Parcel Insurance Comparison 2025: Who Should You Choose to Really Insure Your Shipment (Ad Valorem)?

You need to ship a valuable parcel and you're in doubt: which insurance should you choose? La Poste, Chronopost, DHL, UPS... or a specialist insurer like Claisy? There's a wide range of products on offer, with varying ceilings, and the fine print of contracts hides some fearsome exclusions.

Look no further.

This 2025 comparison is the only resource you'll need. We've dissected the best Ad Valorem parcel insurances on the market to give you a clear, straightforward, jargon-free answer. Your mission: to choose the best protection. Our mission: to give you the keys.

Ad Valorem: The Only Real Shield for Your Valuable Parcels

Before diving into the comparison, a quick reminder. Ad Valorem" insurance is the only insurance that really counts for valuables.

Basic (flat-rate) insurance: This is a trap. It reimburses you by weight (e.g. €23/kg). If your €1,500 iPhone (200g) is lost, you get less than €5. This is unacceptable.
Ad Valorem ("according to value") insurance: This is your shield. It covers the actual declared value of your parcel in the event of loss, theft or breakage. It's essential for any item worth more than €50.

Now that that's clear, let's get down to business.

The 5 decisive criteria for comparing parcel insurance in 2025

To make the right choice, you need to analyze these 5 vital points:

Indemnity Ceiling: The absolute maximum amount you will receive in the event of a claim. This is the most important criterion.
Rates: The cost of insurance, often calculated by value bracket. The cheapest is not always the best.
Insurable Property (and Exclusions!) : The list of items covered. Please note: many carriers exclude jewelry, high-tech or works of art from their standard Ad Valorem cover (this is not the case with Claisy - if in doubt, contact us).
Complaints: If you have a problem, is the process quick and easy or an administrative obstacle course?
La Cible : Is the offer available to individuals or reserved for professionals with a contract?

Le Grand Comparatif 2025: Carriers vs. Specialty Insurers

Here's the picture you've been waiting for. We've put transport giants and insurance specialists face to face. The information is based on data available for 2025:

Carrier Insurance Comparison Chart

Parcel Insurance Comparison

Insurer / Carrier	Compensation ceiling	2025 indicative rates	Insurable property / Notable exclusions	Strengths / Weaknesses
La Poste / Colissimo	1 000 €	5.70 (for €300) 12.70 (for €1,00O - ceiling)	Frequent exclusions on valuables (certain jewels, etc.). Please check the list.	✅ Strong point: Integrated and accessible in post office. ❌ Weakness: Very low ceiling, not suitable for high-value items.
Chronopost	5,000 (up to €20,000 for pros)	Starting at €6.10 (for €500) Then increments up to €5,000 with rates above 1.05%.	Numerous exclusions: jewelry, watches, high-tech and collectibles are often refused.	✅ Strong point: Higher ceiling than Colissimo. ❌ Weak point: Exclusions make the offer useless for many valuable goods.
DHL Express	100 000 €	Minimum €11 (even for a low value, up to €1,100) Then 1% of the value.	Fewer exclusions, but the list exists. To be checked on a case-by-case basis.	✅ Strong point: Very high ceiling, reliable global network. ❌ Weakness: High minimum cost for small values.
UPS	40 000 €	Minimum €12.05 up to €1,205 Then 1% of value	Exclus : bijoux (sauf fantaisie <100€), objets de collection, pièces uniques.	✅ Strong point: High ceiling, premium service. ❌ Weakness: Expensive and excludes many precious items.
Secursus	Up to €100,000	From €1.50 (per €100) Then 1% of the insured value.	Wide coverage: jewelry, high-tech, collectibles...	✅ Strong point: Ultra-competitive rates, high ceiling, very broad coverage. ❌ Weakness: Numerous conditions to be met before shipment and long claims delay.
Claisy	Up to €120,000, then on request	Tailor-made rates with no minimums, highly competitive and below 1%.	Covers almost everything: jewelry, high-tech, luxury, art, collectibles, wine... Specialist in valuable and atypical goods.	✅ Point Fort: Ultra-simplified claims process and the highest protection on the market. ❌ Point Faible: Mainly aimed at professionals and e-merchants.

Verdict: Which insurance is right for you?

The picture is clear, the decision simple.

Scenario 1: You are sending an item of moderate value (between €50 and €1,000) NOT EXCLUDED by the carrier

Your best option: Ad Valorem insurance from La Poste / Colissimo may be sufficient for one-off shipments (or Chronopost insurance). It's practical and economical for this segment. BUT CHECK THE EXCLUSIONS! If your item is on the list, this insurance is void. If you send on a regular or even frequent basis, consider Claisy and its connectors (see Automation & Claisy).

Scenario 2: You are sending a HIGH-VALUE item (over €1,000) or a good systematically EXCLUDED by carriers (jewelry, watch, smartphone, art...).

Your best option: Secursus (for private customers) or Claisy (for professionals). It's non-negotiable. For a rate often lower than that of the carriers, you benefit from a much higher coverage ceiling and, above all, the certainty that your property is actually covered.

Scenario 3: You ship many products of moderate value per day or per week with one or more carriers

Your best option: Claisy is the solution for you: a single rate for all products, carriers and destinations. Claisy's integrations with a wide range of tools (CMS, OMS, logistics solutions) enable you to protect your goods efficiently and effortlessly, with a single route for declaring a dispute.

Discover our automated solutions with the main CMS and logistics tools (Shopify, Prestashop, Magento, WooCommerce, Esendeo, ShippingBo).

The Mistake Never to Make: Ignoring Exclusions

Paying Ad Valorem insurance for an excluded item is like throwing money down the drain. In the event of a claim, the carrier will invoke its general terms and conditions of sale, and you'll get nothing. Always read the list of excluded items before paying.

Final Summary to Choose in 30 Seconds

In 2025, the hierarchy is clear: when it comes to Ad Valorem insurance, specialists such as Secursus (for private customers) and Claisy (for professionals) outperform traditional carriers on all critical points: covered value, price and scope of coverage. La Poste and Chronopost's insurance offers remain back-up solutions for shipments of moderate value, provided your item is not on their long list of exclusions.

You now have all the information you need to make an informed choice and ship your precious goods with the only thing that really matters: total peace of mind.

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Find out more about ad valorem carrier insurance :

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Some exceptional pieces from Claisy:

Best Ad Valorem 2025 Insurance: Comparison and Comprehensive Guide to Protecting Your Parcels