For millions of shippers, Colis Privé is a major player in home and relay point delivery. But behind the promise of efficient delivery lies an essential question: are your goods really protected in the event of a problem? Is the insurance offered, with its different levels and conditions, a real safety net or a costly labyrinth?
This 2025 strategy guide doesn't just fly over the options. It dissects Colis Privé's insurance offering with surgical precision. We'll expose its pricing structure, reveal the major flaw in its relay network, and analyze its claims process. Finally, we'll put it up against a specialized alternative like Claisy to arm you with the knowledge you need to optimize protection for your business. You can also find our comparison of carriers' parcel insurance 2025 and the entire ad valorem encyclopedia, with an analysis of CMS offers and logistics solutions.
How does Colis Privé insurance work? The two-tier system
Colis Privé offers two levels of protection, but it is above all its structure that reveals a major weakness: the value of your parcel is not protected in the same way everywhere.
1. Basic compensation: the legal minimum
By default, each shipment is covered by a limited lump-sum indemnity.
- Calculation: €23 per kilogram of gross weight.
- Condition: Compensation can never exceed the actual value of the contents.
- Limit Total: In all cases, this compensation is capped at €200.
For a light, valuable object (smartphone, branded clothing), this basic cover is therefore virtually non-existent.
2. Ad Valorem insurance: variable geometry protection
For even greater protection, Colis Privé offers Ad Valorem supplementary insurance. But here's where a critical distinction arises:
- Limit at home (with signature?): Up to €5,000.
- Limit en Relais or Lockers: Collapses to just €1,000.
This drastic difference is not insignificant: it reflects a perceived higher risk within their network of relay points and lockers, which is nevertheless a pillar of their offer. For e-tailers who make massive use of this channel, protection is therefore structurally limited.
Rates and 6 levels of Colis Privé insurance: the tier strategy
Colis Privé's Ad Valorem insurance is not a percentage calculation, but a system of 6 fixed increments. This method may seem simple, but in reality it's a pricing strategy that can prove very costly.
The principle is simple: whether your parcel is worth €501 or €1,000, you'll pay the same price of €6.10. So it's very expensive at the beginning of the tier, and cheaper at the end. This system lacks flexibility and doesn't adapt to the real value of your shipment.
What's more, to reach the €5,000 Limit , the "delivery with signature" option is mandatory and appears to be an additional paying option, creating a double cost for maximum protection.
Excluded goods and compensation deadlines: a grey area
Like all insurance, Colis Privé's has its limits.
- Exclusions: The main exclusions concern dangerous or illicit goods. The list is less restrictive than that of other carriers, not officially excluding jewelry or high-tech, but proof of value remains a major issue.
- Second-hand goods: No official mention of their exclusion, which is a positive point. However, in the absence of an original purchase invoice, proving the value in the event of a claim remains at the insurer's discretion and can prove complex.
- Compensation deadlines: This is the most opaque point. Compensation is paid within 30 days... after the carrier's internal investigation has been completed. As the duration of this investigation is not defined, the total time before you receive your money is unpredictable and can easily exceed several months.
Colis Privé vs. Claisy: rigid landings vs. total flexibility
Let's compare Colis Privé's integrated offering with Claisy's specialized digital solution to see the strategic differences.
Case studies: what concrete impact for your e-commerce?
Let's look at two typical scenarios to see the impact of these differences on your profitability.
Answers to your questions about Colis Privé insurance
Conclusion: Colis Privé, a valid insurance for the general public, limited for the rest
Colis Privé's insurance is an integrated solution for e-merchants shipping low-value goods (under €200), mainly to the home.
As soon as the value increases or the logistics strategy relies on relay points, its structural weaknesses become major risks:
- The Limit drops drastically to €1,000 for relays and lockers.
- A rigid 6-bearing system, inflexible and often costly.
- A double surcharge (insurance + signature) for the best protection.
- Unclear and potentially lengthy compensation deadlines, dependent as they are on an internal investigation.
For companies looking for simplicity, transparency and robust protection, a specialized solution like Claisy offers a clear answer. With premium calculation down to the penny, a uniformly high Limit , digital management and rapid, independent indemnification, it transforms insurance from a complex cost center into a tool for performance and peace of mind.