How to File a UPS Claim (+ Get a Refund) For Late Delivery

Scott Swearingen / Small Parcel / June 20, 2022

When delivery is an integral part of your company’s success and reputation, you don’t want packages arriving late. So, of course, you put plenty of research into choosing a reliable delivery company to care for your shipping needs.

UPS is a highly regarded shipping company, not to mention the largest in the country. Many businesses use it to ship their products to their customers. Unfortunately, even the most reputable delivery companies will occasionally have issues, causing late shipments.

While you never want your customers to receive a package after the quoted delivery date, the UPS Guaranteed Service Refund can help soften the blow a bit. Any UPS ground or express packages that don’t arrive on time are completely free to you. However, you probably won’t be surprised to hear that UPS doesn’t automatically refund you after a late delivery. It’s your responsibility to file a claim with the company to request a refund.

While filing a UPS Guaranteed Service Refund claim isn’t the easiest, fastest process, it’s necessary to get the money back that you deserve. By understanding how to file a claim and the necessary requirements, you can get your claim filed quickly and get the ball rolling on a UPS refund for late delivery.

Or, better yet, let P3 fight for your refund!

About the UPS Guaranteed Service Refund

In order to maintain its reputation, UPS offers a Service Guarantee to its senders. They will refund the entire shipping cost of any parcel with a delay of as little as 60 seconds. While this process isn’t technically difficult, it can be very time-consuming for companies doing a lot of shipping.

To receive a UPS refund, the sender must file a claim within 15 days of the originally intended delivery date. That means you need to stay on top of shipping invoices to ensure you’re not being charged unfairly. As soon as a delayed delivery is brought to your attention, follow this guide to make a claim as soon as possible.
The UPS Service Guarantee and COVID-19

It seems as if no business in the world was left untouched by the pandemic, and UPS was no exception. Most business owners are painfully aware of the virus’s effects on the supply chain across the globe. So on March 26, 2020, they suspended the guarantee for all shipments handled by UPS from any origin to any destination.

Slowly, they have begun to reinstate the UPS Service Guarantee for specific services. At the time of publishing, the guarantees for the following services have been reinstated:

  • UPS Next Day Air® Early
  • UPS Next Day Air®
  • UPS Next Day Air Saver®
  • UPS Worldwide Express NA1®
  • UPS Worldwide Express Plus®
  • UPS Worldwide Express®
  • UPS Worldwide Express Saver
  • UPS Worldwide Saver®
  • UPS Worldwide Express Freight® Midday
  • UPS Worldwide Express Freight®
  • Domestic Express Plus
  • Domestic Express
  • Domestic Midday
  • Domestic Express Saver
  • Transborder Express
  • Transborder Express Plus
  • Transborder Express Saver

Why the UPS Service Guarantee Is Important for You

Running a business is expensive, and shipping costs can add up quickly. These are necessary costs for many companies, but it’s essential to get what you’re paying for. Entering into a contract with a delivery provider is the first step, but unfortunately, the work doesn’t stop there. You must monitor your invoices to guarantee that you’re not overspending.

It would be great if these refunds were automatically refunded to your account, but that’s not how things work. Instead, you must take action quickly to ensure that you receive the money you are owed due to delayed deliveries.

By reviewing your shipping invoices, you could save up to 20% percent on delivery services. Don’t pay for carriers’ mistakes. Delayed deliveries make your company look bad, so make sure that UPS pays by filing a claim to get back the money that is rightfully yours.

Exceptions to the UPS Service Guarantee

As will most money-back policies, some exceptions are not covered. UPS won’t cover shipping delays caused by circumstances out of their control, like a sender error. Some exceptions that UPS does not cover include:

  • Incorrect address or insufficient documentation
  • Delivery to UPS after the specified time for guaranteed delivery
  • 2nd Day Air A.M. for residential delivery
  • Ground Returns Service packages
  • Packages over a certain size or weight limits
  • Unavailability or refusal of package acceptance
  • Natural disasters and other delays beyond UPS’s control
  • Deliveries scheduled the fourteen days before Christmas

When Are You Eligible for a Refund?

With all those exceptions, you may be wondering when are you eligible for a refund based on the UPS Service Guarantee? Basically, you qualify for a UPS late delivery refund for any delivery that arrives after the quoted date or time by 60 seconds or more, where the cause of delay was UPS’s fault.

Imagine the following scenario. Your company sends out 1,000 products to various customers throughout a specific US city. Most of the packages arrive right on time, but four customers report to you that their delivery has still not come the day after it was scheduled.

You double-check the shipping addresses and confirm everything was accurate. Then, you check the tracking numbers and see that all four packages left on the same delivery truck. The status still says “out for delivery”. Since the products will arrive after the quoted time frame, you are eligible for a UPS refund. You can start your claim 24 hours after the expected delivery date.

How to File a Claim With UPS for Delayed Delivery

Filing for a refund through UPS Guaranteed Service is not complicated, but it is time-consuming. For starters, you have to notice when you’re eligible for a refund. Sometimes, a receiver will let you know that a package arrived late or hasn’t arrived.

However, others might not notice or care enough to let the sender know. This is why it’s vital to keep your eye on shipping invoices each month to make sure you’re not overspending for services not rendered.

When filing a claim, you must enter all information such as names and addresses completely and accurately. With UPS, either the sender or receiver can file a claim, but make sure that only one party applies for a refund. The claim must be filed within 15 days of the quoted delivery date.

The easiest way to file a claim with UPS is by filling out a form online. You also have the option of filing a claim by phone.

Filing Online

  1. Login to your account through the UPS claims website. If you do not already have an account, you should create one before moving to the next step.
  2. Click “File a Claim”, then “Get Started”, and fill out the online form. Before starting, you should collect the following information:
    • Tracking Number
    • Sender/Recipient Information
    • Shipping Date
    • Reference Number
  3. Choose Late Delivery for the reason of claim.
  4. Review details and check claim confirmation.

Filing by Phone

Alternatively, you can file your claim by phone by calling 1-800-742-5877. When it’s your turn after waiting, say “refund”. You should gather the same information as listed above. The customer service representative will walk you through the rest of the process.

Filing a claim online is the easiest option for most businesses. After you file your request for a UPS refund for late delivery, you can check the claim’s status through the Billing Center Claims Dashboard. Claims take an average of ten days to be processed.

If you need any UPS claim support throughout the process, you can contact a UPS Claims Adjuster, whose contact information should be on your claim document detail.

How P3’s UPS Invoice Auditing Can Help

Even if you have a solid understanding of getting a refund from UPS for delayed deliveries, it can be a full-time job combing through your invoices every month. If you would rather spend your time doing something more valuable for your business, let the team of small parcel auditors at P3 do it for you.

We will run a 45-point audit on every shipment to make sure you get every refund that you’re owed by UPS, including for late deliveries. Our proprietary software automates the refund process, so you can focus on what really matters in your business rather than fighting for money that is owed to you.

P3 clients save up to 20% on small parcel shipping services when utilizing our shipping invoice audits. Plus, there are no out-of-pocket costs for you. Simply share the refund credits that we get back for your company.

Don’t Let UPS Skip Your Refund

Each day an average of 3 to 5% of packages are delivered late. That means there is a great chance that UPS owes you some refunds through their Service Guarantee.

Your business is eligible for the UPS late delivery refund even if the delivery is only 60 seconds late; however, the most important thing is knowing when you’re eligible and filing a claim. You can file online or by phone, but you must do so within 15 days.

Make sure to fight for what’s rightfully yours, whether you file your claim yourself or let P3 do the heavy lifting for you.

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