To file a UPS claim, FedEx claim or USPS claim, submit it online with the carrier before its deadline (60 days at most for most domestic shipments). Include the tracking number, proof of value such as an invoice, and photos of any damage. Keep the box and packing materials for inspection. Shipixy customers manage claims in the same platform they use to book and track shipments.
Key takeaways
- All three carriers take claims online. UPS and FedEx let the shipper or the recipient file. USPS lets the mailer or the recipient file.
- Deadlines are short. UPS and FedEx domestic claims generally run 60 days. USPS damage claims run up to 60 days from the mailing date, and loss claims open only after a waiting period of 7 or 15 days.
- Most packages include $100 of carrier liability or insurance. Anything above that is covered only if you bought extra declared value or insurance before shipping.
- Claims are usually denied for one of four reasons: a missed deadline, no proof of value, weak packaging, or a recipient who threw away the box.
What is a shipping claim?
A shipping claim is a formal request asking a carrier to pay for a package that was lost, damaged, or delivered with missing contents. The carrier pays up to its liability, which is the maximum amount it agrees to pay for a shipment. For UPS and FedEx, liability is set by declared value: the value you state when you create the label. The first $100 is included, and coverage above $100 costs extra. USPS uses the word insurance for the same idea. Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express and USPS Ground Advantage include $100 of insurance, and more can be purchased up to $5,000 for domestic mail.
Some things are not claims. A late package is a service failure, not a loss. On guaranteed services, the remedy is a refund of shipping charges under the carrier's money-back guarantee, when that guarantee is in effect. A package that tracking shows as delivered but that nobody can find usually needs a carrier trace first. A claim comes after the trace.
UPS vs FedEx vs USPS claims: deadlines and rules compared
| Rule | UPS | FedEx | USPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where to file | ups.com Claims Center (online), or by phone | fedex.com Claims (online) | usps.com Claims (online, USPS.com account required) |
| Who can file | Shipper or receiver. Payment goes to the shipper unless the shipper authorizes the receiver. | Shipper or recipient. Payment goes to the shipper by default. | Mailer or recipient |
| Damage or missing contents deadline | Within 60 days of delivery | Domestic: generally 60 days. International Express: notice can be due within 21 days of delivery. | As soon as possible, no later than 60 days from the mailing date |
| Lost package deadline | Within 60 days of the scheduled delivery date | Domestic: generally 60 days. Check the current FedEx Service Guide for your service. | Priority Mail Express: 7 to 60 days after mailing. Priority Mail, Ground Advantage and insured mail: 15 to 60 days after mailing. |
| Included coverage | $100 declared value | $100 declared value | $100 on Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express and Ground Advantage |
| Packaging inspection | May inspect. Keep the box, labels and fill. | May inspect. Keep everything. | May ask you to present the item and packaging at a Post Office. |
| If denied | Request a review with new evidence | Request a review with new evidence | Appeal within 30 days of the decision, then a final appeal to the Consumer Advocate |
Carriers revise these terms in their tariffs and service guides, so confirm the window on the official page before you file. See the USPS domestic claims page and the FedEx claims page for current rules.
What documents do you need to file a claim?
Gather these before you open the form. A complete first submission is the fastest path to payment.
- Tracking number (the 1Z number for UPS, the 12 to 15 digit number for FedEx, the 20 to 22 digit number for USPS).
- Proof of value: a sales invoice, purchase order, or receipt. For goods you make yourself, use a manufacturing cost sheet. Carriers typically pay invoice cost, not retail price, when the shipper is the seller.
- Proof of coverage: the label or receipt showing declared value or purchased insurance.
- Photos: the outer box on all six sides, the shipping label, the inner packing, and close-ups of the damage. Shoot them before anything is moved.
- Repair estimate or proof of loss: a repair quote for damaged items, or a statement that the item is beyond repair.
- Package details: weight, dimensions, and how it was packed (for example, a 24 x 18 x 12 in double-wall box with 2 in of foam on every side).
How to file a UPS claim step by step
- Check tracking. If the package shows an exception or no movement for several days, start a package search with UPS first. Our guide to why UPS packages are delayed explains which exceptions usually resolve on their own.
- Decide who files. As the shipper (most e-commerce sellers), you file and get paid. If your customer files, the payment still goes to you unless you authorize otherwise.
- Open the UPS Claims Center on ups.com, enter the 1Z tracking number, and select lost, damaged, or missing contents.
- Describe the merchandise, enter its value (no higher than the declared value on the label), and upload the invoice and photos.
- Tell the receiver to keep the box, labels and packing materials. UPS may send someone to inspect the damage or pick up the item.
