Whether you have bought a product online or are shipping a product to someone else, it is often worth it to buy shipping insurance. It works similarly to other types of insurance, and ensures that if the item gets lost, damaged, or stolen while in the mail, you will be reimbursed for it. If you cannot afford to lose the item, be sure to add insurance prior to shipping it.

The shipping insurance price depends on many factors. Before purchasing any shippers insurance, be sure to think of the following points:

1. Obtain free insurance for small parcel shipments.

2. Get parcel insurance for expensive or fragile items.

3. Buy insurance for your heavy cargo.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find free shipping insurance for small parcel shipments

Some shipping insurance companies include some amount of shipping insurance for free. Check out companies that offer this service for free before spending money on unnecessary shipping insurance fees, especially if your item is not very expensive in the first place.

I recommend: UPS covers the first $100 of insurance for free when you ship your package through them, as does USPS.

Get shipping insurance for expensive and fragile items

Some shipping insurance companies provide insurance specifically for fragile items. This is especially important because you will find that many carriers do not insure fragile or antique items. Make sure you read the fine print before choosing a company that does not insure such items.

I recommend: Discount Shipping Insurance Agency provides insurance for fragile and antique items, artwork, and jewelry. If you want to find out how much shipping insurance will cost online, shipping insurance quotes can be obtained through a simple form on this site. Parcel Pro specializes in shipping insurance for jewelry, collectibles, and watches.

Check out shipping insurance rates for freight

If you need to ship large items and are interested in insurance for them, consider companies that often ship freight. They will usually offer the appropriate shipping insurance for large objects, whether you need to ship locally or internationally.

I recommend: A visit to the P.A.F Cargo Insurance website will show you how much shipping insurance will cost to ship your item within the United States or internationally. Rose International offers international shipping insurance for large cargo that might you need to ship overseas.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Most shipping insurance providers require that you report a lost or damaged item right away, which can be difficult if you have no idea where the item is. To avoid any problems, try to go with companies that provide a tracking number for each item shipped, such as UPS, Federal Express, and DHL. This way, you will know right away that your item is lost because you can keep track of where it should be.