Shipping · USPS Insured Mail
USPS shipping insurance cost calculator.
Priority Mail, Ground Advantage and Priority Mail Express already include $100 of coverage. Above that, USPS charges by declared value. Enter what the item is worth to see the fee and compare it with another insurer's rate per $100.
A $450.00 item sent Priority Mail or Ground Advantage has a USPS insurance fee of $7.55 (1.68% of the value). A $1,200.00 item costs $18.05, and anything at or under $100.00 costs $0.00 because the coverage is included.
Your numbers
Your result
How this is calculated
- Included coverage. USPS Domestic Mail Manual 503 says Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail and USPS Ground Advantage include $100.00 of insurance coverage. This tool charges $0.00 at or under $100.00 for those services.
- Fee by declared value. The Insurance table in USPS Notice 123 (price list effective October 4, 2026) charges $2.80 up to $50.00, $3.50 up to $100.00, $4.50 up to $200.00, $4.55 up to $300.00, $6.05 up to $400.00, $7.55 up to $500.00 and $9.05 up to $600.00.
- Above $600. $9.05 plus $1.50 for each $100.00 or fraction of $100.00 over $600.00, up to the $5,000.00 maximum.
- Comparison. If you type another insurer's rate per $100, the tool charges it for each $100 or fraction of value and shows the difference. No third-party rate is built in.
Worked example: fees at six declared values
| Declared value | Included service | No included coverage |
|---|---|---|
| $80.00 | $0.00 | $3.50 |
| $150.00 | $4.50 | $4.50 |
| $450.00 | $7.55 | $7.55 |
| $600.00 | $9.05 | $9.05 |
| $1,200.00 | $18.05 | $18.05 |
| $5,000.00 | $75.05 | $75.05 |
The $1,200.00 line is $9.05 plus six steps of $1.50 for the $600.00 above the first $600.00, which is $18.05. At $5,000.00 the fee is $75.05, which is 1.50% of the value, because the per-$100 charge flattens the percentage as value rises.
What this does not cover
- UPS and FedEx declared value charges. Their schedules were not verified for this page, so none are built in; type a quoted rate per $100 into the comparison box instead.
- Insurance Restricted Delivery ($8.80 on Notice 123 for articles insured above $500), bulk insurance discounts ($0.80 per piece) and international insurance.
- Whether a claim pays. USPS sets what is insurable and how a claim is proven; read DMM 503 before relying on coverage for a high-value item.
- The fee for items over $100 on services with included coverage is read as the table fee for the full declared value, not an add-on above the included $100. Confirm at the counter if the amount matters.
Method and assumptions
The tool looks up the table band or applies the $1.50-per-$100 step, in dollars and cents. DMM 503 says insured mail over $500 receives a delivery scan and a signature delivery record. The Notice 123 page was marked effective October 4, 2026 when opened.
Results vary with the service, the date of mailing and how the item is packed and described. This page uses the declared value you enter and USPS's published table.
Sources
- USPS Notice 123, Price List: Insurance table (effective October 4, 2026), retrieved October 26, 2026
- USPS Domestic Mail Manual 503: Extra Services, Insured Mail, retrieved October 26, 2026
Cite this page: TNAADO Tools, "Shipping insurance cost calculator," tools.tnaado.ca/shipping/shipping-insurance-cost-calculator/, figures retrieved October 2026.
Common mix-ups
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Often assumedA package sent by Priority Mail or Ground Advantage has no insurance unless I pay for it.
What the source saysUSPS Domestic Mail Manual 503 says Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail and USPS Ground Advantage include $100.00 of insurance coverage, and that additional insurance up to $5,000.00 may be purchased. [1]
Checked against these sources on .
Frequently asked questions
Do Priority Mail and Ground Advantage include insurance?
Yes, $100.00. DMM 503 says Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail and USPS Ground Advantage include $100.00 of insurance coverage; more can be bought up to $5,000.00.
How is the fee calculated above $600?
Notice 123 lists $9.05 plus $1.50 for each $100.00 or fraction over $600.00. For $1,250.50 that is 7 steps, so $19.55.
What is the most USPS will insure?
The table runs to $5,000.00 and lists $5,000.00 as the maximum liability. The tool does not calculate a fee above that.
What changes above $500?
DMM 503 says insured mail over $500 receives a delivery scan and a signature delivery record, and Notice 123 lists Insurance Restricted Delivery at $8.80 for articles insured for more than $500.
Is insuring through USPS cheaper than another insurer?
It depends on the other insurer's rate. Type that rate per $100 into the comparison box and the tool shows both fees and the gap. This page does not know anyone else's price.
Estimate only
This is an educational estimate built from the declared value you enter and the USPS price list named under Sources. Prices change, so confirm at usps.com or the counter. It is not legal or insurance advice.