It’s hard to stay in a holiday frame of mind if you find yourself the victim of package theft. “Porch pirates” are another name for people who steal packages, and it’s a growing problem. About 26 million people last year were victimized by thieves who brazenly stole deliveries right from their front door.

If you’re among the victims, your retailer and your insurance may both be recourses.

Your first round of defenses against stolen orders begins with the retailer. Each has different policies and procedures for lost or stolen order deliveries. Ultimately, it’s good business to make the customer whole and happy. But the path to getting there may take longer than you’d like if, like with Amazon, third-party sellers are involved.

If the retailer shifts blame to the shipping company, you can file a claim there. It’s also worth exploring whether your credit card company will reimburse you under its purchase protection program.

Package theft might also be covered by your renters or homeowners policies, but the stolen delivery would have to be a bigger-ticket item to offset the typical deductible of $500 or $1,000 on the claim. And making a claim might put you at risk of a future premium bump. So if you’re ordering an expensive item, you are better off insuring its delivery through either the vendor or the delivery service.

It’s not just the holidays when front-door deliveries are likely to get pilfered, of course. And there are circumstances when the right insurance may be your best protection. Small home-based businesses, for example, are likely to get regular scheduled deliveries. It might be worthwhile to check with your broker to see if certain types of business lines will give you added protection against losses from such thievery.

Consider these best practices to keep these thieves at bay:

  • Require a signature – if not yours, maybe a neighbor will help out.
  • Be vigilant about tracking deliveries and try to make arrangements for someone to be there when they arrive.
  • For more expensive items, consider a lockbox or have them delivered to the post office or UPS, and Amazon now has pick-up centers in stand-alone storefronts and some retail stores.
  • Consider high-tech solutions, like remote home security cameras to guard your packages. You might also qualify for a discount on your homeowners insurance by installing one.

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