Insurance on a shipment is a small, annoying decision that people make by instinct rather than arithmetic. The premium is low enough that the calculation is not really about expected value; it is about whether losing the box would be a nuisance or a genuine problem.
What it costs
Transit coverage is typically priced at roughly 1 to 3 percent of declared value, sometimes with a small minimum premium. Insuring a 400 USD box therefore costs about 4 to 12 USD, against a shipping cost of perhaps 45. As a share of the total it is small enough that the decision rarely turns on price.
What it actually covers
Loss and physical damage during carriage, up to the declared value. It does not cover market appreciation, sentimental value, consequential loss such as missing an event, or damage attributable to inadequate packaging. That last exclusion is the one that voids the most claims, which is why how the box was packed matters to the claim as much as to the item.
The value threshold
Below about 150 USD of contents, most people self-insure and are right to. Between 150 and 400 it is a judgment call. Above 400, or for anything containing items that cannot be repurchased at any price, coverage is the obvious choice because the loss is not recoverable through simply buying again. Splitting an unusually valuable order across two shipments is also worth considering above roughly 1,000 USD, since it halves the maximum loss for the cost of one extra shipment.
What you need for a claim to succeed
Proof of value, meaning order confirmations rather than screenshots of listings. Photographs of the outer packaging before opening. A claim filed within the carrier's window, which is often as short as seven to fifteen days from delivery. Most denied claims fail on the photographs or the deadline rather than on the merits.
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Start a buy-for-me order →Frequently asked
Does the carrier already include some coverage?
Most services include a small default liability, often around 100 USD or a per-kilogram figure, which is well below the value of a typical consolidated box. Read what the default actually is before deciding.
Can I insure limited-edition items at market value?
Coverage is generally based on documented purchase value, not on what a collector would pay today. That gap is a strong argument for not shipping irreplaceable items in a single box.
Does insurance help with customs seizure?
No. Seizure of prohibited or misdeclared goods is excluded from transit coverage entirely, since it is not a carriage failure.