The Colissimo Ad Valorem option costs a flat fee of €2.90 plus €1 per €100 of insured value, up to a maximum of €1,000. Without it, the included compensation is calculated based on weight: €23 per kilogram, with an absolute maximum of €690 regardless of the contents. These two limits determine whether Colissimo is suitable for your shipments.
This guide describes the levels of protection actually offered, their two pricing structures, and the situations in which purchasing separate coverage makes sense. All amounts are taken from La Poste’s official website, as of October 2026. For the “Valeur Déclarée” service—which is a separate offering and not a Colissimo option—see our guide to La Poste’s “Valeur Déclarée.”
What's Covered by a Colissimo Shipment Without Add-Ons
Every Colissimo shipment is covered by a flat-rate indemnity calculated by weight: €23 per kilogram, with a minimum of €5.75 for a parcel weighing 250 g and a €690 limit corresponding to the maximum weight of 30 kg. This €690 limit is the detail most often overlooked: even a heavy and expensive parcel cannot be compensated beyond this amount without an additional option. The compensation does not cover sentimental value and assumes that you can provide proof of the merchandise’s value.
The €23 per kilogram does not come from the CMR Convention
This is a common misconception, even in specialized articles. The €23 per kilogram is a contractual compensation specific to Colissimo, set by La Poste. The CMR Convention, which governs the international carriage of goods by road, sets the limit at 8.33 SDR per kilogram—approximately €10—and does not apply to domestic Colissimo shipments. This distinction is important: a contractual limit can be modified by La Poste, whereas a convention-based limit is set by treaty. Be sure to check it whenever rates are revised.
Three examples with figures
A 500-gram cosmetic product worth €80 is covered up to €11.50, or 14% of its value. A 2-kilogram computer worth €1,500 is covered up to €46, or 3%. A 400-gram smartphone worth €900 is covered for €9.20, or 1%. The lighter and more expensive the item, the less protection the included coverage provides: this is typical of most e-commerce catalogs.
The three paid options offered by Colissimo
In addition to the included coverage, La Poste offers three paid options, and they do not all work the same way. Two provide a flat-rate payout, while only one covers the declared value.
"Recommended" options are often overlooked in comparison guides. They provide a lump-sum payment upon presentation of proof of loss: €50 for R1 coverage at a cost of €3.30, and €200 for R2 coverage at a cost of €5.00. For a low-value package, R2 coverage may be sufficient and cost less than Ad Valorem coverage. Be aware, however, of their coverage: they are limited to metropolitan France, Monaco, Andorra, and the French overseas territories, whereas the Ad Valorem option is available for all destinations. All three options include delivery upon signature.
The third option, Ad Valorem, is the only one based on the value you declare. It is the basis for the two tables detailed below.
Colissimo Insurance Rates
There are two different rate schedules, and the difference between them is significant. So you first need to determine which one applies to your account.
The Public Schedule
The formula is simple and rarely stated: a flat fee of €2.90, plus €1 per €100 of coverage. This formula generates the rate schedule published on laposte.fr, ranging from €5.90 for €300 in coverage up to €12.90 for €1,000.
The effective rate decreases as the order value increases, from 1.97% on orders of €300 down to 1.29% on orders of €1,000, because the €2.90 flat fee is spread out over a larger amount. The option is therefore proportionally more expensive for smaller orders—which is precisely where the average order size for many stores falls. And for orders over €1,000, the option doesn’t exist: the question is no longer “how much,” but “is coverage even possible?”
The Colissimo Entreprise Rate Schedule
Contract accounts are subject to a separate rate schedule, published on the Colissimo Entreprise website, which is significantly more advantageous. There are six tiers available—at €150, €300, €500, €1,000, €2,000, and €5,000—with surcharges of €1.10, €2.20, €3.30, €6.60, €13.20, and €33.00 excl. VAT, respectively, per parcel.
The price ratio compared to the public rate is one to two. Insuring €1,000 costs €12.90 at the counter and €6.60 under a policy. The effective rate drops to 0.66% at cap for each increment over €500, and to 0.73% for the first two increments.
There are three restrictions that govern this rate schedule, and they are just as important as the rate itself.
This option is available only for Colissimo Home Delivery with Signature, Colissimo Pickup Point, and Colissimo Return, in France, the French Overseas Territories, and internationally. Colissimo Home Delivery without signature—the most common option in e-commerce—does not include this benefit; therefore, adding insurance requires switching to delivery with signature, which entails additional shipping costs and the associated delivery complications.
The Pickup Point offer is also capped at €1,000; the €2,000 and €5,000 tiers are not available for this option. If some of your deliveries are sent to a pickup point, your actual cap is not what you think it is. The absolute limit remains at €5,000 per parcel, regardless of the offer.
The Plateau Effect: The True Hidden Cost
The system operates in fixed tiers, not on a pro-rata basis. You purchase the tier immediately above the value of your parcel, and you pay the full price for that tier regardless of the actual value.
