DHL Insurance

DHL Express is designed for fast international shipping, and its insurance rules reflect that. By default, DHL does not cover what your goods are worth; it covers what they weigh. Add a 30-day claim clock that starts at pickup and a long list of banned items, and a valuable parcel can be far less protected than it looks. Here is how DHL coverage works in 2026, and how Secursus fills the gaps.

Key takeaways for 2026: without Shipment Value Protection, DHL pays by weight, about 22 to 26 SDR per kilo, so a light high-value item is barely covered. Protection costs $11.55 up to $700, then $1.65 per $100. Jewelry and precious items are banned outright, claims must be filed within 30 days of pickup, and payouts use depreciated value. Secursus covers the same parcels up to $120,000 at full value, in about 3 days.

How much does DHL insurance cost in 2026?

DHL builds cover in two layers. The default liability is based on weight under international convention rules, roughly 22 to 26 SDR per kilogram. To cover actual value you add Shipment Value Protection, priced from an $11.55 minimum.

Why weight-based liability barely covers you

This is the trap for anyone shipping small, valuable goods. A lost half-kilo phone worth $1,200 might return about $18 on the weight formula, because DHL is paying for mass, not value.

Secursus insures the declared value itself, so a $1,200 phone is covered for $1,200.

The items DHL will not even carry

Some of the most valuable items simply cannot travel with DHL Express, which means they cannot be protected at all.

What DHL covers, and what it excludes

Even with protection, DHL cover has firm edges, and under-declaring the value reduces any payout proportionally.

The 30-day claim window from pickup

DHL runs the single strictest deadline among the major carriers. Every claim must be filed within 30 days of the date DHL accepted the shipment, not the delivery date. Miss it and the claim is void, whatever the merits.

Does DHL cover porch piracy?

No. DHL protection runs only until the parcel is delivered to the address, so theft afterwards is not covered. Secursus covers theft after delivery when a signature was requested.

How to file a DHL claim, step by step

The process is straightforward, but the clock is unforgiving.

Real-world case studies

The same few issues drive most disputes: a banned item, a weight-based payout, or a missed deadline.

International routes and convention limits

As an express international carrier, DHL's limits vary by route and treaty.

DHL liability follows the Montreal or Warsaw Convention by route, with no cover to destinations like Cuba, North Korea and Syria. Secursus applies one $120,000 limit across every route it covers.

Category coverage: DHL vs Secursus