Is Route Shipping Protection Insurance? What Its Terms Say (2026)
What Route's own terms, policy summary and compliance page say about who is insured, who approves claims, and what has been filed in court.
Back to the resource centerKey takeaways
- Route publishes its insurance structure: a licensed producer (Route Insurance Solutions, LLC) and a Marine Open Cargo Policy secured via Artex Risk Solutions through Seg Insurance Ltd., policy 26-1, for 2026.
- Route's terms make Route the named insured. They state that you, the shopper, are "not an insured or an additional insured under the Route Policy."
- That means your rights come from Route's terms: you file a claim with Route, inside its deadlines, and most disputes go to individual arbitration.
- Several consumer class actions name Route. They are allegations. None of the cases we track has produced a final ruling on the merits against Route.
What does Route say about its product?
These are Route's own words, as of October 2026. Route's Terms and Conditions show "Last Updated: January 9, 2026."
“In order for Route to extend shipping protection to a Consumer, Route's licensed producer, Route Insurance Solutions, LLC (f/k/a "Safe Order Solutions") procures a cargo insurance policy via authorized insurance underwriters ("the Underwriters") and the Underwriters designate Route as the named insured.”— Route Terms and Conditions, route.com/terms-and-conditions
“Route's offer of shipping protection is not intended to provide insurance to You directly, and You acknowledge that You are not an insured or an additional insured under the Route Policy”— Route Terms and Conditions, route.com/terms-and-conditions
“…the full Marine Open Cargo Policy written for the account of Route App, Inc. which is effective from January 1, 2026 – January 1, 2027. Coverage is secured via Artex Risk Solutions through Seg Insurance Ltd. and policy number 26-1.”— Route Insurance Policy Summary, route.com/insurance
“Route is a fully licensed package protection provider. Route holds Department of Insurance authorization in all 50 states.”— Route compliance page, route.com/compliance
What "not an insured" means for you as a shopper
The "insured" is the party a policy protects. Route's terms make Route that party. The protection still has insurance behind it; the contract is simply between Route and its underwriters, and your relationship is with Route.
In practice, you rely on Route's claims process as its terms describe it. The terms say an approved claim is one approved "by the Underwriters of the Route Policy based on the sole advisement of Route." They also ask you to "file a claim first, and follow the Claims process to its conclusion instead of filing a chargeback for the same loss with your credit card provider."
Who is insured and who pays claims?
| Question | What Route's materials say | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who is the named insured? | Route. The underwriters "designate Route as the named insured." | Terms |
| Are you, the shopper, insured? | No. "You are not an insured or an additional insured under the Route Policy." | Terms |
| What policy backs it? | A Marine Open Cargo Policy for Route App, Inc., via Artex Risk Solutions through Seg Insurance Ltd., policy 26-1, January 1, 2026 to January 1, 2027. | Policy summary |
| Who procures the policy? | "Route's licensed producer, Route Insurance Solutions, LLC." | Terms |
| What licensing does Route claim? | "Route holds Department of Insurance authorization in all 50 states." | Compliance page |
| Who approves a claim? | "the Underwriters of the Route Policy based on the sole advisement of Route." | Terms |
| When must you file? | Packages marked delivered: between 5 and 30 days after the "delivered" date. Packages presumed lost: after 7 days from the last checkpoint (20 for international) but before 30 days. | Terms |
| How are disputes resolved? | "binding, individual arbitration and not in a class, representative or consolidated action," with limited exceptions such as small claims court. | Terms |
Is Route's shipping protection regulated as insurance?
Whether a product counts as insurance is decided by state law and state regulators, based on what the product does, not what it is called. California, for example, defines insurance as "a contract whereby one undertakes to indemnify another against loss, damage, or liability arising from a contingent or unknown event" (Cal. Ins. Code § 22).
Route presents its program as insurance-backed and licensed. That is the structure state regulators tell consumers to look for:
“Legitimate shipping coverage providers will be licensed as insurance companies or insurance agents.”— Utah Insurance Department consumer alert, March 20, 2024, insurance.utah.gov
NAIC minutes from a March 18, 2024 committee meeting record that a Route representative "urged the NAIC members to provide guidance that shipping insurance is subject to the same licensing requirements applicable to other forms of insurance." The minutes record no committee action on it.
As with any provider, you can confirm license status yourself through your state insurance department. Then work through our 10 questions to ask any shipping protection provider. This is general information, not legal advice.
What lawsuits involve Route?
Everything below is an allegation unless a court has ruled. Status is as of the latest docket information we could see.
Mertson & Schirano v. Route App, Inc.
