PirateShip insurance vs Secursus: how far each one goes
Similar price at the low end, different ceilings and different policy conditions.
PirateShip Insurance
- Real cover from $1 per $100 of value
- Theft after delivery is covered
- Capped at $10,000 per shipment
- Under-declaring cuts your payout (co-insurance)
- Used goods paid at depreciated cash value
Secursus Insurance
- Full cover up to $120,000
- Full declared value, with no co-insurance
- Jewelry, watches and collectibles included
- Covered from pickup to signed delivery
- Paid within 3 days of claim validation
| Package Value | PirateShip Price | Secursus Price |
|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | $10.00 | $10.00 |
| $2,500 | $25.00 | $25.00 |
| $5,000 | $50.00 | $50.00 |
| $10,000 | $100.00 | $100.00 |
Shipping insurance made simple: Secursus covers the full declared value up to $120,000, from $2. Costs based on PirateShip InsureShield rates, 2026 ($1 per $100 of value). Secursus figures are estimates at about 1% of declared value.
Insure your PirateShip package in 3 steps
Ship your PirateShip package as usual and insure it in a few clicks on Secursus.
PirateShip offers optional cover through InsureShield from UPS Capital at a dollar per hundred, and it is a genuine cargo policy that includes theft after delivery. Three published conditions define its scope: a $10,000 ceiling, used goods settled at actual cash value, and a proportional payout if the declared value is lower than the value of the goods. Here is how those rules work in 2026, and at which point a specialist policy covers a shipment that InsureShield cannot.
Key takeaways for 2026: PirateShip insurance is InsureShield from UPS Capital, priced at $1 per $100 and covering theft after delivery. Its limits are a $10,000 ceiling ($5,000 on USPS), a co-insurance penalty for under-declaring, depreciated payouts on used goods, and excluded items like loose stones and bullion. Secursus matches the price at the low end and insures up to $120,000 at the declared value.
PirateShip insurance pricing in 2026: a dollar per hundred
PirateShip insurance is refreshingly simple: $1 for every $100 of declared value, sold in $100 bands. It is underwritten by InsureShield from UPS Capital, so it is genuine cargo insurance, not carrier declared value.
| Declared value | InsureShield cost |
| First $100 | $1.00 (sold in $100 bands) |
| Each additional $100 | Add $1.00 |
| Maximum on UPS | $10,000 per shipment |
| Maximum on USPS | $5,000 per shipment |
| International | $2,500 per shipment |
The round-up rule: why $150 of cover costs $2
InsureShield premiums on PirateShip are not prorated. Cover is sold in $100 increments and the declared value rounds up, so a $150 parcel is charged as $200 and costs $2, not $1.50. On a catalogue of items priced just above a hundred dollar step, that rounding is worth checking before you assume the dollar per hundred headline applies to your average order.
Buying InsureShield cancels the carrier's built-in coverage
This is the rule to know before you tick the box. Most USPS and UPS labels bought on PirateShip already include $100 of carrier protection, and UPS Ground Saver includes $50. The moment you tick the insurance box, that underlying protection is void: you cannot insure $200 with InsureShield and claim the other $100 from the carrier. Declare the full value of the goods, not the difference.
| Label bought on PirateShip | Included without InsureShield | With InsureShield ticked |
|---|---|---|
| USPS Ground Advantage, Priority Mail | $100 of USPS insurance | Only the value you declare |
| Priority Mail International | $200 included | Only the value you declare |
| UPS standard services | $100 of carrier liability | Only the value you declare |
| UPS Ground Saver | $50 of carrier liability | Only the value you declare |
| Media Mail, Simple Export Rate | No cover at all | Only the value you declare |
How far InsureShield cover goes on a PirateShip label
Credit where it is due. For everyday parcels under $10,000, PirateShip insurance is fast, cheap, and covers the things that matter, including theft after a delivery scan. For many sellers it is all they need.
The gaps show up with higher values, used goods, and specialist items, where the ceiling and the valuation rules start to bite.
