eBay ShipCover (Parcel Insurance Plan / Arch Specialty)

At a glance

Sold by

eBay, as an add-on when a seller buys a USPS, UPS or FedEx label on eBay. eBay Inc. is the Named Insured on the master policy; sellers are Certificate Holders.

Claims handled by

Parcel Insurance Plan (PIP), the insurer's agent; the declarations name the producer as Brown & Brown of Missouri, Inc., dba Parcel Insurance Agency.

Risk carried by

Arch Specialty Insurance Company (Surplus lines insurer)

Max per parcel

$15,000 (USPS, UPS and FedEx domestic); $10,000 (USPS international). Taken from the top of the rate table; no per-package limit is printed.

Published price

For the first $100 of value: $1.70 (USPS domestic), $2.82 (USPS international), $1.49 (FedEx or UPS), including surplus lines tax and stamping fee. Master policy base rates before tax are $1.65, $2.74 and $1.45.

Pays out on

The lowest of the declared value, actual cash value, cost to repair or replace, or the per-package limit.

Relationship to carrier

Pays only if the carrier is liable

Wording available

Public master policy or tariff

The master policy says Arch Specialty is licensed in Missouri only, and the California notice calls it a non-admitted (surplus line) insurer. The eBay disclosure says such insurers do not take part in California's guarantee funds.

Does eBay ShipCover cover porch theft?

There is no porch-theft clause. Cover applies only while the parcel is in the carrier's care, custody or control and only if the carrier is liable, so theft after delivery falls outside the insuring grant.

Jewelry, watches, laptops, and phones

The exclusion list names coins, bullion and loose diamonds or stones, not mounted jewelry, watches, laptops or phones, so those fall under the general rate-table ceiling. Plasma TVs and monitors are excluded.

What it excludes

• Coins, bullion, loose diamonds or stones, cash, securities, gift cards and other negotiable documents

  “Coins, bullion, loose diamonds or stones, stocks, bonds, currency, deeds, evidences of debt, travelers checks, money orders, gift certificates, gift cards, calling cards, lottery tickets, admission tickets, or any other negotiable documents.”

• Plasma TVs and monitors

  “Plasma televisions or monitors.”

• Packing or addressing that breaks the carrier's packaging rules

  “Loss, damage or non-arrival of any Package which: Is addressed, wrapped or packed insufficiently, incorrectly or contrary to Carrier’s packaging requirements”

• Labels or packaging that describe the contents

  “Bears a descriptive label or packaging which tends to describe nature of contents EXCEPT if shipped via Parcel Post and required by Postal Law and Regulations.”

• Delay, spoilage or contamination of perishables (unless caused by fire)

  “Loss from delay, deterioration, spoilage or contamination of perishable merchandise except when resulting from fire.”

• Dishonesty by the seller or the seller's employees

  “Against loss or damage arising out of dishonesty on the part of you, your employees, a Certificate Holder or a Certificate Holder’s employees.”

• Customs seizure, government confiscation and contraband

  “Seizure or destruction under quarantine or Customs regulations;”

• Consignment, memo or approval goods not sent to fill an order

  “Merchandise shipped on consignment, memorandum or approval unless shipped in fulfillment of an order or request.”

• War, insurrection and nuclear risks

  “Insurrection, rebellion, revolution, civil war, usurped power, or action taken by governmental authority in hindering, combating or defending against such an occurrence;”

How and when claims pay

ShipCover pays first and then takes over the seller's rights against the carrier, but only covers a loss if the carrier is liable for it.

Deadlines

• File the claim on eBay within 90 days of the ship date.

  “Certificate Holders will electronically file claims with PIP via the www.eBay.com website within 90 days of the Effective Date of coverage purchased by the Certificate Holder.”

• Wait at least 30 days after the ship date before filing a lost-package claim.

  “30 days after the Effective Date of coverage purchased by the Certificate Holder for lost claims; and”

• Wait at least 7 days after the ship date before filing a damage claim.

  “7 days after the Effective Date of coverage purchased by the Certificate Holder for damage claims.”

• Any lawsuit must start within 12 months after the loss is discovered.

  “No suit or action for recovery of any claim under this Policy shall be sustainable in any court of law or equity unless commenced within twelve (12) months after you or the Certificate Holder discovers the occurrence”

Payment time

Within 7 business days of PIP receiving all required claim documents and any requested damaged goods, paid to PayPal.

