How to File a Claim for a Lost or Damaged Package

If a package you shipped, or one you insured, is lost or arrives broken, you may be able to recover its value by filing a claim with the carrier. Claims aren't complicated, but they are picky. Miss a deadline, skip a document, or file with the wrong party, and you'll get denied. This guide walks through who can file, what you need, and the specific process for USPS, UPS, and FedEx.

First: are you the right person to file?

Carrier claims are generally filed by the party with an interest in the shipment, which usually means the shipper, but sometimes the recipient. If you bought something that never arrived or came damaged, the seller shipped it and typically holds the shipping relationship and the insurance, so your simplest route is often to have the seller file (or just refund you). See what to do if your package is lost for that path. File a carrier claim yourself when you were the shipper, or when the seller directs you to and you have the documentation.

What you'll need for any claim

Gather these before you start, because every carrier asks for some combination of them:

• Tracking number and the full tracking history.
• Proof of value — a receipt, invoice, or order confirmation showing what the item cost. This sets the payout amount.
• Proof of insurance or the shipping receipt — showing coverage was purchased or included.
• For damage: photos of the damaged item and the packaging (box, padding, label), plus the item itself, which you should keep until the claim closes.
• Description of the contents and what went wrong.

Clear, complete documentation is the single biggest factor in getting paid. Blurry photos, missing receipts, and vague descriptions are the top reasons claims stall.

USPS claims

USPS pays claims on items sent with insurance, which is included on some services (like Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail, up to a base amount) and can be added to others.

• Timing for lost items: you must wait a minimum period after mailing before filing (it varies by service, generally around 7–15 days), and there's an outer deadline of 60 days from the mailing date for most insured mail. File within that window.
• Timing for damaged items: file as soon as you can, and keep the item and all packaging in case USPS requests an inspection.
• How: file online through the USPS claims portal with your USPS account, upload proof of value and (for damage) photos.

Our USPS tracking hub links to the current claim requirements and the Missing Mail search you should run first for a lost item.

UPS claims

UPS lets the shipper or the receiver start a claim, and the process is more search-first than USPS:

• Start the claim through your UPS account or the claims page, providing the tracking number and supporting documents.
• UPS usually runs a package search before approving a lost claim, so give them a little time to try to locate it.
• UPS asks you to submit the claim generally within 60 days of the scheduled delivery for domestic shipments (international windows differ).
• Declared value matters. UPS covers up to a base amount per package by default, and payouts are capped at the declared value, so if you shipped something expensive, the declared value you chose at shipping time is what you can recover.

Details and the claim entry point are on our UPS tracking hub.

FedEx claims

FedEx handles lost and damaged claims through its online claims system:

• File online with the tracking number, then upload proof of value and, for damage, photos and supporting documents.
• FedEx generally asks that claims be filed within 60 days of the shipment date for US packages.
• As with UPS, recovery is tied to declared value. Standard liability covers a base amount unless you declared (and paid for) higher value.
• For damage, keep the packaging, FedEx may schedule an inspection.

See our FedEx tracking hub for the current process and forms.

How much you'll actually get back

Set expectations up front. A claim pays out the lower of the item's documented value and the coverage/declared value, not what you feel it's worth. Two implications:

• If you shipped a $500 item but only declared $100, your maximum recovery is roughly $100.
• Without a receipt or invoice, the carrier may pay a reduced amount or nothing, because there's no proof of value.

Some categories are excluded or limited (cash, certain jewelry, collectibles, perishables), so check the carrier's terms if you're shipping something unusual.

Common reasons claims get denied

1. Filed too late — past the deadline. The 60-day windows are firm.
2. No proof of value — no receipt or invoice attached.
3. Insufficient packaging — for damage claims, carriers deny when the item wasn't packed to their standards.
4. Packaging discarded — you threw out the box before the inspection.
5. Declared value too low or none — nothing to pay against.
6. Filed by the wrong party — the account holder / shipper usually has to be involved.

A clean filing workflow

1. Confirm the full status in one place with PackageTrackNow and screenshot the timeline.
2. Decide who files, you (if you shipped it) or the seller (if you bought it).
3. Gather proof of value, insurance/receipt, and photos for damage.
4. Run the carrier's search first for lost items (especially USPS Missing Mail and UPS package search).
5. File online within the deadline and keep the damaged item and packaging until the claim closes.
6. Track the claim status and respond quickly to any request for more documents.

The takeaway

Claims reward preparation. Know who's allowed to file, save your receipt and photos, keep damaged packaging, and file within the roughly 60-day window carriers allow. Recovery is capped at the documented and declared value, so the choices you make at shipping time, insurance and declared value, decide how much you can get back later.