Allegation N.D.N.Y. No. 3:26-cv-01172, filed June 3, 2026. The complaint claims that "Route encourages e-commerce retailers to surreptitiously add junk fees to consumer purchases, including Route's so-called "Shipping Protection" fee." Counts: unjust enrichment and New York General Business Law §§ 349 and 350. The claims concern the checkout widget and default selection, not licensing.
Status: Open. Route waived service with an answer due August 10, 2026. No rulings known to us. Docket
Cantore & Conley v. Ritual Zero Proof and Route App, Inc.
Allegation N.D. Ill. No. 1:25-cv-04677, filed April 29, 2025. The complaint claims "e-commerce retailers such as RZP, working with Route, surreptitiously add junk fees to consumer purchases." The merchant was dismissed on August 5, 2025, leaving Route as the defendant.
Status: Pending. Route moved to dismiss the amended complaint. We have not confirmed the outcome of that motion from the court's own order. Docket
Biada, Kortesmaki & Martinez v. Route App, Inc. and Route Insurance Solutions, LLC
Allegation D. Utah No. 2:26-cv-00651, removed from Utah state court July 10, 2026. The complaint was not publicly available to us and some filings are sealed, so we cannot describe the allegations.
Status: Open. No orders listed as of the docket's last retrieval (July 10, 2026). Docket
Wolf-Bond v. TA3, Inc. and Route App, Inc.
Allegation C.D. Cal. No. 2:25-cv-02665. Per ClassAction.org, the suit alleged a $3.75 "Route Package Protection" fee was added despite a free-shipping promise.
Status: Dismissed by the plaintiff as to Route on April 28, 2025, with no ruling on the merits. Docket
Cases Route has brought
Route has also sued competitors. In Route App, Inc. v. Heuberger (D. Utah No. 2:22-cv-00291), a 2023 pleading-stage ruling let Route's false-advertising claim proceed, without deciding whether the challenged statements were false. See our Navidium page. Route's trade-secrets case against OrderProtection.com is covered on our OrderProtection.com page.
How is InsureShip different?
InsureShip and Route both describe licensed, insurance-based programs. Here is how InsureShip's program works, so you can compare documents side by side:
- Licensed by the California Department of Insurance, license #0G55434, and licensed in all 50 states.
- Established in 2012. Underwritten by Navigators, a Hartford company, rated A+ by AM Best (Navigators Insurance Company, as of 2024); see The Hartford's Navigators fact sheet.
- Coverage up to $5,000 per shipment for loss, damage and theft, including porch piracy.
- Claims are filed online at /pages/file-claim and handled by InsureShip.
- Pricing averages about $1 per order but is not fixed. See pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Route shipping protection real insurance?
Route's terms describe a cargo insurance policy procured by its licensed producer, Route Insurance Solutions, LLC, with Route as the named insured. The shopper is not an insured under that policy (as of October 2026).
If I am not the insured, how do I get paid for a lost package?
You file a claim with Route within the deadlines in its terms. The terms say claims are approved "by the Underwriters of the Route Policy based on the sole advisement of Route." Read the current terms before you file, because eligibility rules and deadlines apply.
Can I file a chargeback instead of a Route claim?
Route's terms ask you to file a claim first and finish the claims process before filing a chargeback for the same loss. If you charge back first, the terms say Route may refund only the protection premium. Your card issuer's rules and federal billing-error rights are separate; ask your issuer. This is general information, not legal advice.
Is Route being sued?
Yes. Consumer lawsuits naming Route include Mertson (N.D.N.Y.), Cantore (N.D. Ill.) and Biada (D. Utah). They are allegations. None has a final merits ruling against Route in the records we reviewed.
How can I check Route's license?
Route's compliance page states it holds Department of Insurance authorization in all 50 states. To confirm for your state, use your state insurance department's license lookup, linked from the NAIC's state directory.
Want licensed shipping insurance at your checkout?
InsureShip is licensed by the California Department of Insurance (#0G55434) and in all 50 states. Established in 2012 and backed by Navigators (The Hartford), rated A+ by AM Best. Talk to us about coverage for your store.
Talk to InsureShipSources
Last checked October 8, 2026. General information, not legal advice. Route Terms and Conditions · Route Insurance Policy Summary · Route compliance page · Mertson complaint · Cantore complaint · ClassAction.org on Wolf-Bond · Route v. Heuberger order (Aug. 18, 2023) · NAIC D Committee minutes, Spring 2024 · Utah Insurance Department alert · Cal. Ins. Code § 22 · NAIC state insurance departments · The Hartford: Navigators fact sheet (Apr 2025)
If you represent Route and see something out of date, contact us at /pages/contact-insureship and we will review it promptly.
Written by Kyle Gibson, Compliance Auditor · Updated October 9, 2026