How to File a FedEx Claim for a Missing or Damaged Shipment

A FedEx tracking page showing an illegible signature scrawl, or a "Delivered" status with nothing on your doorstep, feels like it should be easy to dispute. Before you assume FedEx's claims system will side with you on that alone, it's worth understanding how strictly they interpret a completed delivery scan — and what their default payout actually covers.

The part most people don't realise: $100 is the default, not your item's value

Every FedEx shipment includes just $100 of liability coverage by default, regardless of what the contents were actually worth. FedEx calls this "Declared Value," and it's explicit that this is a contractual liability limit, not an insurance policy — FedEx's own service guide states plainly that it does not provide insurance coverage of any kind. To increase that ceiling, you (the shipper) have to declare a higher value and pay an additional fee at the time of shipping — up to $50,000 for most domestic shipments, though categories like jewelry, watches, and artwork are capped much lower (often $1,000) regardless of what you declare. This can't be added retroactively once a shipment is already missing.

"Delivered" is a much harder claim to win than it looks

This is the correction most worth making here: a shipment marked "Delivered" — even to the wrong address, even if it was stolen minutes later — is treated by FedEx as fulfilling their delivery obligation. FedEx does not cover theft or porch piracy occurring after a successful delivery scan under its standard declared value terms. If your package was stolen after being marked delivered, a police report is often the more useful next step than a FedEx claim alone, and if you paid by credit card, a chargeback or Section 75 claim (UK, for purchases over £100) against the retailer is frequently more effective than pursuing FedEx directly — especially if this was an online order, where the retailer remains responsible for the goods reaching you regardless of which courier they used.

Filing deadlines — and they're not the same for every shipment

FedEx's deadlines are strict and vary by shipment type, so don't assume one number applies to everything:

Damaged or missing contents, US domestic shipments: 60 calendar days from the shipment date
Damaged or missing contents, international shipments: 21 calendar days from the shipment date — considerably shorter than the domestic window
Lost or undelivered shipments (never arrived at all): up to 9 months from the shipment date

What actually gets a claim approved

Proof the shipment was properly packed — FedEx can and does deny claims it determines were caused by inadequate packaging, even with declared value in place
Proof of value — a receipt, invoice, or repair estimate; reimbursement is based on actual cash value or repair cost, not what you originally paid if the item has depreciated
Original packaging kept intact until the claim is fully resolved — FedEx may request an inspection, and you can generally self-inspect US parcel shipments with a declared value between $100 and $1,000, but higher-value or complex cases may require a formal FedEx inspection

How to file

Log in to your FedEx account and go to Claims > File a Claim.
Enter your tracking number and select the claim type (damage, missing contents, or lost/undelivered).
Upload your proof of value and, for damage, photos of the packaging and contents.
Submit and track the claim's status through FedEx Reporting — approved claims are typically paid by check or electronic transfer.