Take photos and gather proof of value before you send. On delivery, check everything before the driver leaves, keep all the packaging, photograph any damage and tell us the same day. Claims against transport partners have short time limits, sometimes counted in days, so speed matters as much as evidence.
A claim is only as strong as the proof behind it, and most of that proof has to be collected before anything goes wrong. This guide shows what to gather, what to do on the doorstep, and how a claim is worked out.
Before you send: build your evidence file
Fifteen minutes with your phone while you pack can save weeks of back and forth later.
Photos to take
- Valuable and fragile items, one at a time. Photograph electronics switched on and working. Take a close-up of any serial number.
- The packing. Items wrapped and in place, just before you close the case or box. This shows they were packed with care.
- The outside, from all six sides. For a suitcase, add close photos of the wheels, handles and corners, which take most of the knocks.
- The tape measure and the scales. A photo of each measurement and the weight reading. Our guide to measuring and weighing luggage shows how. It helps if the size or weight is ever questioned.
Phone photos record the date and time for you. Keep the originals, uncropped and unfiltered, and back them up somewhere other than the phone you are travelling with.
Proof of value
- Receipts, order confirmation emails or bank statements for anything you would want to claim for.
- If there is no receipt: a photo of the item with its original box, the model number, and a dated screenshot of the same model for sale second-hand.
- For gifts, ask the giver whether they still have the order email.
Your packing list
Keep a copy of your packing list with a value against each item. Describe things clearly: "men's wool coat, used" rather than "clothes". It shows what was in each bag, and for international shipments it is the same information customs sees. Our guide to the packing list and customs declaration covers the wording.
Evidence checklist
| What | When | Why it matters |
|---|
| Photos of valuable items, working | While packing | Shows the item existed and was in good order |
| Photos of the packing | Just before closing | Shows the item was protected |
| Photos of all six sides | Once closed and taped | Shows the condition when it left you |
| Measurements and weight | Before you book | Settles any question about size or weight |
| Receipts or other proof of value | Before collection | Needed to agree what the item was worth |
| Packing list with values | At booking | Shows what was in each bag |
| Booking confirmation and tracking | After booking | Links the shipment to the claim |
On delivery: check before the driver leaves
- Look at the outside before you sign. Check for dents, crushed corners, tears, wet patches, fresh tape over old tape, and broken wheels or handles.
- If you can see damage, say so. Tell the driver and ask for it to be noted. If the signing screen has a damage option, use it. Photograph the damage on the doorstep.
- Count the pieces. Check the number of bags and boxes against your booking.
- Open everything the same day, even if you are not unpacking yet. Damage inside an undamaged box counts too, but only if it is reported quickly.
- Photograph what you find: the damage close up and from a distance, the packaging inside and out, the label, and the wrapping as you found it.
- Keep everything. The box or case, the wrapping and the tape. Transport partners may ask to inspect them. Do not repair or throw away the damaged item until the claim is settled.
- Tell us straight away, with your booking reference and the photos.
Why the same day matters
When something goes wrong in transit, we have to make a claim to our transport partner. Partners work to strict deadlines, set in their own terms and in international law. For example:
| Transport | Deadline to report damage | Source |
|---|
| International air | In writing within 14 days of receiving the goods | Montreal Convention, article 31 |
| International road | Damage that was not visible on delivery: in writing within 7 days, not counting Sundays and public holidays | CMR Convention, article 30 |
| Partners' own terms | Can be much shorter. Some ask to be told by the next working day, and some count the time from collection rather than delivery | Transport partners' terms |
If we hear about damage late, the partner's deadline may already have passed. That is why we ask you to report it the day you find it. Checked on 3 October 2026.
How a claim is worked out
A claim pays for the loss, and the loss is normally the lower of two things: the cost of a fair repair, or what the item was worth just before the damage, allowing for its age and wear. It is not the price of a new one.
A worked example
Say a five-year-old suitcase arrives with a wheel snapped off, and a coat inside has a torn sleeve.
- The suitcase. A luggage repairer can fit a new wheel. If the repair costs less than the case is worth now, the repair cost is the loss.
- The coat. It cost £180 four years ago. A similar coat in similar condition sells second-hand for a fraction of that. If it cannot be mended, that second-hand value is the starting point, not £180.
Then the limits apply
Loss or damage is covered only up to the limits our transport partner gives us on that route, worked out by actual weight. Under the international conventions that is around £26.65 per kg by air and £8.54 per kg by road, and the higher of about £683 per package or £2.05 per kg by sea. On some routes, including some within the UK, there is no cover beyond your price back if we fail to take reasonable care. The booking page shows the limit for your route before you book. Our guide to insuring belongings you ship explains what that means for valuable items.
What weakens a claim
- Poor packing, such as a laptop loose in a box. Under the air convention, a carrier is not liable for damage caused by defective packing done by someone else, or by a fault in the item itself (article 18).
- Items that were not on the packing list.
- No proof the item existed, worked or was worth what is claimed.
- Damage reported weeks after delivery, or packaging thrown away.
- Items that should not have been sent at all, such as those on our prohibited items list.
Your rights under consumer law
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 says a business must carry out a service with reasonable care and skill (section 49). A business can limit what it pays, but a limit cannot stop you getting back at least the price you paid where it has failed in that duty (section 57). Citizens Advice has general guidance on damaged, lost or delayed parcels.
Questions people ask
What if I do not have a receipt?
You can still claim, but you need other proof. A bank statement line, an order email, a photo of the item with its box, or the model number and a second-hand listing for the same model all help. The less proof there is, the harder it is to agree a value.
Should I sign for a parcel that looks damaged?
Signing shows you received it, which is normal. Note the damage when you sign if you can, tell the driver, and photograph it before they leave. Accepting it and keeping everything usually leaves you better placed than sending it back unopened, because you can then record what is inside.
Can I throw the box away once I have taken photos?
No. Keep the box or case and all the wrapping until the claim is closed. A partner may want to inspect them, and photos alone may not be enough.
Will my home or travel insurance pay instead?
Often not. Many home contents and travel policies exclude belongings sent by courier. Check the wording of your own policy, and see insuring belongings you ship for what to look for.
What to do next
Take your photos as you pack. Our guide to packing a suitcase for shipping shows the moments worth capturing. When you are ready, the price page compares every option, and the booking page shows the cover limit for your route before you book.
