Note: Filing windows and requirements below are taken from each carrier’s own claims pages and terms as of October 2026. Deadlines are strict, so start your claim as soon as you know a package is damaged or missing.

How to File a USPS/FedEx/UPS Claim for Lost or Damaged Packages

To file a claim you need the tracking number, proof of what the item was worth, and, for damage, photos plus the original box and packing. Where and when you file depends on the carrier:

USPS: Claims are filed online at usps.com. Damage claims are due within 60 days of mailing. Lost-package claims usually open 15 days after mailing (7 days for Priority Mail Express) and close at 60 days.
UPS: UPS asks you to start a claim within 60 days of the scheduled delivery date.
FedEx: For U.S. packages, FedEx’s claims page asks for damage or missing-contents claims within 60 calendar days of the ship date, and lost-package claims within nine months.

This guide walks through each carrier’s process, the documents each one asks for, why claims get denied, and how to appeal.

Key Takeaways

Know whether you’re covered. USPS Ground Advantage, Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express include up to $100 of insurance. First-Class Mail letters and Media Mail don’t. UPS and FedEx limit their liability to $100 per package unless you declared a higher value.
Keep everything. USPS and FedEx both tell you to keep the original packaging and contents until the claim is settled. UPS asks you to keep the contents and packaging for damage claims.
Proof of value is required. A receipt, paid invoice, credit card statement or online order record all work. USPS won’t pay more than an item’s actual value when mailed.
USPS is quicker than its reputation. USPS says it usually sends claim decisions within 5-10 days and pays approved claims in 7-10 business days.
You can appeal a USPS denial twice, each time within 30 days.

Claim Rules at a Glance

	USPS	UPS	FedEx
Where to file	usps.com (USPS.com account), or by mail on a paper claim form	ups.com claims page	fedex.com claims tool (log in required)
Who can file	Sender or recipient. For lost items, the person filing needs the mailing receipt or label record.	Shipper. UPS also lets recipients and third parties file as a guest.	Shipper or recipient. FedEx tells recipients they can ask the merchant to file or file themselves.
Damage deadline	Within 60 days of mailing	Within 60 days of scheduled delivery	Within 60 calendar days of ship date (U.S.)
Lost-package window	15-60 days after mailing for Ground Advantage, Priority Mail and insured mail; 7-60 days for Priority Mail Express	Within 60 days of scheduled delivery	Within nine months of ship date
Built-in coverage	Up to $100 insurance (Ground Advantage, Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express)	$100 liability unless higher value declared	$100 liability unless higher value declared
Maximum coverage	Insurance up to $5,000	Declared value available for a fee	Declared value up to $50,000 per package for most services

FedEx’s 2026 Service Guide gives U.S. shippers 90 calendar days from delivery (or from tender, if the package never arrived) to file in writing. Filing within the 60 days on its claims page satisfies both.

How to File a USPS Claim

USPS calls these “indemnity claims.” They cover lost, damaged or missing-contents packages that were insured, either through insurance included with the service or insurance you bought.

Step 1: Check the filing window

Damaged or missing contents: file right away, and no later than 60 days after the mailing date.
Lost packages: wait until the service’s waiting period has passed:

Service	File no sooner than	File no later than
Priority Mail Express	7 days after mailing	60 days
Priority Mail, Ground Advantage, insured mail	15 days after mailing	60 days
Registered Mail, COD	15 days after mailing	60 days
APO/FPO/DPO insured or Registered Mail	45 days	1 year

If the package wasn’t insured, USPS says it can’t legally pay compensation. Instead, submit a Missing Mail Search request so USPS can try to find it.

Step 2: Gather documents

Tracking or label number: 13 to 34 characters, from the receipt or label record.
Evidence of insurance: the mailing receipt, the outer packaging showing the insured label, or the online label record.
Proof of value: a sales receipt, paid invoice, credit card statement, dealer’s statement of value, or online transaction printout.
Proof of damage: clear photos, plus an estimate of repair costs from a reputable dealer for damaged items.

Keep the box, packing material and all contents, including undamaged items, until the claim is settled. USPS may ask you to bring the entire package to a Post Office for inspection.

Step 3: File

File online through a free USPS.com account. You can save a claim and finish it later, track it in your Claim History and opt in to email updates. If you can’t file online, call 1-800-332-0317 to have a paper Domestic Claim Form mailed to you.

Step 4: Decision and payment

USPS Accounting Services decides whether to pay in full, in part, or deny. USPS says decisions usually arrive within 5-10 days, and approved claims are paid within 7-10 business days. Payment is limited to the item’s actual value, and used items are depreciated based on their life expectancy. For a lost insured package, USPS also refunds the postage you paid.

