Do you need insurance?
By default, all international couriers limit their liability if a shipment is lost, damaged or delayed. It is capped at 8.33 SDR per kilogram, which is roughly £9 per kg, so a 10 kg box is covered for about £90 regardless of what is inside it. Bringbox insurance covers the value you declare instead.
What the standard cover actually is
This surprises most people. The limit is set by weight, not by value, and it is the same across the industry. It is 8.33 SDR per kilogram,* which works out at roughly US $11, £9 or AED 40 per kg.
So a 10 kg box is covered for about £90 whether it holds tea or a laptop. For everyday shopping that is often fine. For anything valuable it is nowhere near enough.
* SDR is an international unit used by carriers for liability limits. Its value against sterling, dollars and dirhams moves, so the figures above are approximate.
What insurance covers
- Loss of the shipment.
- Theft.
- Damage in transit.
It does not cover damage caused by the contents themselves, such as a leak, poor packing by the retailer, or normal wear.
How it is priced
Insurance is based on the value you declare. Below a threshold it is a flat fee, and above it a small percentage of the declared value. The exact figures are shown when you ship, so you can decide with the number in front of you.
| What you declare | What insurance costs |
|---|---|
| Up to £800 | £20 flat |
| Above £800 | 2.5% of the declared value, never less than £20 |
Do you need it
A useful test. If the box went missing tomorrow, would you shrug, or would it genuinely hurt? For everyday clothes and groceries, you would probably shrug. For electronics, medication, gifts and anything hard to replace, it would genuinely hurt.
Good to know.
What is covered without insurance?
Courier liability is capped at 8.33 SDR per kilogram, roughly £9 per kg, so a 10 kg box is covered for about £90 regardless of what is inside. SDR values move, so the figure is approximate.
What does Bringbox insurance cover?
Loss, theft and damage in transit, up to the value you declare. It does not cover damage caused by the contents themselves, poor packing by the retailer, or normal wear.
How much does insurance cost?
It is based on the value you declare. Below a threshold it is a flat fee, and above it a small percentage of the declared value. The exact figures are shown when you ship.
Is insurance compulsory?
No, it is optional. It is worth taking when the contents would be expensive or difficult to replace.
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