Yes, this really does happen sometimes. Here are the most common reasons:
Requested documentation was not received. Please be sure to provide all requested documentation so that we may process your claim. If any documentation is needed we will contact you by email. Please add claims@protect.inc to your safe sender list and as a contact to avoid Protect’s emails getting sent to your spam folder. If you do not understand what is being asked of you, please do not hesitate to ask for clarification.
The package is not lost or stolen because it never actually shipped.
This one is often confusing for the customer. Heck, it’s even challenging for us! Here’s the deal:
1. Sometimes an item will be packaged and assigned a tracking number before the package has actually been handed over to a shipping carrier (often USPS, Fed-Ex or UPS). So if the shipping carrier doesn’t show your package in their own tracking system then chances are it never left the building.
Because the package is still in the seller’s possession, the claim is literally out of our hands; only the seller can resolve your issue. In this case you will need to contact the seller that you purchased from directly for further assistance.
The item(s) has already been returned to the seller for a refund. This happens more often than you would think and for good reasons … two of them, in fact.
1. Sometimes an item that appears available online is not actually available at the warehouse (aka “out of stock”). When this occurs the website that you ordered from might automatically issue a refund and mark the order as “returned” or “refunded.” Sometimes it might even say that the order was fulfilled when it was actually refunded.
2. So please be sure to check your payment method statement to see if your item has been refunded.
Your partner packed your order up and returned it to the seller for a refund without telling you … it happens. In this case the company you ordered from will be assisting you with your return, not Protect. That means that if you have any issues with your return, then you’ll need to contact the seller directly for further assistance.
The package is not lost. It’s just delayed. Protect applies to orders lost during shipping. We’ll monitor the tracking for a 72 hour period. If the tracking shows an update or movement within the 72 hour period, then it is considered delayed, not lost.
Please review our Terms and Conditions for exceptions to the 72 hour period (like weather, government interference, etc.) and more information.
The order is past its return by date. A reorder or refund would not occur if the order was placed outside the claim submission time frame set forth in our Terms and Conditions.
Wrong address entered at checkout. If the wrong address is entered at checkout, then the package is not considered lost or stolen. In this case Protect does not apply.
1. If the package is delivered to the address provided at checkout, then the package is not considered lost or stolen. Protect will not apply.
2. If the package is returned to the sender, then it is not considered lost or stolen. Please contact the vendor online store that you purchased the items from directly to file a claim.
The package was signed for. If a package was signed for then it is typically not considered lost, stolen or damaged. Thus, Protect would typically not apply.
Carrier notes the package was delivered to a person. Here are the most common occurrences:
1. Concierge, Doorman (Door Person), Building Manager. If the Carrier has noted that the package was left with a “Concierge”, “Doorman” or “Building Manager”, then the package is considered “delivered”. It will not be categorized as lost, stolen, or damaged. Thus, the Services will not apply to that package and its contents.
2. Individual/Occupant. If the Carrier has noted that a package was delivered to a person at the residence, then the package is considered “delivered”. It will not be categorized as lost, stolen, or damaged. Thus, the Services will not apply to that package and its contents.
Please be sure to double check with your concierge, door persons, building managers and their helpers, or your roommates, kids, guests and other adults in the household. Happily, the missing package is usually found!