DHL's Default Liability for High-Value Shipments
DHL Express's U.S. domestic terms limit its liability for any one shipment to the lesser of $100 or the actual value of the shipment, which DHL defines as the cost of replacing or reconstructing it. Liability is limited to direct loss or damage, and DHL is not liable for loss caused by delay.
For international air shipments, DHL's terms of carriage, valid from December 28, 2024, limit liability to the lower of the current market or declared value and 26 Special Drawing Rights per kilogram, which DHL puts at about $35 per kilogram. For cross-border road transport the limit is 8.33 Special Drawing Rights per kilogram, about $11 per kilogram.
The value of a small, high-value shipment can be far above these figures. DHL's terms point shippers who find the limits insufficient to Shipment Value Protection or to their own insurance.
What DHL Shipment Value Protection Covers
DHL describes Shipment Value Protection as an optional service that can provide cover for 100% of the value of a shipment, reimbursing the full value if goods are lost, stolen or damaged in transit. It is arranged when you instruct DHL in writing or through its systems and pay the charge. DHL's pages use insurance language for it but do not formally classify it as insurance, so read the terms for what is covered.
DHL charges by the value covered. Its U.S. shipment protection page lists a minimum charge of $11.55 for up to $700 of coverage, plus $1.65 for each additional $100 covered. Requests above $500,000 per shipment need DHL's approval, which it is not obliged to give.
Shipment Value Protection does not cover indirect loss or damage, or loss caused by delay. DHL also says it generally does not cover damage caused by the contents, loss in weight or volume, normal wear and tear, loss from insufficient or unsuitable packing or preparation, or losses caused by the willful misconduct of the customer or its agents.
What DHL Will Not Accept and What It Restricts
DHL Express's terms of carriage treat some goods as unacceptable. The list includes cash, bullion of any precious metal and loose precious or semi-precious stones, and DHL may refuse any item it decides cannot be carried safely or legally.
DHL's pages are less consistent on jewelry. Its U.S. page on what you can ship lists jewelry and watches over certain value thresholds as restricted, meaning they may be carried only if DHL has approved them in advance, and it does not state the thresholds. It also lists certain high-value collectibles and monetary commodities over certain thresholds as restricted. Another DHL page lists jewelry, precious metals and stones among commodities it does not carry under any circumstances.
Because of that, get written confirmation from DHL before you ship jewelry, watches or collectibles, and do not assume a booking means the goods have been approved.
Packaging and Preparation Rules
DHL's terms tie protection to how a shipment is prepared:
- A shipment is unacceptable if its packaging is defective or inadequate to ensure safe transportation.
- Shipment Value Protection does not cover loss or damage from insufficient or unsuitable packing or preparation.
- DHL's U.S. domestic terms require the shipper to warrant that the shipment was prepared in secure premises by reliable persons.
- Keep photographs of the item and its packing, the invoice and the waybill number, because a claim needs evidence.
What a DHL Claim Requires
DHL's terms require all claims to be submitted in writing within thirty days from the date DHL accepted the shipment, or DHL has no liability. Only one claim per shipment is allowed.
DHL's guidance is to contact customer service first so that an investigation can begin. DHL gathers information from its service points and typically gives an update about three days later, and if the claim is agreed you complete a claims template that goes to its claims department.
Claims are limited to direct loss or damage. Lost profits, income, interest and future business are excluded, so a payout can fall short of what a delayed or lost sale was worth.
What This Means for Your Shipment
Take a shipment worth $20,000 sent within the United States. Under DHL's domestic terms, liability is the lesser of $100 or the actual value, so without Shipment Value Protection a loss leaves $19,900 uncovered.
Sent abroad by air, a one-kilogram parcel worth $20,000 would be limited to about $35 under the per-kilogram cap unless protection is added. For jewelry or watches, DHL may also need to approve the shipment before it will carry it.
Full-value insurance is designed to cover the declared value of the shipment itself. For a side-by-side view of the major carriers, see our carrier insurance comparison.
DHL Express and Full-Value Insurance Compared
The table sets out how DHL's published terms differ from a separate insurance policy. The DHL column was checked against DHL's published pages in October 2026, and DHL can change its terms at any time.
| Feature | DHL Express | Full-value insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Default cover | Lesser of $100 or actual value on U.S. domestic shipments | A separate contract with its own terms |
| Added protection | Shipment Value Protection, at extra cost, requested at booking | Covers the declared value, up to $150,000 with Unival |
| Not accepted | Cash, bullion and loose precious or semi-precious stones | Ask us how your shipment would be carried |
| Jewelry and watches | Restricted over certain values, with prior approval | Set by your quote |
| Claim deadline | Written claim within 30 days of acceptance | Set by the policy terms |
Where Unival Fits In
Unival specializes in shipments worth more than a carrier will pay for. Full-value insurance covers the declared value of the shipment up to $150,000, secure transportation is arranged for high-value goods, and every shipment is quoted before it moves, so you know the coverage and the price in advance.
If your shipment includes goods a carrier does not accept, such as bullion or cash, send the details through the quote form and we will confirm how it will be carried before anything ships. See our guides to insured jewelry shipping, insured watch shipping, insured precious metals shipping and high-value parcel shipping, our overview of insured high-value shipping, and our pages on shipping insurance cost and secure transport services.
DHL is a trademark of its owner. This page describes DHL Express's published terms as checked in October 2026, for information only. It is not an official DHL document or legal advice, so confirm the current terms before you ship.
