ShipStation ParcelGuard

At a glance

Sold by

ShipStation offers ParcelGuard as its US parcel insurance option. The terms say coverage applies only to carriers supported by ParcelGuard-supported platforms.

Claims handled by

Shipsurance Insurance Services, named in the terms as the agent; claims and documents go to Shipsurance.

Risk carried by

American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida (Admitted insurer)

Max per parcel

$10,000

Pays out on

Invoice value; actual cash value if there is no invoice; never more than the declared value

Relationship to carrier

Not clear from the wording

Wording available

Partner terms only

The terms name American Bankers as the insurer. Its 2025 statutory statement lists it as licensed (L) in 54 jurisdictions, including California. The master policy itself is not public.

Does ShipStation ParcelGuard cover porch theft?

Theft upon delivery is covered when the package is stolen outside a home or business after commercial delivery, but loss and theft cover requires packaging that does not reveal the contents.

Jewelry, watches, laptops, and phones

Jewelry and watches worth $500 or more must go with direct or adult signature service. Laptops, tablets and mobile phones need signature service at any value; without it they are not covered at all.

Signature rules

• Jewelry and watches worth $500 or more need carrier signature service, for domestic and international shipments.

  “Jewelry (includes necklaces, earrings, watches, rings, bracelets, broaches, etc.) with a value of $500.00 or more must be sent with the Signature Confirmation service (package must be signed for at delivery) provided by the shipping carriers. This is required for Domestic and International shipments.”

• Laptops, tablets and phones need signature service; if the carrier does not offer it, they cannot be covered.

  “If a signature confirmation service is not available from the carrier, these items cannot be covered. Shipments sent without a carrier provided signature confirmation service are excluded from coverage in their entirety.”

• Any package that requires signature service but was sent without it is excluded.

  “A Package that requires a signature confirmation or signature required service that are not sent using the required signature service are excluded from coverage.”

What it excludes

• Cash, gift cards, tickets, documents and similar papers

  “Accounts, bills, currency, cash in transit, evidence of debt, checks, money orders, cash on delivery (COD) payments, coins (collectible coins are not excluded), securities and other negotiable papers, tickets, deeds, notes, gift cards, manuscripts, documents,”

• Hazardous materials, perishables, eggs, vehicles, live animals, plants and CBD products

  “hazardous material (per UPS Hazardous Materials List), perishable cargo or similar property, eggs, automobiles, motorcycles, live animals, flowers, plants, seeds, products that contain cannabidiol (CBD).”

• Loss or theft when the label or packaging reveals the contents (damage is still covered)

  “Loss, shortage, or non-arrival of any package and its contents when it bears a descriptive label or packaging which describes, or alludes to, the nature of the contents. This includes the manufacturer packaging.”

• Wrong address or packing too weak for normal transit

  “Loss, damage, shortage, or non-arrival of any package and its contents which is addressed incorrectly or packed insufficiently to withstand the normal rigors of transit.”

• Packages obtained by trick or fraud

  “Loss, damage, shortage, or non-arrival of any package and the contents when it is obtained by trick, false pretense, or other fraudulent schemes.”

• Delay, loss of market and other indirect loss

  “Loss, damage, shortage arising out of loss of market, delay, loss of use, clean-up costs, decay, inherent vice, or other deterioration, any remote or consequential loss,”

• Electronic or mechanical breakdown with no external damage

  “Loss of or damage due to mechanical, electrical, electronic derangement or refrigerated breakdown unless there is evidence of external damage to the package or its packaging.”

• Listed and sanctioned destinations (Russia and CIS covered only to arrival)

  “Shipments sent to Afghanistan, Angola, Bolivia, Burma, Congo, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire), Liberia, Nigeria, North Korea, Paraguay, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela.”

• Labels printed but never scanned by the carrier

  “If a shipping label is printed but not scanned by the carrier as accepted it is deemed as never been mailed and there is no coverage.”

• Carriers not supported by ParcelGuard-supported platforms

  “Coverage is only provided for shipping carriers supported by ParcelGuard-supported platforms.”

How and when claims pay

The terms do not say in plain words whether ParcelGuard pays first or on top of the carrier: declared value includes any carrier coverage, you must notify both the carrier and Shipsurance, and the program is excess of other insurance.