What changed recently

• 2026-01-01 A new master policy, ESIML55207, began with Arch Specialty Insurance Company as insurer and no fixed end date. The prior policy was written by Interstate Fire and Casualty Company.

  “POLICY PERIOD-INCEPTION: 01/01/2026 EXPIRATION: Continuous until Cancelled”

• 2026-01-01 The top of the rate table rose from $5,000 in the 2024-2025 policy to $15,000 domestic in the current policy.

  “$4,900.01 – $5,000.00 $82.74 $107.56”

• 2010 History: the eBay parcel coverage form (145502 06 10) was filed with state regulators in 2010 by The American Insurance Company, with a $5,000 per-parcel maximum. The carrier-liability condition is word-for-word the same in that form and the current one.

  “INSURING COMPANY: THE AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY CINCINNATI, OHIO A STOCK INSURANCE CO. (18)”

What we couldn't confirm

• The declarations do not print a Per Package Liability Limit, a deductible amount, or a list of covered carriers, although the coverage form refers to all three as 'shown in Declarations'.
• The schedule of forms lists coverage form '145502 06-10', but the attached form is edition 145502 07 23.
• Parts of the master policy's text layer are blank and were restored from the page image by the researchers.
• No master policy was found for October 1 to December 31, 2025.
• No individual certificate for a seller was found; the eBay terms say they are a summary only.
• The eBay terms page calls itself a summary that is not a contract and is subject to the master policy. Where the two differ (for example 'void' vs 'voidable' for misrepresentation, the premium-suspension wording, and who signs endorsements), our review treats the master policy as governing.
• Meaning of 'contingent on the Carrier being liable' is unresolved. The more likely reading is that the carrier must be legally responsible in principle (not that payment is capped at the carrier's liability amount), that a carrier defence such as act of God or loss after delivery defeats the claim. No court decision on this clause was found.
• Read literally, the carrier-liability condition could defeat claims on USPS parcels without postal insurance, because USPS is not liable without it, even though ShipCover sells USPS cover. Our review flags this as an open risk.
• The coverage form refers to a deductible and a Per Package Liability Limit 'shown in Declarations', but neither appears. The likely reading is no deductible and a $15,000 ceiling from the rate table; this is unverified.
• The master policy has two payment clocks: 7 business days in the parcel form and 30 days after sworn proof of loss in the general CM 00 01 conditions. The likely reading is the parcel form governs.
• The master policy has two lawsuit limits: 12 months in the parcel form and 2 years in the general CM 00 01 conditions. The likely reading is the parcel form governs, but no precedence rule is stated.
• Terrorism wording conflicts: the eBay terms and declarations say pricing includes terrorism cover, while the terrorism disclosure shows a $0.00 terrorism premium and a conditional terrorism exclusion is attached. Our review could not resolve which governs.
• eBay Help says to wait 30 days after the estimated delivery date for a lost claim, and 7 days after the transaction ends for damage; the master policy counts from the ship date. Help pages do not override the policy.
• The schedule of forms lists an older edition (145502 06-10) than the attached coverage form (145502 07 23). The signature page names Arch Insurance Company while the declarations name Arch Specialty Insurance Company.
• No signature requirement was found in the held ShipCover terms or master policy.
• The 2010 SERFF filings describe the eBay form when it was written by The American Insurance Company; they are history only and are not the current Arch policy.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. eBay ShipCover current master policy ESIML55207 January 1 2026 master_policy · Policy ESIML55207; inception 2026-01-01, continuous until cancelled
2. eBay ShipCover parcel insurance terms partner_terms · Current public terms, undated (retrieved 2026-10-31)
3. eBay ShipCover historical master policy MXI80514264-24 master_policy · Policy period 2024-10-01 to 2025-10-01 (historical)
4. eBay ShipCover surplus lines disclosure partner_terms · Form D-2, effective January 1, 2020
5. eBay Help: Shipping insurance (ShipCover, USPS, UPS, FedEx claims) help · Undated (retrieved 2026-11-01)
6. SERFF filing (IL) - The American Insurance Co. Parcel Insurance Coverage Form, eBay; declarations 145502 DEC 06 10 master_policy · Submitted 2010-04-15; historical
7. SERFF filing (IL) - The American Insurance Co. eBay parcel program rate/rule memo (MIDF IL) tariff · MIDF ed. 06-10; historical

Insurrl doesn't sell insurance and isn't paid by any insurer. This page summarizes published wording; your own certificate, schedule, or account terms can change the result.