Where PirateShip stops: the $10,000 ceiling
The limit is $10,000 per shipment on UPS and $5,000 on USPS. Above those ceilings the platform does not offer cover, so the shipment falls back on the carrier's own liability, which is $100 on most USPS and UPS labels and $50 on UPS Ground Saver.
Co-insurance, valuation and excluded items
Three conditions decide the amount paid at claim time: the declared value, the valuation rule for used goods, and the list of items the policy does not cover.
| Item or situation | PirateShip InsureShield |
| Loose gemstones, bullion, cash | Not covered |
| Used goods, wear and mechanical faults | Excluded perils, actual cash value only |
| Under-declared value | Payout cut proportionally (co-insurance) |
| Delay in transit | Not covered |
| Collectibles | Only if graded or sold on an invoice |
The same parcel, priced both ways
At the low end, PirateShip and Secursus cost about the same. The difference appears above $10,000, and in the way each policy values the goods.
| Package value | PirateShip | Secursus est. cost | Difference |
| $1,000 | $10 | ~$10 | Same price |
| $5,000 | $50 | ~$50 | Same price |
| $10,000 | $100 | ~$100 | At PirateShip's cap |
| $25,000 | Not covered | ~$250 | Secursus only |
| $50,000 | Not covered | ~$500 | Secursus only |
What InsureShield covers on a PirateShip label
Both cover the basics well. The divergence is the ceiling and the valuation basis.
| Scenario | PirateShip | Secursus |
| Lost in transit | Yes | Yes |
| Damaged in transit | Yes | Yes |
| Theft after delivery | Yes, within the 9 month window | No, cover ends at delivery |
| Value above $10,000 | No | Yes, up to $120,000 |
Porch theft, the one place PirateShip goes further
Yes, and this is a genuine strength. PirateShip InsureShield covers theft after delivery, and the policy gives you 9 months from the delivery date to file. Secursus cover ends at delivery, so this is one area where PirateShip goes further.
Filing an InsureShield claim from a PirateShip label
Claims go to InsureShield, not PirateShip, and the deadlines depend on the problem.
| Step | What to do | Watch out |
| 1. Open a claim | Use the claim link on your shipment page | Concealed loss: 30 days; all other claims: 9 months |
| 2. Provide proof | Invoice plus photos of item and packaging | Keep all packaging |
| 3. Review | UPS Capital adjudicates the claim | Under-declaring reduces the payout |
| 4. Get paid | Paid by ACH, Zelle or check | Used goods paid at cash value |
| 5. Deadline | Most claims within 9 months | Concealed loss within 30 days, everything else within 9 months |
When to choose Secursus over PirateShip
PirateShip covers routine parcels below its ceilings at a dollar per hundred. Secursus fits the shipments those ceilings and valuation rules leave outside.
Choose Secursus when a parcel is worth more than $10,000, when it is jewelry or a collectible, when it is used and you need full value rather than depreciated value, or when a co-insurance penalty is a risk you cannot take.
Category by category, InsureShield and Secursus
| Category | PirateShip | Secursus |
| Watches and jewelry | Covered, loose stones excluded | Up to $120,000 |
| Electronics | Covered as new, cash value if used | Full declared value |
| Collectibles | Only if graded or invoiced | Specialist cover |
| Used and second-hand goods | Depreciated cash value | Full declared value |
| Value over $10,000 | Not available | Covered to $120,000 |
Ceilings, service by service
The $10,000 headline only applies to UPS labels. Every other route has its own ceiling, and two services sit far below what most sellers assume.
| Route or service | InsureShield ceiling | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| UPS domestic | $10,000 per shipment | The highest limit PirateShip offers |
| USPS domestic | $5,000 per shipment | Half the UPS ceiling on the same goods |
| International, most services | $2,500 per shipment | Set by Census Bureau export reporting rules |
| First Class Package International | $400 per shipment | The lowest international ceiling in the range |
| Simple Export Rate | $400 per shipment | No carrier cover underneath it either |
| Secursus | $120,000 per shipment | One ceiling, domestic and international |
What the premium pays on top of the goods
InsureShield settles the declared value and adds the postage you paid for the label, which is a real advantage over carrier liability. Sales taxes are included in the payout too, with one exception: on Etsy, eBay and Reverb orders the platform refunds the tax to the buyer, so it is not paid twice. The insurance premium itself is never refunded, and the payout is capped at the lesser of the verified value and the amount you declared, less any deductible that applies to the commodity.