Deadlines

• Give immediate notice to the carrier and to Shipsurance.

  “The Insured will file immediate notice of non-delivery, damage, or shortage with the Carrier and with Shipsurance;”

• Send the claim form and all documents to Shipsurance within 120 calendar days of the ship date.

  “The Insured will complete a Shipsurance claim form and provide all required documents to Shipsurance within one hundred and twenty (120) calendar days from the date of shipment.”

• For USPS or consolidator loss claims, wait 20 days (domestic) or 40 days (international) before filing.

  “If the claim is for loss the Insured must wait twenty (20) calendar days (Domestic shipments) or 40 calendar days (International shipments) before filing claim with Shipsurance.”

• Hidden damage must be found within 15 days after final delivery.

  “Concealed damage allows for the discovery of loss or damage up to 15 days after final delivery.”

Payment time

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

What changed recently

• 2026-07-23 New terms dropped several goods from the exclusion list, including neon items, TVs, monitors and screens, stone slabs, tobacco, cotton, window, plate, stained and float glass, guns, and rocks and minerals.

  “neon items, hazardous material (per UPS Hazardous Materials List), televisions, monitors, screens, perishable cargo or similar property, eggs, any stone or ceramic slabs,”

• 2026-07-23 The recipient-signed claim statement was removed from the required claim documents.

  “During the claims process, a claim statement/affidavit signed by the recipient (or intended recipient) will be required.”

• 2026-07-23 The terms now say coverage is subject to the policy, declarations, endorsements and addenda in effect on the ship date.

  “Coverage is subject to the applicable policy, declarations, endorsements, and addenda in effect at the time of shipment.”

• 2024-07-10 ShipStation API accounts that had not activated Shipsurance before this date use ParcelGuard; the older Shipsurance API option (separate program) stays only for earlier accounts.

  “This option is available to US-based ShipStation API accounts that activated Shipsurance prior to July 10, 2024 and wish to continue using the Shipsurance coverage option.”

What we couldn't confirm

• The master policy, declarations, endorsements and any individual certificate are not public; the terms say coverage is subject to them.
• No deductible is stated in the public terms.
• No time limit after delivery for theft claims is stated.
• The ParcelGuard master policy is not public. A related American Bankers certificate form used for a different partner (FlavorCloud, form SPPP0003C-1023) excludes theft, return shipments and ungraded collectibles and tiers limits by carrier. Our review treats that form only as a comparable form and reads ParcelGuard's own terms as covering theft upon delivery.
• No time limit after delivery for theft claims is stated. Comparable certificates use 10 days after the delivered scan; this is not confirmed for ParcelGuard.
• ShipStation marketing says ParcelGuard covers porch piracy and branded packages. Under the terms, branded or manufacturer packaging is covered for damage only, not loss or theft.
• A ShipStation help page says ParcelGuard can insure any carrier; the binding terms limit cover to carriers supported by ParcelGuard-supported platforms. The terms govern.
• No published ParcelGuard premium rate was found in our review.
• Legacy program: ShipStation API accounts that activated Shipsurance before 10 July 2024 may still use a separate Shipsurance option under different (2020) terms with a different insurer. This profile does not cover that option.
• The prior edition (pre-23 July 2026) still applies to shipments made before that date.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. ParcelGuard Terms and Conditions partner_terms · Last Updated 21 July 2026 (shipments from 23 July 2026)
2. ParcelGuard Terms and Conditions (Pre 23 Jul 2026) partner_terms · In force before 23 July 2026 (browser text capture)
3. American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida - 2025 Annual Statement regulatory_filing · Year ended 2025-12-31
4. ShipStation Insurance Terms and Conditions partner_terms · Last Updated 21 July 2026
5. Shipsurance help: ShipStation - Coverage Terms and Conditions help · Updated 27 March 2024
6. ShipStation partners page: ParcelGuard marketing · Modified 2025-06-20
7. Parcel Insurance (ShipStation API docs) help · Retrieved 2026-10-31
8. Add Insurance to Shipments (ShipStation API docs) help · Retrieved 2026-10-31
9. American Bankers Ins. Co. of Florida - Shipping Package Protection Program Certificate of Insurance (FlavorCloud Schedule B), analog only certificate · Form SPPP0003C-1023 (10/2023)

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.