Check the exclusion list first
Published exclusions do more work than published prices. If the item you ship most often appears on the list, a cheaper premium is not cheaper at all, it just moves the disappointment later.
Outside the carrier
Buying cover from someone other than the carrier
UPS and FedEx both state in writing that a declaration of value is not cover and that shippers wanting a real policy should buy one elsewhere. That sends people to third-party parcel underwriters, whose terms differ from carrier liability in three ways that matter: when the claim clock starts, which categories are excluded, and how a used item gets valued.
Carrier wording quotedUnderwriter terms citedPlain scope statement
Three differences, not one
Claim window, excluded categories and the valuation basis are where outside cover and carrier liability part company.
What the carriers say, and where they send you
Start with the anchor shipment so the money has a scale. A 20 x 16 x 12 in carton at 25 lb, Newark, NJ 07102 to Atlanta, GA 30303, quoted 2026-07-28: FedEx Ground Economy at $28.77 was the cheapest of five rates. Cover on a carton like that is a decision about the contents, not the freight.
SMKlog rates for the anchor carton, quoted 2026-07-28
| Carrier | Service | Price | Quoted transit |
|---|---|---|---|
| FedEx | Ground Economy | $28.77 | 6-7 business days |
| UPS | Ground | $29.52 | 2-3 business days |
| FedEx | Ground | $41.48 | 5-6 business days |
| UPS | 3 Day Select | $43.48 | 5-6 business days |
| UPS | Ground Saver | $46.73 | no window supplied on this rate |
The carriers point outward, in their own words
Exposure to and risk of any loss in excess of the declared value is assumed by the shipper. You may transfer this risk to an insurance carrier of your choice through the purchase of an insurance policy. Contact an insurance agent or broker if you desire insurance coverage.FedEx Terms and Conditions, FedEx Service Guide 2026, fedex.com, fetched 2026-07-28
Cargo insurance may be available through UPS licensed affiliates UPS Capital Insurance Agency, Inc. and Parcel Pro, Inc.UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service, United States, section 56, ups.com, fetched 2026-07-28
Neither passage is buried. Both sit in the same section that limits the carrier to $100 per package, which tells you how the carriers themselves rank the two products.
What the outside market publishes
Terms below from u-pic.com/faqs and shipsurance.com, both fetched 2026-07-28. USPS claim windows from usps.com/help/claims.htm, retrieved 2026-07-27. We have no commercial relationship with either underwriter and quote them only because their terms are published.
| Term | What is published | How carrier liability compares |
|---|---|---|
| Rate card | U-PIC gives only an illustrative figure on its FAQ and sends buyers to a calculator; Shipsurance publishes no rate and asks visitors to request a quote | USPS, UPS and FedEx print their charges in public price lists you can check before you ship |
| Damage claim window | U-PIC states there is no waiting period for damaged parcels | USPS asks for damage claims no later than 60 days from mailing |
| Loss claim window | U-PIC states a 21 day waiting period from the ship date for domestic loss, and all claims filed before 90 days from the date of shipment | USPS lost-package claims open after 15 days on Priority Mail and Ground Advantage and close at 60 days |
| Excluded categories | U-PIC lists currency, bullion, furs, original and fine art, computer chips, precious and semi-precious stones, televisions, laptops and cellphones among goods not covered unless endorsed in writing | FedEx caps fourteen categories at $1,000 rather than excluding them; UPS refuses articles of unusual value outright |
The pattern is consistent: outside underwriters tend to open the damage window earlier and close the whole file sooner, and they publish exclusion lists that read very differently from a carrier's cap list. Whichever you use, the shipment still has to be packed well enough to survive, because every one of these documents excludes damage traced to the packing.
How used goods get valued
This is where marketplace sellers get caught. Carrier liability is measured against actual cost, depreciated value or replacement cost, whichever is lowest, and the shipper carries the burden of proving the number. A ten-year-old camera sold for $400 is worth $400 to you and rather less to an adjuster with a depreciation table. Keep the listing, the payment record and photographs of the item before it was packed, because those three documents are what turn a used-goods claim from an argument into a file.
What SMKlog sells, and what it does not
We sell U.S. domestic parcel labels with no account required. We do not sell international labels, fulfillment, or platform integrations, and we do not resell any third-party parcel policy. What we do offer is our own optional shipping protection, bought with an eligible domestic label before the box enters the carrier network and capped at $500 of declared item value during the pilot. The terms sit on our shipping protection page, and if your shipment is worth more than that cap, the honest answer is that ours is the wrong product for it.
Two clocks, not one
Carrier and underwriter windows rarely line up. Note both the earliest date a loss claim can open and the last date any claim can be filed, then set a reminder on the earlier of the two closing dates.
Evidence beats coverage
Weight and dimensions recorded at packing, a photo of the sealed box, and the receipt for the contents settle more disputes than any policy wording. Build the habit once and it costs nothing per shipment.
Outside coverage, asked plainly
Do carriers sell coverage themselves?
No. FedEx tells shippers to contact an agent or broker if they want a policy, and UPS points to its licensed affiliates. Both limit their own liability to $100 per package unless a higher value is declared and paid for.
How do third-party claim windows differ?
U-PIC publishes no waiting period for damaged parcels, a 21 day wait from the ship date on domestic loss, and a hard 90 day deadline for any claim. USPS opens lost-package claims at 15 days on Priority Mail and Ground Advantage and closes at 60.
Can you compare third-party premiums here?
Not usefully. Shipsurance publishes no rate card and directs visitors to request a quote, and U-PIC gives only an illustrative figure and sends buyers to a calculator, so there is no public price to line up against the carrier tables.
Does SMKlog resell a third-party policy?
No. We sell U.S. domestic parcel labels and our own optional shipping protection, capped at $500 of declared item value during the pilot. We do not sell international labels, fulfillment or platform integrations.