Shipping Insurance Options in Shippo

One out of Ten shipments arrive damaged, over 1.7 million packages are lost nationwide every day, and more and more customers say they’re unlikely to repurchase if they had a poor delivery experience. Keep orders safe, and provide a better customer experience by adding shipping insurance to your shipments.

In this guide, learn how to insure your packages with Shippo, guarantee coverage, and discover which items can or cannot be insured in Shippo, and more. 

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Insuring your Package with XCover

Shippo has partnered with XCover, owned by Cover Genius, allowing you to quickly (and easily) add insurance to your labels while purchasing in Shippo! When you purchase insurance for the first time, you will receive an email and text message asking you to create an XCover account. 

 

From the XCover portal, you can make a claim or manage your insurance policies. All insured shipments are subject to the XCover Terms and Conditions.

 

How to add XCover to your package

• From the Orders page, click into the Order you would like to insure.
• Click Shipment Extras from the sidebar.
• Click Add next to Shipment Insurance.
• Choose Insurance by XCover .
• Then, give the total value of the items inside the package. 
• You will then get a quote for insurance on your package. 
• Lastly, select the desired Label. 

 

How much does it cost to insure my package?

For shipments within the same country, the price of insuring your packages is 1.25% of the insured value. So, for example, if a package is insured for a value of $250, insurance would cost $3.13. For cross-border shipments, the price of insuring your packages is 1.50% of the insured value.

 

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Can my item be Insured with XCover?

The language around shipping insurance can often be frustrating, misleading, and hard to understand.

Before purchasing your label with XCover , be sure that XCover will insure the item. The full list of exclusions can be found in XCover’s Terms and Conditions and will vary by originating country.

 

Items that require a signature to be insured

• Laptops, LCDs and TVs
• Parcels containing over $250 in jewelry. Jewelry over $250 must also have a tracking number. 

Can my item be insured with XCover?

For the most up-to-date coverage information please refer to XCover's Terms & Conditions. 

For shipments originating in the United States view policy information here.  

For shipments originating outside the United States view policy information here. 

 

As of 10/4/2023, coverage is only available for shipments originating from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands. Coverage for other countries will be coming soon.

Countries that XCover cannot Insure Packages to

Insurance coverage is limited to countries that do not violate United Nations resolutions or the trade or economic sanctions, laws or regulations of the European Union, United Kingdom or the United States of America.

For the US, shipments to following countries are not allowed to be insured. 

• Afghanistan (Taliban)
• Algeria
• Angola (UNITA)
• Burma (Myanmar)
• Chechnya, Republic of
• Congo, Democratic Republic of (formerly Zaire)
• Cuba
• Eritrea
• Ethiopia
• Iran
• Iraq
• Kyrgyzstan
• Lebanon
• Liberia
• Libya
• Macedonia
• Nigeria
• North Korea
• Russia & CIS Countries (Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Moldova)
• Rwanda
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• Sudan
• Syria
• Tajikistan
• Turkmenistan
• Uzbekistan
• Venezuela
• Yemen, Republic of
• Uganda
• Zimbabwe

For Canada, shipments to following countries are not allowed to be insured. 

• Afghanistan
• Algeria
• Angola
• Belarus
• Benin
• Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Botswana
• Burkina Faso
• Burma
• Burundi
• Cameroon
• Cape Verde
• Central African Republic
• Chad
• Comoros
• Congo
• Congo, The Democratic Republic Of The
• Cote D’ivoire
• Cuba
• Djibouti
• Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea
• Eswatini
• Ethiopia
• Gabon
• Gambia
• Ghana
• Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau
• Iran
• Iraq
• Kenya
• Lebanon
• Lesotho
• Liberia
• Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
• Madagascar
• Malawi
• Mali
• Mauritania
• Mauritius
• Mayotte
• Morocco
• Mozambique
• Myanmar
• Namibia
• Nicaragua
• Niger
• Nigeria
• North Korea
• Reunion Island
• Russia
• Rwanda
• Sao Tome And Principe
• Senegal
• Seychelles
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• South Sudan
• Sudan
• Swaziland
• Syria
• Tanzania, United Republic Of
• Togo
• Tunisia
• Uganda
• Ukraine
• Venezuela
• Western Sahara
• Yemen
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

 

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What to do if XCover cannot insure my item?

In the event that XCover cannot insure your item, carriers may have different requirements for insuring packages. Check with each carrier to determine if your package can be shipped. 

 

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Insuring your Package with Shipsurance

As a reminder, Shippo has migrated Insurance providers from Shipsurance to XCover. If you bought insurance prior to 9/1/23, read below to learn more about the former Shipsurance program.

