At a glance
Countries served: US
Claim window
- Priority Mail And Other Insured
- File no earlier than 15 days, no later than 60 days, from the mailing date.
- Priority Mail Express
- File no earlier than 7 days from the mailing date.
- Damaged Or Missing Contents
- May file immediately; must file no later than 60 days after the mailing date.
Compensation limits
- Default
- $100 of insurance included with most Priority Mail shipments that have a USPS Tracking barcode (restrictions apply). For shipments valued over $100, additional insurance may be purchased, which then replaces the included coverage. Other insured mail classes (Priority Mail Express, Registered Mail, etc.) have their own separate included-coverage amounts, not a single blanket default.
Source 1 → · Source 2 → · verified 18 October 2026
How to make a claim
Online at usps.com within the applicable window, with proof of value and tracking information.
- Official claim form
- https://www.usps.com/help/claims.htm (claims filed online); general contact form at https://emailus.usps.com/s/
- Claims email
- Not stated in our data — check USPS's official page directly: https://www.usps.com/help/contact-us.htm
- Phone
- 1-800-275-8777 (1-800-ASK-USPS), Mon-Fri 8am-8:30pm ET, Sat 8am-6pm ET
- Postal address
- Not stated in our data — check USPS's official page directly: https://www.usps.com/help/contact-us.htm
Source 1 → · verified 18 October 2026
Evidence to gather
- Order confirmation or receipt
- Tracking number and tracking history (a screenshot, with dates/status)
- Proof of the item's value
- Photos of the item and packaging, if it arrived damaged
- Any correspondence with the seller or USPS so far
- Delivery Evidence Log template — a structured way to keep all of this in one place
What happens next
No ombudsman; USPS has its own internal appeals process for a denied claim (not independently verified here).
United States
Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) billing-error dispute
Must dispute in writing within 60 days of the statement date that first contained the charge; the card issuer must acknowledge within 30 days and resolve within 2 billing cycles (max 90 days).
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) — Takes complaints about how a bank/card issuer handled a billing dispute; does not itself resolve disputes with the retailer or carrier.
Common questions
What is the claim window for a USPS parcel claim?
File no earlier than 15 days, no later than 60 days, from the mailing date. File no earlier than 7 days from the mailing date. May file immediately; must file no later than 60 days after the mailing date.
Is there a compensation limit for a USPS claim?
$100 of insurance included with most Priority Mail shipments that have a USPS Tracking barcode (restrictions apply). For shipments valued over $100, additional insurance may be purchased, which then replaces the included coverage. Other insured mail classes (Priority Mail Express, Registered Mail, etc.) have their own separate included-coverage amounts, not a single blanket default.
How do I start a claim with USPS?
Online at usps.com within the applicable window, with proof of value and tracking information.
What if USPS doesn't resolve my claim?
No ombudsman; USPS has its own internal appeals process for a denied claim (not independently verified here).
This is general information, not legal advice. Figures are sourced from USPS's own published terms, linked above, and reviewed on the date shown.