Graded cards, coins and collectibles
Collectibles are covered, but only when the value is documented before the parcel moves. InsureShield asks for professional grading, PSA for trading cards and PCGS for coins, plus recent comparable sales or a paid commercial invoice. Two conditions follow from that. A card sent out to be graded is not covered for an estimated graded value, and a claim on that shipment is settled against a paid commercial invoice. And loose stones and bullion are excluded outright, while finished jewelry and collectible coins with no face value are not.
Photograph the packed parcel before drop off, keep the grading certificate and the comparable sales, and declare the value you can evidence rather than an estimate: declaring less than the value of the goods triggers the co-insurance penalty, over declaring simply raises the premium without raising what the policy will pay.
Other US carriers and marketplaces
Shipping another way? USPS insurance stops at $5,000 per package, FedEx insurance caps jewelry and watches at $1,000, UPS insurance charges $1.70 per $100 of declared value, DHL insurance gives you 30 days from pickup to file a claim, eBay shipping insurance stops at $15,000 per package, and Amazon shipping insurance excludes phones and laptops. You can also compare parcel shipping solutions across every carrier and marketplace in one place.
Why choose Secursus for your PirateShip insurance?
We cover the items that PirateShip won't, from pick-up to delivery.
Claims Paid Within 30 Days Maximum
Our dedicated claims team handles everything for you:
- Report your claim; we guide you through every step
- We assist you with the process with PirateShip
- Receive compensation within 30 days of confirmation of the loss or damage by PirateShip
Full Coverage up to $120,000
Our insurance covers most goods that are typically excluded:
- Watches and jewellery
- High-tech devices and mobile phones
- Vintage items and collectibles
- Second-hand goods
Shipping Tips & Prevention
Before shipping and insuring your package, you receive:
- Our shipping guidelines to protect your package
- Advice on packing and preparing goods for shipment
- Clear instructions to follow in the event of a problem
PirateShip insurance questions
The InsureShield questions shippers ask us most.
Is PirateShip insurance prorated?
No. Cover is sold in $100 increments and the declared value rounds up, so $150 of goods is charged as $200, which costs $2.
Can I stack InsureShield on top of USPS or UPS coverage?
No. Buying InsureShield voids the carrier protection included with the label, so the declared value has to cover the whole shipment.
What is the maximum InsureShield will cover?
Ten thousand dollars per UPS shipment and $5,000 per USPS shipment on domestic labels.
Why is international coverage capped at $2,500?
PirateShip applies a $2,500 ceiling on international shipments because of Census Bureau reporting rules on export values.
Which services are limited to $400?
First Class Package International Service and the Simple Export Rate, whatever the goods are worth.
Are graded trading cards covered?
Yes, when they are professionally graded, PSA for cards and PCGS for coins, and when you can show recent comparable sales or a paid invoice.
What if I ship cards out to be graded?
Those shipments are the exception: a claim on items travelling to be graded is denied on the estimated appraisal value. Only a paid commercial invoice supports the value.
Does InsureShield refund my label cost?
Yes. The postage you paid on PirateShip is reimbursed on top of the declared value, though the insurance premium itself is not.
Are sales taxes included in a payout?
Yes, except on Etsy, eBay and Reverb orders, where the platform refunds the tax to the buyer directly.
How long do I have to report hidden damage?
Thirty days from the delivery date for concealed loss or damage. Every other claim runs on a 9 month window from delivery.
Who handles the claim, PirateShip or InsureShield?
InsureShield, through its own claims portal. PirateShip support cannot progress or appeal a claim on your behalf.
When is a specialist policy the better option?
Above the $10,000 ceiling, on used or collectible goods where depreciated value bites, and whenever you want one rule across carriers rather than one per label.
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