Package protection does not have to be the same everywhere you ship. Show it where you are comfortable covering claims, hide it or price it higher where risk is greater, and make the policy clear about what is covered abroad. The decision should come from your own claim data by destination, not guesswork.
For the basics, see the package protection guide. For cross-border insurance, see international shipping insurance for ecommerce.
Why vary protection by country?
- Different loss rates: some routes lose or damage more parcels than others.
- Longer transit: more time in transit means more chance of problems and later claims.
- Customs: holds and returns are not delivery failures and are usually outside protection.
- Reship costs: sending a replacement abroad can cost far more than at home.
How do you decide where to show it?
- Pull claims by destination for the last 90 to 180 days.
- Calculate claim rate and average claim cost per country (or region if volumes are small).
- Compare with your fee: if break-even (claim rate × average cost) is close to or above the fee you can charge, protection there is not sustainable.
- Decide per destination: show at your standard price, show with a higher price band, or hide.
What are your options per country?
| Situation | Option |
|---|---|
| Low claim rate, normal reship cost | Show protection at your standard price |
| Higher claim rate, reship still affordable | Show it with higher price bands |
| High claim rate or very high reship cost | Hide protection for that destination |
| Frequent customs problems | Show it, but state clearly that refused duties are not covered |
What should your policy say about international orders?
- What is covered: loss, damage and theft in transit.
- What is not: parcels held or returned because duties or taxes were not paid, and wrong addresses entered at checkout.
- Filing window: long enough for international transit, counted from the expected delivery date.
- Evidence: tracking from both carriers where available, and photos for damage.
The free claim policy generator builds a policy you can adjust for international orders.
How do you set it up?
With Sam Shipping Protection, country targeting and cart-value targeting are part of the Plus plan; product exclusions are available from Standard. Set your rules, then place a test order from each key destination to confirm the widget shows or hides as expected.
What if you sell in only a few countries?
Keep it simple. If most orders go to one or two destinations, a single price with clear policy wording is often enough, and country rules can wait until you have real volume elsewhere. Small samples mislead: ten orders to a new country with one lost parcel looks like a 10% claim rate, but it is mostly noise. Group small destinations by region until each group has enough orders to judge, and revisit the split once volume grows.
How often should you review it?
Every quarter, or after a carrier or route change. Re-run the numbers per destination and adjust: a country you hid may become worth covering, and one you show may need a higher price. Track the result with the shipping protection calculator and your loss ratio.
Frequently asked questions
Should I offer package protection in every country I ship to?
Not necessarily. Offer it where your claim rate and costs make it sustainable, and hide it where you cannot cover claims at a fair price.
Does package protection cover customs problems?
Usually not. Most policies cover loss, damage and theft in transit, not parcels held or returned because duties were refused. Say so clearly in your policy.
Can Sam show or hide protection by country?
Yes. Showing or hiding the widget by country, and by cart value, is part of Sam's Plus plan.
Part of our guide: Package protection →