- Track the claim status online and answer any document requests quickly. Unanswered requests are a common reason claims stall.
To see how coverage above $100 works before your next shipment, read how to insure a UPS package.
How to file a FedEx claim
- Go to the FedEx claims page and sign in with a fedex.com user ID.
- Enter the tracking number and choose the claim type (loss, damage, or shortage).
- Upload the invoice, photos and repair estimate. Enter the amount claimed, up to the declared value.
- Keep the packaging available for inspection, especially for FedEx Freight or high-value parcels.
- Watch your email for the decision. If the recipient filed, confirm who should receive payment, because FedEx pays the shipper by default.
How to file a USPS claim
- For a lost package, wait out the minimum window: 7 days for Priority Mail Express and 15 days for Priority Mail, Ground Advantage and insured mail. Submitting a Missing Mail search first often locates the item. The USPS tracking statuses guide helps you read the scans before you file.
- Sign in at usps.com and open the claims tool.
- Enter the tracking or insured number, the mailing date, and the sender and recipient addresses.
- Upload proof of value and proof of insurance. For damage, add photos and keep the item, box and packing until the claim closes.
- If denied, appeal within 30 days of the decision. If the appeal is also denied, you can make a final appeal to the USPS Consumer Advocate within 30 days.
Copy-paste example: a claim description that gets approved
Adjusters read hundreds of claims. Make yours factual, short, and matched to your documents:
Shipment 1Z999AA10123456784 delivered 03/14 with crushed corner on outer box (photo 1-3). Contents: 1 ceramic table lamp, SKU LMP-220, invoice #10458, cost $186.00. Packed in 20 x 14 x 14 in double-wall carton with 2 in foam on all sides (photo 4). Lamp base cracked through (photo 5-6), not repairable per attached vendor statement. Declared value $200. Claim amount $186.00. Packaging retained for inspection.
Why do shipping claims get denied?
- Missed deadline. A UPS claim on day 61 is usually rejected outright, whatever the merits.
- No proof of value. A screenshot of a product page is weaker than an invoice or receipt.
- Insufficient packaging. Fragile goods in a single-wall box with no cushioning are the classic denial. Carriers expect the item to survive a fall from roughly 3 ft.
- Discarded packaging. If the recipient throws out the box, the carrier cannot inspect it.
- Claim above coverage. A $900 laptop shipped at the default $100 declared value pays $100 at most.
- Prohibited or restricted items. Items the carrier does not accept, or accepts only with limited liability (such as some antiques or jewelry), may be excluded.
Carrier claim vs shipping protection: which pays faster?
Carrier liability is the carrier's own coverage, with its own deadlines, inspections and exclusions. Shipping protection (often called third-party shipping insurance) is coverage bought from a provider other than the carrier, and its terms are set by that provider's policy. Many high-volume shippers use both: declared value or USPS insurance for occasional high-value parcels, and protection across everyday volume. Our shipping insurance guide compares the options in more detail. Broader guidance on returns, refunds and claims is in our returns, claims and shipping protection hub.
How Shipixy fits into the claims process
Shipixy handles quoting, booking, tracking, claims and shipping protection in one platform, with no subscription fees. When a shipment goes wrong, the tracking history, label details and claim are all in one account, so you are not rebuilding the paper trail from three carrier portals. Rates by carrier are on the UPS shipping page, the FedEx shipping page and the USPS shipping page. Discounts vary by service, up to 75%.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to file a UPS claim?
Generally 60 days. For damage, that means 60 days from delivery. For a lost package, it means 60 days from the scheduled delivery date. File as early as you can, because evidence is easier to collect while it is fresh.
Can the recipient file a claim instead of the shipper?
Yes. UPS, FedEx and USPS all accept claims from either side. UPS and FedEx pay the shipper by default unless the shipper authorizes payment to the recipient.
How much will the carrier pay for a lost package?
The carrier pays the lower of the item's proven value or the coverage on the label. That is $100 by default on UPS and FedEx, and on USPS Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express and Ground Advantage, unless you bought more coverage before shipping.
What if my package says delivered but never arrived?
Check with neighbors, the building mailroom and any safe-drop spots first, then ask the carrier for a delivery trace. If the trace confirms the package is missing, file a loss claim within the deadline.
Do I need to keep the damaged box?
Yes. Keep the box, labels, packing materials and the item until the claim is paid, because the carrier may inspect them. Discarded packaging is one of the most common reasons damage claims are denied.
Keep every shipment, tracking event and claim in one place. Create your free Shipixy account to get discounted UPS, FedEx and USPS rates and manage claims from the same platform you ship with.