A parcel costing €1,001 falls into the €2,000 bracket and costs €13.20, which is an effective rate of 1.32 percent—twice the advertised rate. A package costing €2,001 falls into the €5,000 bracket and costs €33.00, which is 1.65 percent.
The actual rate for the option therefore depends on where your order values fall within the tiers, not on the displayed rate. Two stores with the same average cart value may be charged very different rates depending on whether their values fall just above or just below a threshold.
Which option should you choose based on the value of the shipment?
The four levels do not overlap: each corresponds to a range of values.
- Up to about 50 euros. The included compensation is often sufficient: for a 2-kg parcel, it already covers 46 euros.
- From €50 to €200. The "Registered" options come into play. R1 covers €50 for €3.30, and R2 covers €200 for €5.00. For amounts under €200, R2 is less expensive than the first ad valorem bracket in the public rate schedule.
- From €200 to €1,000. This is the Ad Valorem range. On the public pricing plan, the cost ranges from €5.90 to €12.90. On a Business account, it ranges from €2.20 to €6.60.
- From €1,000 to €5,000. Only a Colissimo Entreprise account allows you to reach this level, in increments of €2,000 and €5,000. The public rate schedule stops at €1,000.
- Over €5,000. No Colissimo option covers the shipment for its full value. The limit applies without exception, regardless of any offers or accounts.
Two factors determine everything else: Is your offer eligible, and do your deliveries go through the Pickup Point? If so, the cap drops to €1,000 regardless of the subscription tier you choose.
Exclusions and Packaging Requirements
There are two types of restrictions that apply. The Colissimo terms and conditions exclude certain categories from any compensation, including cash, securities, and certain valuable items. Paying for the option on an excluded item provides no guarantee: you are purchasing coverage that will never pay out.
Next, the packaging requirements. Packaging that does not comply with La Poste’s recommendations may invalidate coverage—even if it has been purchased and paid for—and the requirements for cushioning are stricter for fragile items. The recommended approach is the same in both cases: review the exclusions and packaging recommendations in the current terms and conditions, and compare them with your catalog before considering a shipment to be covered.
File an Insurance Claim
The burden of proof rests with the shipper. The standard documentation parcel includes the shipping manifest, the invoice stating the value, the sales invoice to the end customer, and photographs of the product and packaging in the event of damage: photographs taken before the parcel is sealed are the best way to demonstrate that the packaging was in proper condition. The deadlines for filing a claim vary depending on whether the issue is a loss or damage and are specified in the current terms and conditions.
The claim is then subject to an internal investigation, approval, and finally payment: expect this process to take several weeks, during which time you have usually already refunded or reshipped the order. If the claim is denied, there are three options available: supplement the claim file, file a complaint with the La Poste Group Ombudsman free of charge, or take legal action.
Limitations of the Colissimo service
Four limitations shape the service offering, and they all stem from La Poste's contractual framework rather than its pricing.
The limit is €5,000. This is the absolute maximum declared value, available only under a contract. The public rate schedule tops out at €1,000, and above €5,000, there is no higher tier available for negotiation.
Eligibility by service. Colissimo Home Delivery without Signature—the most commonly used service in e-commerce—is excluded from this option. Therefore, to add insurance, you must change your delivery method.
The “Pickup Point” sub cap. A merchant who primarily delivers to pickup points has an actual limit of €1,000, even under contract.
The tier effect. Under a fixed-tier pricing structure, any amount exceeding a threshold by one euro is charged at the full rate of the next higher tier. The effective rate then rises from 0.66% to 1.32%, or even 1.65%, for amounts between €2,000 and €5,000.
These limits are cumulative: a merchant who ships items worth €1,200 to a pickup location without a signature falls outside the scope of the option in three respects at once.
What the Compensation Does Not Cover
In addition to excluded categories and packaging requirements, there are three situations that are not covered by compensation, regardless of the level of coverage purchased.
Delayed delivery is governed by a separate set of rules. It may entitle you to a refund of shipping costs in accordance with the applicable terms and conditions, but never to compensation for the value of the merchandise.
Sentimental value is not covered; La Poste explicitly states this. Only the market value, as evidenced by an invoice, is included in the calculation.
Finally, an incomplete claim is treated as unfounded. Without valid supporting documentation, compensation is denied even if the policy was purchased and paid for.
FAQ: Colissimo Insurance
Sources
- laposte.fr, pages titled “Assurance colis" and “Vos objets de valeur expédiés en toute sérénité,” accessed in October 2026.
- La Poste's Universal Service Catalog, as of July 10, 2026.
- CMR Convention, liability limit of 8.33 SDR per kilogram.
- claisy.com, pages on Ad Valorem Protection, Integrations, and the Claisy Resolution Center, accessed in October 2026.