For many professionals, GLS is a reliable logistics partner for national and European shipments. However, when a parcel is lost, stolen or damaged, the question of compensation can quickly become an obstacle course. Is the insurance offered by GLS genuine protection, or simply compliance with legal minimums?
This 2025 strategy guide doesn't just skim over the terms and conditions. It dives right into the heart of the GLS claims system to reveal how it really works, with its extremely low Limits , strict deadlines and claims process. By comparing it with a specialized, independent solution like Claisy, we give you the keys to making an informed decision and effectively protecting your business. You can also find our comparison of carriers' parcel insurance 2025 and the whole ad valorem encyclopedia with analysis of CMS offers and logistics solutions.
How GLS "protection" works: no insurance, just legal indemnity
This is the fundamental point to understand: GLS does not offer optional, integrated Ad Valorem insurance. The only "protection" included in their services is basic lump-sum compensation, dictated by law.
This is not insurance on the actual value of your goods, but the minimum level of legal liability that GLS agrees to cover in the event of a proven fault on their part.
- For national shipments: Liability is limited to €23 per kilogram of gross weight that is missing or damaged, with a total Limit €690 per package.
- For international shipments: Liability is dictated by the CMR Convention, i.e. 8.33 SDR (approx. €10) per kilogram.
For a lightweight, high-value object (a smartphone, a piece of jewelry, a luxury item...), this weight-based compensation is dramatically inadequate.
Limits and conditions: virtually no protection for professionals
GLS's compensation model is a major risk for any company shipping goods worth more than a few dozen euros.
Example:
You ship a new 200g smartphone worth €1,200 to France. The parcel is lost by GLS.
- Compensation calculation: €23 x 0.2 kg = €4.60
- Your deadweight loss: €1,195.40
This system makes shipping anything of value without external insurance extremely risky.
The claims process: a strict procedure with uncertain deadlines
Obtaining compensation from GLS requires compliance with a rigorous procedure.
- The Complaint Process: The complaint must be made by the sender (the GLS account holder) via his customer area or by registered letter. There is no modern, transparent tracking portal for handling the dispute.
- Strict deadlines: You must meet strict deadlines for your application to be accepted. Failure to do so will result in automatic rejection.
- Timeframe for compensation: The timeframe for reimbursement is not guaranteed. It depends on the length of the internal investigation carried out by GLS to establish its own responsibility. In practice, this process can take from several weeks to several months. GLS is both judge and judged.
GLS vs. Claisy: legal minimum versus maximum protection
Putting the GLS indemnity model into perspective with a true Ad Valorem insurer like Claisy reveals a world of difference.
GLS Ad Valorem Offers... What a Labyrinth
GLS Insurance Rates, Limits and Conditions by Country: The Unprecedented Comparison
This is where the labyrinth begins. The GLS insurance offer differs radically from country to country.
The fragmentation of the GLS insurance tariff offer is a major operational risk for an e-tailer selling in Europe. The need to manage different insurance rules for each market creates administrative complexity that costs time and money. It's the perfect example of a friction that penalizes growth.
GLS Claims Procedure: A Variable Geometry Process
How you report a claim to GLS also depends on your country of shipment.
- In Italy, the process is relatively integrated and digitized, with clear options to be selected at the time of shipment using the declared value on GLS.
- In France, taking out Ad Valorem insurance is a manual process. It must be negotiated upstream in your professional contract, and each shipment of value often requires a specific declaration. There's no "one-click" option in the back-office, and you're stuck with a declared value model.
- In Belgium and the Netherlands, the procedure generally follows the German model, with a more accessible Ad Valorem option but Limits that are often lower than in Italy.
In all cases, you'll need to provide a complete file: proof of deposit, purchase invoice proving value, photos of packaging and damage.
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The real power of automation lies in native integration. Claisy presents itself as a real alternative to GLS insurance, and plugs directly into the tools that drive your business: Shopify, Prestashop, WooCommerce, etc. The result? Zero effort, zero forgetting, perfect coverage on 100% of your shipments and successful coverage with Claisy without changing your GLS habits.
Conclusion: Leave the Labyrinth, Adopt a Unified Vision
Navigating through GLS insurance means accepting to manage a complexity that takes you away from your core business. It means accepting that the same product, shipped from Milan or Lille, does not benefit from the same protection.
For professionals operating on a European scale, this fragmentation is unsustainable. The strategic solution is not to master each national rule, but to rise above this complexity. Opting for a unified, transversal Ad Valorem insurance policy like Claisy means opting for a single set of rules, high Limits and rapid claims settlement, whatever the country of shipment or destination. It means transforming an administrative constraint into a competitive advantage.