USPS insurance cost by declared value
USPS insurance cost depends on the value you declare. Enter it and the service: the calculator subtracts the $100 already included where it applies.
Independent site, not the Postal Service: prices read in its own price files.
Example: contents worth $250· change a figure to see yours
Fees on top of postage, Post Office
$4.55
Insurance for the full $250 declared
| Insurance fee | $4.55 |
| Signature fee | $0.00 |
| Coverage included without a fee | $100 |
| Same fees from Jan 17, 2027 | $4.55 |
Compiled by Radif Partners · How the prices are built
USPS insurance cost is set by the declared value of the contents, in the extra services sheet of Notice 123 read on November 13, 2026. Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail and Ground Advantage already include coverage up to $100, as the Domestic Mail Manual states, so a package worth $100 or less needs nothing more. Above that, the fee follows the full value declared: $4.55 for $250, $15.05 for $1,000, up to $75.05 for $5,000, the maximum. From $600, each extra $100 or fraction adds $1.50. Media Mail includes no insurance, so any value has to be insured from the first dollar. Insurance covers loss, damage or missing contents, with a claim filed with the Postal Service. The January 2027 file keeps the same insurance fees. A 2-pound Priority Mail package to zone 5 worth $250 thus costs $22.40 at a counter, postage and insurance together.
USPS insurance cost by declared value
| Declared value | Fee with Media Mail | Fee with Priority Mail or Ground Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| $50 | $2.80 | nothing to buy with Priority Mail or Ground Advantage |
| $100 | $3.50 | nothing to buy with Priority Mail or Ground Advantage |
| $150 | $4.50 | $4.50 |
| $250 | $4.55 | $4.55 |
| $500 | $7.55 | $7.55 |
| $600 | $9.05 | $9.05 |
| $1,000 | $15.05 | $15.05 |
| $2,500 | $37.55 | $37.55 |
| $5,000 | $75.05 | $75.05 |
The fee is charged on the whole value declared, not only the part above $100. A $150 item therefore pays the fee of the $100.01 to $200 band, even though $100 of it was already covered.
Insurance for your package
Example: contents worth $250· change a figure to see yours
Fees on top of postage, Post Office
$4.55
Insurance for the full $250 declared
| Insurance fee | $4.55 |
| Signature fee | $0.00 |
| Coverage included without a fee | $100 |
| Same fees from Jan 17, 2027 | $4.55 |
Which service to insure
Because Priority Mail and Ground Advantage include the first $100, the cheapest insured shipment is often Ground Advantage plus the fee for the declared value. Media Mail is cheap for books, but a rare edition worth $300 pays the insurance fee on the full amount with nothing included, which narrows the saving. Priority Mail Express also includes $100 and adds a guaranteed date, which matters for time-sensitive valuables.
Insure the value, not the price paid
Declare what it would cost to replace the item, and keep the proof: a receipt, an invoice or a listing. Pack it to survive handling: the Domestic Mail Manual asks for cushioning around fragile items and contents that cannot shift. For proof that someone received the package, add a signature, priced on the signature page; for the postage itself, see Priority Mail rates.