Merchandise Description | UPS needs a more detailed description | Add brand, model, serial number, size, color and quantity |
| Claim Not Approved – Unable to Contact Receiver | UPS needs accurate receiver contact details | Update the receiver’s phone or email |
| Claim Issued | The claim was issued and paperwork went to the shipper of record | Shipper uploads payment documents (View Details) |
| Payment has been processed for your claim | Payment was sent | Shipper sees payment details on the dashboard |
A “Not Approved” status for a missing description or contact details is usually fixable. UPS says an investigation closed for lack of a serial number can be reopened once you provide it.
How Long Does a UPS Claim Take?
UPS’s File a Claim page says you can typically expect a resolution in 8 to 10 business days, unless additional investigation is required. The UPS Tariff sets the outer limits:
- Acknowledgment: UPS acknowledges a properly filed claim within 30 days of receiving it, unless the claim has already been paid or denied.
- Decision: UPS will pay, decline or make a firm settlement offer in writing within 120 days of receiving the claim.
- Delays past 120 days: UPS must tell you in writing why the claim is still pending, then update you every 60 days until it’s resolved.
What are the UPS claim deadlines?
The clock matters as much as the paperwork. Under the UPS Tariff:
| Shipment | Notice deadline | Filing deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic (including to and from Puerto Rico) | 60 days after delivery, or after the scheduled delivery date if it never arrived | 9 months after delivery or scheduled delivery |
| International | Claim filed within 60 days after delivery, or after the scheduled delivery date | |
Claims that miss these limits are treated as waived and won’t be paid. If UPS denies part of a claim, any lawsuit must be filed within two years of the denial.
What Documents Speed Up a UPS Claim?
Most delays come from missing information, so prepare it before you file. UPS asks for:
- The tracking number and the date of shipment.
- Proof of value: the original invoice or another record of the price paid, cost or replacement cost.
- A detailed merchandise description: brand, model, size, color, quantity and serial numbers. UPS says serial numbers are key in a “Lost and Found” search and are required for some merchandise, such as higher-value electronics.
- Three photos for damage claims: the damaged item and how it was packed inside the box, a close-up of the shipping label with the tracking number, and the outside of the package showing any damage. Have the box’s height, length and width ready too.
- The original packaging: keep the contents and all packing materials. The Tariff lets UPS refuse a damage claim if it asked to inspect the packaging and it wasn’t available.
For an entirely lost package, UPS may ask the recipient for a written statement that it never arrived, and it can require a police report. If you think a delivered package was taken, follow the steps in our stolen UPS package guide alongside the claim.
How much can a UPS claim pay?
Under the UPS Tariff, UPS’s liability is limited to a default amount per package unless the shipper recorded a higher declared value when creating the label. UPS won’t pay more than the declared value, and it pays based on the value you document with an invoice or other proof. The Tariff also notes that declaring a higher value isn’t insurance, so shippers who want insurance buy it from a third party. Our guide to UPS insurance per 100 of declared value explains how coverage is added.
Why Can’t You File or Track a UPS Claim Online?
UPS lists several reasons the claims tool may block you:
- Shipper restriction: The shipper’s account doesn’t allow recipients or third parties to start claims, so ask the shipper to file.
- Released packages: Packages you chose to have released, such as a signature-required package released to your address or a package released to your apartment building through UPS My Choice, aren’t eligible for lost claims.
- UPS Ground Saver handed to USPS: UPS accepts Ground Saver claims on packages UPS delivered, but not after the scan showing the package was handed over to the Post Office.
- Account not authenticated: Add your UPS account number under Payment Options before filing as a logged-in shipper.
- Past the deadline or an investigation already open for the same issue.
If you shipped through The UPS Store or another retailer counter, the Tariff says the retailer is the shipper of record, and UPS deals only with that retailer on tracing and claims. Ask the store to file and track the claim for you.
How Do You Get Paid for an Approved UPS Claim?
UPS says it has fully switched to electronic payments. Once your first EFT-eligible claim is approved, UPS emails a link to enroll in electronic funds transfer. After UPS receives and validates the shipper’s payment documents, claim payments go to the shipper within about 3 days. Shippers can upload payment documents from View Details on the claims dashboard.
Payments go to the shipper, not the recipient. If you bought something online, the seller usually files the claim and refunds or replaces your order.
If you created the label through ParcelPath, start with our File a Claim page. ParcelPath’s claims team files UPS claims for labels bought through ParcelPath and credits your ParcelPath account when a claim is approved. Our UPS shipping guide covers UPS services and coverage options in more depth.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check my UPS claim status?
Log in at ups.com, open the File a Claim page and select View Existing Claim to reach the claims dashboard. Shippers see full details, documents and payment information there. Recipients who filed as a guest receive email updates, and UPS suggests contacting the shipper for more detail, because the shipper of record handles payment paperwork.
How long does a UPS claim take to process?
UPS says you can typically expect a resolution in 8 to 10 business days unless more investigation is needed. Under the UPS Tariff, UPS acknowledges a claim within 30 days and must pay, decline or offer a settlement within 120 days. If it needs longer, it must explain the delay in writing every 60 days.
How long do I have to file a UPS claim?
For domestic shipments, UPS must receive notice within 60 days after delivery, or after the scheduled delivery date for a package that never arrived. The claim must then be filed within 9 months. International claims must be filed within 60 days after delivery or scheduled delivery. Late claims are treated as waived.
Why does my UPS claim say “Not Approved”?
A “Claim Not Approved” status often means UPS needs more information, not that the claim is finished. The two listed reasons are an insufficient merchandise description and being unable to contact the receiver. Add details such as brand, model and serial number, or correct the receiver’s contact information, and the investigation can continue.
Who gets paid when a UPS claim is approved?
The shipper of record. UPS sends paperwork to the shipper when a claim is issued, and the shipper uploads payment documents on the claims dashboard. UPS pays electronically, through EFT enrollment, within about 3 days of validating those documents. Recipients are typically reimbursed by the seller or sender.
Sources
- UPS: File a Claim (claims dashboard, statuses, resolution times, EFT payments)
- UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service, United States (Sections 16, 55 and 56)
- UPS: Contact Us
Explore more in our Shipping Services and Solutions hub.
Part of our UPS Claims and Support guide. Related: UPS Claim Support, UPS Claims Forms, UPS Customer Service Number.
