Depending on the size, contents and delivery destination of your parcel, insurance costs can vary. Most cheap parcel delivery services will include a certain level of insurance within the price quoted, but to keep the price discounted it won’t cover expensive contents and usually caps at around £50 per parcel, although there is some variance in basic insurance depending on the company, so do remember to check.
The standard minimum insurance offered will be limited by the terms and conditions of your parcel service provider, full terms should be available on their website and are easy enough to check. Liability is usually what common sense would dictate and is normally limited to the cost of damage to the parcel itself, rather than covering any losses to business, profits or interest incurred because of a damaged parcel you send. There may also be limitations placed on the cash value your parcel could be worth, and may be dependent on the weight of your parcel. Always double check the terms and conditions to ensure your parcel’s true worth will be covered in the basic insurance offered. If it doesn’t, consider upping your insurance.
Some companies comprehensively list the items that they will not accept liability for should some damage or destruction occur, even if it is their own fault. For some parcel companies, that list is very, very long and covers items such as glassware or items containing glass. Check the terms and conditions carefully to ensure that your parcel’s contents aren’t on the dangerous, banned or no compensation lists, particularly if using an economy parcel service as their list is likely to be longer.
If you need additional insurance to cover the value of your parcel’s contents, you can pay a surcharge to up your coverage. Depending on how much you need to increase your coverage by the surcharge will rise accordingly. You’ll need to request additional insurance before accepting a parcel quote, and check the order confirmation for its inclusion or you won’t be covered. An admin fee may also be charged on top of your extra insurance costs, so be prepared for anything up to around £50 in addition.
You will need to correctly fill out the booking form for every parcel you send, failure to properly complete it can mean you won’t be entitled to seek compensation for any damage or loss, even if you purchase additional insurance. If sending your parcel abroad, a more detailed form will need to be completed or you risk delaying your parcel in customs. International parcels may be subject to different terms and conditions, so be sure to check and never be afraid to ask for clarification on anything you’re unsure of before accepting a quote. Booking forms incorrectly filled in can invalidate any compensation claim you try to file so if you’re unsure of any fields, always ask the company for help to avoid any problems further down the line.