How to File a UPS Claim

Start within 60 days of the scheduled delivery date. This also applies when a C.O.D. payment wasn’t received.
Have the tracking number ready. Logging in to a UPS account gives full access to the claims dashboard. UPS also lets recipients and third-party shippers file as a guest.
Document damage. UPS asks for photos showing the package’s condition on delivery. Its support page says to plan on three photos for damage claims.
Keep the evidence. Keep the invoice that proves the value, and for damage, keep the contents and the packaging.
Know your limit. UPS pays up to $100 per package unless you declared a higher value when shipping and paid for it.

UPS notes that claim timeframes for shipments outside the U.S. vary by country.

How to File a FedEx Claim

Log in to fedex.com and open the claims tool. FedEx’s legacy claims application has been retired, and you must be logged in to file.
File on time. For U.S. packages, damage or missing-contents claims are due within 60 calendar days of the ship date, and lost or undelivered packages within nine months. International damage claims are due within 21 calendar days of the ship date.
Upload documents. Include the tracking number, proof of value such as invoices, and photos of the package and damaged contents. You can add documents to a claim after you file it.
Keep the packaging. FedEx may ask for an inspection. For U.S. parcels with a declared value over $100 and under $1,000, you can do your own inspection and upload photos of the carton, inner packaging and contents. FedEx’s terms say not to repair a damaged item until FedEx has inspected it or waived inspection.
Know your limit. FedEx liability is $100 per package unless you declared more. The maximum declared value is $50,000 for most U.S. package services.

Late delivery is a separate request. FedEx’s money-back guarantee covers First Overnight, Priority Overnight, Standard Overnight and 2Day A.M., and remains suspended for its other services. Under the Service Guide, refund requests for a service failure must be made within 15 calendar days of the invoice date, or of the ship date if you paid by card or in advance.

Why Claims Get Denied

USPS’s Domestic Mail Manual lists the situations in which it won’t pay. Several catch shippers often:

No evidence of insurance, or a claim filed outside the time limits.
Damage by abrasion or scraping to items that weren’t properly wrapped.
Damage from shock or the transportation environment with no evidence of damage to the box.
Fragile items that couldn’t survive the mail regardless of packaging, and items packed so poorly they couldn’t have arrived undamaged.
Perishables that spoiled, melted or deteriorated.
Sentimental value or consequential losses, rather than the item’s actual value.
Loss after delivery, for example after the recipient or their agent signed for the package.
Gift cards, lottery and sweepstakes tickets, which are excluded.
Incomplete addresses, meaning mail without the complete names and addresses of the sender and recipient.

UPS and FedEx also assess whether packaging was adequate, which is why both ask to see the box. Good packing prevents most denials. See How to Ship Fragile Items Without Breakage.

How to Appeal

USPS: If a claim is denied or only partly paid, appeal within 30 days of receiving the decision. File the same way you filed the claim, focus on the reasons given in the denial letter, and add new documents. If that appeal is denied, you can file a final appeal within 30 days.
FedEx and UPS: Add the missing documentation to your existing claim through the claims tool and contact the carrier’s claims team about the specific denial reason. Both carriers’ liability is set by their terms of service, so a higher payout usually depends on the declared value you bought.

Insurance Beyond the Carrier

If you sell online, the marketplace may offer coverage at checkout. eBay, for example, sells ShipCover insurance inside eBay Labels, with coverage up to $15,000 for USPS, UPS and FedEx shipments. Third-party policies can be cheaper than carrier coverage for high-value items, but read the exclusions and claim requirements before you rely on one. For a comparison, see our shipping insurance comparison.

How to Avoid Needing a Claim

Pack for automated sorting: a sturdy box, cushioning on every side, and 2-inch or wider tape.
Insure what you can’t afford to lose. USPS insurance as of October 2026 costs $2.80 for coverage up to $50 and $4.50 for $100.01-$200, up to $5,000 of coverage.
Add a signature for valuables. USPS Signature Confirmation is $5.15 at the counter ($4.15 when bought electronically), and Adult Signature Required is $9.70. Both UPS and FedEx sell delivery signature options. A signature prevents “delivered but not received” disputes. Note that USPS won’t pay for loss after the recipient signs.
Photograph the item and the packed box before you seal and ship it.
Use complete addresses with both names, since missing names can void a USPS claim.

For overall carrier differences, see FedEx vs UPS vs USPS. For platform shipping protections, see our eBay and Etsy seller shipping guide. For USPS-specific detail, see How to File a USPS Insurance Claim.