FedEx Declared Value (carrier liability)

At a glance

Sold by

FedEx, as an extra charge when you declare a value above $100 on a FedEx shipment.

Claims handled by

FedEx handles claims itself.

Risk carried by

Not insurance (carrier liability)

Max per parcel

$50,000 per package for listed Express and Ground services; $500 for FedEx Envelope or Pak; $2,000 per shipment for FedEx SameDay; $1,000 for listed high-risk items.

Published price

US package services: $4.95 for declared values of $100.01 to $300; for declared values above $300, $1.65 per $100 of the total declared value.

Pays out on

The lowest of repair cost, depreciated value or replacement cost, never more than the declared value (or $100 if none). The shipper must prove actual damages.

Relationship to carrier

This is the carrier’s own liability

Wording available

Public master policy or tariff

This is FedEx's own liability under its contract of carriage. FedEx says risk above the declared value stays with the shipper, who may buy insurance elsewhere.

Does FedEx declared value cover porch theft?

FedEx may leave a residential package without a signature if no signature option was chosen, and it does not accept liability for packages released without a signature or QR code at residential addresses.

Jewelry, watches, laptops, and phones

Jewelry (including watches and mounted stones), artwork, antiques, furs, precious metals, collectibles and some other items are capped at a $1,000 declared value. Computers and electronics are not covered for damage unless shipped in qualifying packaging, such as undamaged original manufacturer packaging.

Signature rules

• Packages with a declared value of $500 or more get Direct Signature Required by default (or FedEx Authenticated Delivery, for a fee).

  “For shipments that have a declared value equal to or greater than $500, the shipper can select either the default Direct Signature Required FedEx® Delivery Signature Option, or FedEx® Authenticated Delivery.”

• FedEx may refuse to release packages declared at $500 or more without a signature, even if release was authorized.

  “At our sole discretion, shipments having a declared value of US$500 or greater may not be released without a signature even where the release is otherwise authorized.”

• Packages declared under $500 may be released without a signature when the sender authorizes it.

  “Shipments with a declared value of less than US$500 may be delivered and released without obtaining a signature when the sender has authorized a release or, at our sole option, upon oral or written instruction”

• Firearms and age-restricted products need Adult or Direct Signature Required.

  “Shipments containing firearms must be sent with the Adult Signature Required or the Direct Signature Required Delivery Signature Option.”

What it excludes

• Consequential damages and lost profits

  “In no event shall FedEx ... be liable for any special, incidental, or consequential damages, including, without limitation, loss of profits or income, whether or not FedEx had knowledge that such damages might be incurred.”

• Improper or insufficient packing, marking or addressing

  “Your violation of any of the terms and conditions ... including, but not limited to, the improper or insufficient packing, securing, marking, and addressing of shipments”

• Acts of God, crime, terrorism, strikes and natural disasters

  “Perils of the air, public enemies, criminal acts of any person(s) or entities, including, but not limited to, acts of terrorism, public authorities acting with actual or apparent authority, ... civil commotion, hazards incident to a state of war”

• Inherent vice or defect of the goods

  “The nature of the shipment, including any defect, characteristic, or inherent vice of the shipment.”

• Perishables (no damage claims on Ground or Home Delivery)

  “The shipper agrees not to file damage claims for perishable items in FedEx Ground or FedEx Home Delivery shipments.”

• Fragile items such as fluorescent tubes, neon and glass tubes

  “The shipment of fluorescent tubes, neon lighting, neon signs, X-ray tubes, laser tubes, light bulbs, quartz crystal, quartz lamps, glass tubes such as those used for specimens, and glass containers”

• Prohibited items, including cash and cash equivalents

  “Notwithstanding any other provision of the FedEx Service Guide, we are not liable for delay of, loss of, or damage to a shipment of any prohibited item.”

• Delivery-instruction changes and intercept requests

  “Our compliance or noncompliance with any request to intercept a shipment in transit, or to prevent delivery.”

• Late delivery: only a refund of shipping charges under the Money-Back Guarantee, which FedEx can suspend without notice

  “We offer a money-back guarantee for our services. This guarantee can be suspended, modified, or revoked at our sole discretion without prior notice to you.”

• Data loss on storage media

  “Erasure of data from or the loss or irretrievability of data stored on magnetic tapes, files, or other storage media, or erasure or damage of photographic images or soundtracks from exposed film.”

How and when claims pay

Declared value is FedEx's own maximum liability for the package: $100 by default, more only if you declare it and pay.

Deadlines

• US claims: file in writing within 90 calendar days of delivery for damage or delay; for non-delivery, within 90 calendar days after the package was handed to FedEx.

  “Claims for loss, damage, or delay must be filed in writing with FedEx within 90 calendar days from the date of delivery, or, in the event that FedEx failed to make delivery, within 90 calendar days after the package”

• Concealed damage must be reported as soon as possible and no later than 60 days after delivery.

  “the sender or recipient must notify FedEx as promptly as possible after the discovery of the damage, and in any event no later than 60 days after the date of delivery.”

• Lawsuits on US shipments must be filed within 275 calendar days from the date the package was given to FedEx.

  “shall be extinguished unless you file an action within 275 calendar days from the date the package or packaging envelope/bag was tendered to FedEx for shipment.”

• International: notice of damage, delay or shortage within 21 calendar days after delivery; lawsuits within one year.

  “We must receive notice of a claim due to damage (visible or concealed), delay (including spoilage claims), or shortage within 21 calendar days after delivery of the shipment.”

• Money-Back Guarantee refund requests must reach FedEx within 15 calendar days of the invoice date.

  “All requests for refund or credit of transportation charges must be received via one of the approved channels within 15 calendar days of the invoice date”

• International: notice of non-delivery or misdelivery within nine months after the package was handed to FedEx.

Payment time

The wording we reviewed does not state when claims are paid.

What changed recently

• 2026-09-11 The 2026 Service Guide (effective January 5, 2026) was updated on September 11, 2026; our review does not record what changed.

  “Effective January 5, 2026 | Updated September 11, 2026”

What we couldn't confirm

• The fedex.com declared value page, claims page and Service Guide updates page were captured only as blank or blocked shells.
• International and service-specific terms were not fully extracted; freight was left out.
• A FedEx sales or automation agreement can override these terms for a given account.
• FedEx Money-Back Guarantee: at FedEx's option it refunds or credits shipping charges for late delivery. It is the exclusive remedy for a service failure, and FedEx says it can be suspended, modified or revoked at its sole discretion without notice; while suspended there is no refund and no delivery commitment.
• The Money-Back Guarantee does not apply to rerouted shipments or to undeclared or hidden dangerous goods.
• The FedEx Service Guide states no time limit for paying claims. Our review notes a federal 120-day rule for interstate motor carriers (FedEx Ground) but found no rule for FedEx Express; a 4-6 week figure seen on an eBay help page is for Ground Economy only.
• FedEx says the PDF version of its terms on fedex.com on the ship date controls, and account-specific FedEx agreements override the Service Guide.
• FedEx declared value is separate from third-party shipping insurance.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. FedEx Service Guide 2026 (images.fedex.com) tariff · Effective January 5, 2026; updated September 11, 2026

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.