Insurance offers a means of cover against loss, part loss or damage, beyond that covered by the registration service, for sums up to $46,000. The service is not universal, but it extends to many destinations, although some destinations accept only insured parcels and in many destinations compensation limits lower than the maximum of $46,000 are in force.
Provided that the appropriate service is available to the destination concerned, either letters or parcels may be insured. Insured packets are not always sent by all the routes open to ordinary mails and may therefore take longer in transit.
The service comes with the following features:
| Destination | Please refer to "Latest Postal Information" on Hongkong Post website |
|---|---|
| Item no. feature | Varies according to the mail type |
| Mail class | Varies according to the mail type |
| Delivery speed | Varies according to different destination destinations or territories, please refer to "Latest Postal Information" on Hongkong Post website |
| Mail tracking | Track-and-trace is available for selective destinations. Please visit hongkongpost.hk for details of these destinations |
| Signature service | Yes |
| Certificate of Posting | For posting registered items, registration of barcode label should be used and properly indicated on the Certificate of Posting when the item was posted over the counter. For posting parcel items, multi-part address pack (Pos 652) should be used. A Certificate of Posting can be download from EC-Ship Online Portal within six months from the date of posting. |
The insurance fee for a letter or letter packet is $2.5 for each $500, or part of $500, of the declared value, up to a maximum of $46,000 and must be prepaid in addition to the normal postage and registration fee. The insurance fee for a parcel is the same as that for a letter and must be prepaid in addition to the normal postage, but a registration fee is not charged.
An insured item may not be addressed in pencil or bear an address composed of initials, neither may it bear any erasure or correction in the address at the time of posting.
| Weight | 2kg or below |
|---|---|
| Size | Same as the size of normal air mail letters and small packets |
| Weight | 10 - 30 kg (depending on the destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Maximum: | Length : 1.5m (XP) / 1.05m (P) Girth + Length : 3m (XP) / 2m (P) / 2.75m (including USA & Puerto Rico) |
| Minimum (Same as letters): |
[Cylindrical] Length + 2 x Diameter : 170mm; Greatest Dimension may not be less than 100mm [Non-cylindrical] 90mm x 140mm |
|
Insured letters may only be posted at the General Post Office, Kowloon Central Post Office or Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office. Insured parcels may be posted at any post office. Items intended for insurance must be presented at the counter of a post office and a certificate of posting obtained for them. If an article tendered for insurance does not, in the opinion of Hongkong Post staff to whom it is tendered, fulfil the prescribed conditions as to packing and sealing, it is his duty to refuse to insure it. Nevertheless, the onus of properly enclosing, packing and sealing the packet lies upon the sender; an Hongkong Post assumes no liability for loss or damage arising from defects which may not be observed at the time of posting.