Carrier Eligibility, Rules, and Filing Windows

Overview

Not every shipment issue qualifies for a carrier claim, and the rules vary by carrier. This guide covers which carriers Mountainy can file claims with, what types of claims are eligible, the filing windows you must stay within, liability caps, and the edge cases that most commonly come up.

Supported Carriers

Mountainy can file claims with the following carriers on your behalf:

Because all shipments move through Mountainy's carrier accounts, only Mountainy can file claims directly with these carriers. Submit via /claim in Slack and Mountainy handles the entire process.

For more information on how to file in claim in Slack see this article:

📄 How to Submit a Carrier Claim via Slack

Eligibility Thresholds

Before submitting a claim, confirm the issue meets the minimum threshold for that claim type.

Lost in Transit

A shipment qualifies as lost in transit when there has been no tracking movement for 7 or more consecutive days, or the shipment is 7 or more days past the expected delivery date with no updates.

UniUni exception: The threshold for UniUni lost claims is 10 or more days with no movement.

Submitting before the threshold is met will result in rejection by the carrier. If the package is still within the normal transit window, the appropriate response to a customer is to wait and check again in a day or two.

Damaged in Transit

A damaged claim is eligible when the shipment arrived with visible transit damage — damage to the outer packaging, inner packaging, or the product itself that is consistent with damage that occurred during shipping. Customer-caused damage after delivery does not qualify.

Photo documentation is required. See [Required Documentation by Claim Type] for the full list of required photos.

Misdelivery

A misdelivery claim is eligible when the carrier's tracking shows "Delivered" but the package was delivered to the wrong address. The customer must provide a photo of their front door or normal delivery location so Mountainy can compare it to the carrier's Proof of Delivery (POD) photo.

If the carrier's POD photo shows delivery to the correct address, the claim is likely not eligible. If there is a clear discrepancy between the POD photo and the customer's location, Mountainy will proceed with filing.

Filing Windows

Claims must be submitted within the carrier's filing window. Mountainy cannot file a claim after the window has closed, regardless of the circumstances.

Submit claims as early as possible. Do not wait until close to the deadline — earlier submissions give the carrier more time to investigate and reduce the risk of missing the window due to delays in gathering documentation.

Liability Caps

Some carriers limit the maximum reimbursement per shipment regardless of the actual value.

When communicating with customers about reimbursement, always note the applicable cap for UniUni and Amazon Shipping shipments. Never promise a full refund for these carriers without acknowledging the $100 limit.

Carrier-Specific Rules

Each carrier has its own quirks that affect how claims are handled. These are the most important ones to know.

UniUni

• $100 liability cap — the maximum reimbursement per parcel is $100, regardless of the shipment value.

• 10-day lost threshold — do not submit a lost claim until there has been no tracking movement for 10 or more days (not 7).

• 30-day report window — all claims must be reported within 30 days of the incident. This is a tight window; submit as soon as the issue is identified.

• Damaged item retention — for damage claims, the customer must retain the damaged item and all packaging. If the item or packaging is discarded before the carrier can inspect it, the claim will be denied. Communicate this to the customer immediately when a damage claim is opened.

Amazon Shipping

• $100 liability cap — same as UniUni.

• 30-day window — tighter than UPS and FedEx; submit promptly.

UPS

• 60-day window — the most generous filing window of any carrier Mountainy works with.

• No liability cap — reimbursement is based on the declared value of the shipment.

USPS

• Lost and damaged claims supported — Mountainy can now file USPS claims on your behalf. Submit via /claim in Slack the same way as any other carrier.

• 60-day window — claims must be filed within 60 days of the mailing date.

• Declared value matters — USPS reimbursement is based on the declared value at the time of mailing. Priority Mail includes up to $100 of coverage by default; higher coverage requires additional declared value at the time of shipping.

Common Edge Cases

"The package shows delivered but the customer says it was stolen from their porch." This is a misdelivery or non-receipt situation, not a theft claim. If the carrier's tracking shows delivery to the correct address and the POD photo matches the customer's location, the claim is likely not eligible. Carriers do not cover porch theft. Advise the customer to file a police report if needed, but do not promise a claim outcome.

"The order was cancelled after it shipped." Cancellation does not affect claim eligibility. If the shipment was lost or damaged in transit, the claim can still be filed based on the shipment value at the time of shipping.

"The customer opened the package and then damaged the item." Post-delivery damage caused by the customer does not qualify for a carrier claim. Carrier claims cover damage that occurred during transit, which is evidenced by damage to the outer packaging. If the box arrived intact and the customer damaged the item after opening it, the claim is not eligible.

"The package was delivered to the right city but the wrong address." This qualifies as a misdelivery. Submit via /claim selecting "Misdelivery" and include the customer's front door photo. Mountainy will compare it to the carrier's POD photo.

"The tracking never updated after the label was created." A label being created does not mean the package was picked up. If there are no scans after label creation for 7+ days, it may qualify as lost in transit. Submit the claim and note in the description that there were no carrier scans after label creation.

Questions? Message the Mountainy team in Slack.