USPS Insured Mail and Included Insurance

At a glance

Sold by

USPS, at Post Office counters and with postage bought online or through label platforms. Some services include $100 of coverage.

Claims handled by

USPS (claims are filed online at usps.com/help/claims.htm).

Risk carried by

USPS (postal insurance under the Domestic Mail Manual) (Postal insurance paid by USPS)

Max per parcel

$100 included on Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail and USPS Ground Advantage; up to $5,000 for Insured Mail (and for extra insurance on Priority Mail Express or Priority Mail); up to $50,000 for Registered Mail.

Pays out on

Actual value when mailed (depreciated for used items), or repair cost if lower; never more than the insurance bought.

Relationship to carrier

This is the carrier’s own liability

Wording available

Public master policy or tariff

No insurance company is named. The DMM calls this 'postal insurance', USPS pays indemnity itself, and the DMM is incorporated into federal regulations (39 CFR Part 111). The insured mail receipt says insurance is provided only under the DMM.

Does USPS insurance cover porch theft?

USPS does not pay for loss after delivery. For Priority Mail Express without a signature, a delivered scan counts as valid delivery.

Jewelry, watches, laptops, and phones

The domestic claim rules do not single out jewelry, watches, laptops or phones; they are paid at actual value up to the insurance bought ($5,000 Insured Mail, $50,000 Registered Mail). Currency, bullion and negotiable items are capped at $15 except by Registered Mail.

Signature rules

• Items insured for more than $500 get a delivery scan, and USPS provides a signature as the delivery record.

  “An item insured for more than $500.00 receives a delivery scan”

• For Priority Mail Express, extra insurance is not available without signature service.

  “When “signature required” service is not requested or when “waiver of signature” is requested, additional insurance is not available.”

• Signed-for Priority Mail Express counts as a valid delivery, so no loss is paid after it.

  “All Priority Mail Express signed for by the addressee (or agent) constitutes a valid delivery, and no indemnity for loss is paid.”

• A 'leave if no response' endorsement for unprotected spots like porches may be used only on uninsured parcels that need no signature.

  “A parcel may be left in an unprotected location, such as a stairway or uncovered porch, only when it bears the “CARRIER—LEAVE IF NO RESPONSE” endorsement.”

What it excludes

• Loss or damage after delivery

  “Loss, damage, or have missing contents, that occurred after delivery by the USPS.”

• Poor packaging, including items too fragile for the mail

  “Fragile nature of article prevented its safe carriage in the mail, regardless of packaging.”

• Delay and consequential loss

  “loss resulting from delay of the mail”

• Perishables that spoil, melt or freeze

  “Perishable contents frozen, melted, spoiled, or deteriorated.”

• Nonmailable, prohibited or improperly sent restricted items

  “Nonmailable items, prohibited items, or restricted items not prepared and mailed according to postal standards, or any item packaged in such a manner that it could not have reached its destination undamaged in the normal course of the mail.”

• Damage from shock or x-ray with no damage to the box

  “Damage caused by shock, transportation environment, or x-ray, without evidence of damage to the mailing container.”

• Loss caused by the sender's or addressee's own employees or agents

  “Loss or damage caused by employees or agents of the sender or addressee.”

• War, civil disturbance and government seizure

  “War, insurrection, or civil disturbance, or seizure by any agency of government.”

• Gift cards, lottery tickets and similar items

  “Lottery tickets, sweepstakes tickets, contest entries, gift cards and similar items.”

• Included $100 cover does not apply to Priority Mail Open and Distribute or Premium Forwarding Service

  “Insurance coverage under 4.2a is not provided for Priority Mail pieces mailed as Priority Mail Open and Distribute or Premium Forwarding Service.”

• Damage claims with only the outer packaging may be limited to $100

  “(If only the outer packaging is submitted, indemnity can be limited to $100 for insured, $50 for COD, $100 for Registered Mail, and $100 for Priority Mail Express.)”

• Certified Mail and USPS Tracking alone carry no insurance

  “Certified Mail is dispatched and handled in transit as ordinary mail. Except for Priority Mail pieces with included insurance, no insurance coverage is provided when purchasing Certified Mail.”

How and when claims pay

USPS insures and pays its own claims; there is no separate carrier claim.

Deadlines

• Damaged or missing contents: file right away and no later than 60 days from the mailing date.

  “Damaged or Missing Contents: customers should file a claim immediately but must file no later than 60 days from the date of mailing.”

• Lost Insured Mail (including Priority Mail with included insurance): file no sooner than 15 days and no later than 60 days from mailing.

  “Insured Mail (including Priority Mail under 503.4.2 ) 15 days 60 days”

• Lost Priority Mail Express: file no sooner than 7 days and no later than 60 days from mailing.

  “Priority Mail Express 7 days 60 days Priority Mail Express COD 15 days 60 days Registered Mail 15 days 60 days”

• Keep the box, packaging and damaged item; failure to do so means the claim is denied.

  “the addressee must retain the mailing container, including any damaged articles, all packaging, and any contents received.”

• You can appeal a decision within 30 days, and make a final appeal within 30 more days.

  “A customer may appeal a claim decision within 30 days from the date of the original decision”

Payment time

USPS's claims help page says payment arrives 7-10 business days after a claim is approved (help page, not the Domestic Mail Manual).

What changed recently

• 2026-01-18 DMM 609.5.7 (Recovered Article) carries a January 18, 2026 revision mark; our review does not record what changed.

  “5.7 Recovered Article [1-18-26]”

What we couldn't confirm

• The Postal Explorer pages show no issue date, so their start date is unknown.
• International insurance rules are in the International Mail Manual and are not summarized here.
• USPS insurance fees were not in the held text.
• The $100 included coverage is not universal. For example, it does not apply to Priority Mail Open and Distribute or Premium Forwarding Service, and commercial pieces need the required barcodes or an acceptance scan.
• If only the outer packaging is submitted on a damage claim, USPS can limit payment to $100 for insured mail.
• The Postal Explorer copies of DMM 503 and 609 have no issue date; our review dates them only by retrieval (October 31, 2026).
• International mail follows the separate International Mail Manual rules, which are not covered in this profile.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. 500 Additional Mailing Services | Postal Explorer (DMM 503) tariff · Current DMM page, retrieved 2026-10-31
2. 609 Filing Indemnity Claims for Loss or Damage | Postal Explorer (DMM 609) tariff · Current DMM page, retrieved 2026-10-31
3. USPS DMM 609 filing indemnity claims tariff · Current DMM; section 609.5.7 marked 1-18-26
4. USPS complete Domestic Mail Manual tariff · Domestic Mail Manual July 12, 2026
5. USPS PS Form 3813 Insured Mail Receipt specimen January 2023 certificate · January 2023 specimen
6. 39 CFR Part 111 — Domestic Mail Manual incorporation tariff · eCFR point-in-time 2026-10-29
7. USPS Domestic Claims help page help · Live page, retrieved 2026-10-31

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.