Warnings: 1. Your item may not have qualified for insurance or may have required a signature to be insured by Shipsurance. See below to learn if your Item is Insurable through Shipsurance. 2. Proof of acceptance from the was carrier required. This can be shown in two ways: a) Tracking events on the carrier's website or b) a receipt from the day of drop-off showing the carrier's acceptance of the package.

We strongly recommend all customers review the Shipsurance Terms of Service here before adding insurance to your shipment.

 

 

Note: Adding Shipsurance to any package valued above $500.00 automatically added a Signature Confirmation to your label. Removing the confirmation could have invalidated the insurance coverage.

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Packaging requirements

For your package to be covered by Shipsurance, you must follow adhere to the following packaging requirements:

• Pack your items sufficiently to withstand the everyday rigors of transit. For example, if the item is fragile, pack it with bubble wrap or similar packaging materials to keep the item safe.
• Shipping your item in the manufacturer's packaging will void coverage. Pack your items in packaging that does not advertise the contents inside. 
• The shipping address must be correct. 
• If the item was damaged or lost during transit, the package must be in marked complete/delivered  when the claim is made. The claim may be denied if the item was never sent, is sent back, thrown away, or released to the shipping carrier.  

 

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Limitations on using Shipsurance

Chances are, your items can be easily insured from within Shippo. But, to guarantee coverage, your item may demand specific package requirements or require a signature. And, in some cases, your item may not be insurable. 

Be sure that Shipsurance will insure the item. Keep in mind that some items may only be insurable with a signature.

Items that are not insured

• Certain electronics with screens 
  • TV's
  • Computer monitors
• Documents
  • Passports
  • Negotiable papers such as securities or deeds
  • Tickets
  • Bills, currency, cash in transit, evidence of debt, money orders, cash on delivery (COD), gift cards, and all coins.
  • Manuscripts
• Specific types of glass
  • Stained glass
  • Plate glass
  • Float glass
• Anything deemed to be hazardous per UPS Hazardous Materials List
• Cigarettes, Cigars, or Tobacco Products
• Guns and firearms including:
  • Ghost Guns
  • 3D printed guns
  • Kits for any gun or firearm
• Hemp-derived products and products that contain cannabidiol (CBD)
• Vehicles
  • Automobiles
  • Motorcycles 
• Some foods
  • eggs
• Perishable cargo
• Live trees, flowers, plants, or seeds
• Live animals
• Specific fragile items
• Neon items like Neon signs
• Stone or ceramic slabs
• Items shipped in packaging which describes their contents.
  

Items that require a signature to be insured

• Signature confirmation will be automatically added to orders over $500 in value. This can be manually removed as long as the order does not meet any of the criteria listed below

• Computers (and similar electronics listed below - ADULT SIGNATURE CONFIRMATION REQUIRED)
  • Laptops
  • tablets
  • Desktop Computers
  • iPads
  • similar electronics
• Mobile telephones
  • Cell Phones
  • Smart Phones
  • Similar electronics
• Jewelry valued at $1000 or more (ADULT SIGNATURE CONFIRMATION REQUIRED)
  • necklaces, earrings, watches, rings, bracelets, broaches, etc
• Parcels or freight with a value of $10,000 (ADULT SIGNATURE CONFIRMATION REQUIRED)
  

Countries that we cannot Insure Packages to

• Afghanistan
• Angola
• Bolivia
• Burma
• Congo
• Cuba
• Iran
• Iraq
• Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire)
• Liberia
• Nigeria
• North Korea
• Paraguay
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia, Sudan
• Syria
• Venezuela
• Any location that would be in violation of any U.S. economic or trade sanctions including OFAC Restricted Countries. For shipments to Russia and other Commonwealth of Independent States countries:
• includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan
• Coverage ceases upon touchdown of the aircraft at the airport of destination or upon discharge from the overseas vessel at the destination discharge port.
  

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What to do if Shipsurance cannot insure my item?

Shipsurance has more requirements than a carrier, and unfortunately, any company shipping with Shipsurance will have similar limitations you see listed above. Luckily, carriers have different requirements for insuring packages. 

If Shipsurance cannot insure your item, your best option is to purchase your label directly through a Carrier (USPS, UPS, DHL, etc.)

 

Carrier	Service	Included Coverage
DHL Express	Domestic	$100.00
DHL Express	International	$100.00
FedEx	Domestic	$100.00
FedEx	International	$100.00
Purolator	Domestic	$100.00
Purolator	International	$100.00
UPS	Domestic	$100.00
UPS	International	$100.00
USPS	Domestic - Express Mail	$100.00
USPS	International- Express Mail	$200.00