Why Standard Carrier Coverage Is Not Enough for Valuables
Standard carrier liability is designed for ordinary parcels. For high-value items it often falls short: carriers commonly apply special limits or exclusions to artwork, antiques, jewelry and other items of extraordinary value, and their basic liability is usually a small fraction of what such a shipment is worth.
Declared value is also not the same as insurance. Declaring a value tells the carrier what you say the shipment is worth, but it does not guarantee that the full amount is paid if something goes wrong. Full-value insurance is a separate layer of protection that covers the declared value of the shipment, up to $150,000 with Unival.
That gap is why Boston galleries, dealers, labs and businesses ship valuables with a provider that treats insurance and secure handling as one service.
Insured Shipping for Boston's High-Value Trades
Boston's galleries are concentrated on Newbury Street in Back Bay and in the SoWa Art + Design District in the South End, while Beacon Hill and Charles Street are known for antiques and older works. The Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the Institute of Contemporary Art anchor a city with a deep collecting tradition.
On the medical side, the Longwood Medical Area brings Harvard Medical School and a cluster of teaching hospitals into one neighborhood, and Cambridge's Kendall Square across the river is a center of biotech and life sciences. The table shows what typically matters most for each type of shipment leaving Boston.
| Shipment | Typical Boston sender | What matters most |
|---|---|---|
| Fine art | Galleries, collectors, dealers | Condition records, careful packing |
| Antiques and collectibles | Antique dealers, collectors | Appraisal, careful packing, condition notes |
| Medical equipment and supplies | Hospitals, labs, device companies | Documented handling, delivery on a set date |
| Instruments and research equipment | Life sciences companies, labs | Serial numbers, careful packing, signed delivery |
| Jewelry and watches | Jewelers, luxury retailers, dealers | Accurate declared value, signature at delivery |
Every shipment is insured for its declared value, up to $150,000. Learn how full-value insurance works before you ship.
Shipping From Boston Across New England and Beyond
Insurance only helps if the shipment can reach the buyer, dealer or lab on the other end. From Boston we ship valuables across New England, the United States and internationally, using major carrier networks combined with Unival's own coverage and secure handling.
Unival is headquartered in the Los Angeles Jewelry District and insures and tracks shipments to and from Boston. Read more about our secure transportation, or see our overviews of insured shipping in New York and insured shipping in Los Angeles.
For international shipments, accurate customs paperwork, including a commercial invoice with the correct value and description, prevents delays and supports any later insurance claim.
What Affects the Cost of Insured Shipping From Boston?
The price has two parts: the shipping itself and the insurance on the declared value. The declared value, the size and weight, the destination, the delivery speed and the handling requirements all change the total.
Because every shipment is different, we quote it before it moves. Get a quote with your item type, value and destination.
How to Prepare a High-Value Shipment
Good preparation prevents most disputes. Before you ship, check the following:
- Keep the invoice, appraisal or other proof of value for the item.
- Photograph the item and record serial numbers, certificates or provenance where they exist.
- Declare the full, accurate value. Under-declaring can reduce what is paid out in a claim.
- Use plain, sealed packaging with no mention of the contents on the outside.
- Make sure the recipient is available to sign for the delivery.
