Optional Services – Extend Your Shipping Choices

DHL offers a breadth of Optional Services - from non-standard deliveries and billing options to carbon neutral shipping. With a flexible choice of service enhancements, you have added convenience when using our express delivery services worldwide.

Please note that not all Optional Services are available with every shipment or in every country.

In addition to the standard DHL Express liability, we offer financial protection to our customers against all risks of physical shipment loss or damage, from any external cause.

Learn more on standard liability

Overview

Shipment Insurance can be arranged for both express documents and parcels, although some restrictions and limitations may apply. These will depend on the destination and contents of the shipment.

DHL’s shipment insurance meets the general requirements for loss and damage to goods in transit cover. Protection is effective from the time DHL Express has control or possession of the shipment until the time of delivery. Physical loss or damage of goods is covered, subject to specific limitations and exclusions.

Limitations and exclusions

Shipment Insurance covers items in transit worldwide, although temporary restrictions may apply from time to time as a consequence of, but not limited to, political, terrorist, nuclear and war risks, or on the advice of government officials. It does not cover the following:

delay;
ordinary leakage;
loss in weight or volume, or wear and tear of the shipment;
loss, damage or expense caused by insufficiency or unsuitability of packing or preparation of the shipment;
loss, damage or expense caused by inherent vice or nature of the shipment;
loss, damage or expense attributable to the willful misconduct by the customer or its agents;
loss, damage or expense caused by delay;
loss, damage or expense arising from the use of any atomic or nuclear weapon or radioactivity.

Basis of loss settlement

Cover is limited to the value declared by the shipper, replacement cost, invoice value or actual cash value whichever is the lowest. Evidence may be requested to substantiate the declared value in the event of a claim.
In the event of total loss of your shipment, with Insurance, you will also be entitled to a refund of the shipping charge. In the event of a partial loss, you will be entitled to a refund of the relevant proportion of the shipping charge.
When more than one shipment covered by Insurance is subject to loss or damage arising from a single event, the maximum aggregate compensation for all such shipments is limited to 5 million EUR.

How to make a claim

If you wish to make a claim, you should always notify DHL Express as soon as possible, but in any event, no later than 30 days following actual or scheduled delivery whichever is earlier.

DHL Express offers its customers many DHL-branded packaging items completely free of charge, such as envelopes and small boxes. A payable range of standard DHL-branded packaging is also available in many locations, such as:

larger boxes for sending heavier goods
triangular tubes for sending posters
bottle boxes for sending liquids

DHL Express offers a range of industry packaging for specialized customer needs, such as Thermo Packaging for sending diagnostic specimens. Please ask your Sales Executive for more details.

Furthermore, a Smartphone box, Tablet box and a Laptop box are available in certain markets for high value contents that require sturdy protection. Please ask your Sales Executive for more details.

You can take care of the environment while shipping your goods. We offer an all-inclusive carbon off-setting service for account customers who wish to balance their transport activities with real measures to protect the environment. The service comprises the calculation of carbon emissions at shipment level, the offsetting of those carbon emissions through DHL’s Carbon Management activities, and the annual certification of those offsetting activities by an accredited third party, SGS.

This reporting service offers a detailed calculation of the actual carbon emissions for a company shipping with DHL Express during a previous time period. Reports are based on the actual shipping services used, and by applying an advanced calculation methodology to specific carbon data, footprint reports can be provided by trade lane; by destination; by period of time; or by account number.

Are you a seasonal or irregular shipper? If so, we offer a convenient and on-demand service for shipment volumes that require short-term extra resources for their preparation. DHL Express manages the process of waybill preparation, content selection, labeling and paperwork, and then sends the parcels to the addresses provided.

DHL Express has a service to satisfy sending shipments of almost all shapes and sizes. When a piece in your shipment is in excess of 70kg, or has a longest side in excess of 120cm, additional charges are payable to cover the higher shipment handling costs. Please contact your local DHL Express office for advice.

When sending express shipments, DHL Express is certified in most countries in certain classes of Dangerous Goods in accordance with IATA and ADR regulations.

Sending an unusual shipment? DHL Express offers a number of pickup and delivery options for when the normal courier service at times isn’t enough. Our Dedicated Pickup and Delivery services provide specific vehicles or send more than one courier to the challenge. Your local DHL Express office can confirm if we have a solution for you at either the origin or destination.

If you need to send a parcel to a remote address anywhere in the world, DHL Express will meet the challenge. Thanks to our extensive network, we can help you reach customers and suppliers even in rural and difficult to access locations.

Search for Remote Areas Search for Remote Areas

When you need extra peace of mind that your shipment has been delivered, DHL Express can provide a proactive confirmation by email, phone or SMS, whichever is more convenient for you. We also offer a Pickup Notification for when you are importing goods from abroad. Really useful when you are away from the office and unable to access the internet.

When you need constant vigilance on your shipment from pickup through to delivery, DHL Express can provide regular notification via email or phone informing you of key events and any incidents, with an estimated delivery date in the unlikely event of any transit time delay.

At times, it can be easier to have your customer collect shipments from a DHL Service Point, rather than attempt a delivery to an uncertain address. Simply request the option at the time of booking and our Customer Service staff at destination will notify the Receiver when the shipment is ready to collect. Shipments are held for up to 7 calendar days free of charge.

If you have a shipment that could not be delivered for an unexpected reason, DHL Express will on your instructions hold the shipment for up to 7 calendar days after the first delivery attempt, free of charge. Thereafter charges apply.

DHL Express offers its customers flexible payment and billing options for transport charges, duties and taxes. This flexibility gives the freedom to invoice the Shipper, Receiver or a third party Importer.

Payment on Pickup
As a Shipper, you can opt to pay cash at the time the courier arrives to pickup your shipment. All transport and related charges are presented in one invoice and the shipment is simply on its way. Ideal for Shippers without an account number or for business visits when you’re away from the office.

Import Express
An Import Express billing account allows you to control all of your inbound shipments through a single account number with all shipments shown on just one single invoice. A free of charge billing option.

Electronic Billing
Our free of charge electronic billing service enables customers to have an accurate, fast and efficient accounts payable service. Electronic billing allows our customers to view new invoices, search through archived invoices and import invoice data directly into their own accounting systems.

Learn more about DHL Express Electronic Billing Learn more about DHL Express Electronic Billing

Change of Billing
When a Shipper needs to change a billing record we can arrange to credit one invoice and re-invoice the same amount to a different account number than the one marked on the waybill. DHL Express raises an administration charge to the account holder.

Additional charges for Optional Services for international shipments

Optional Service	How We Charge	Extra Charge
Shipment Insurance	By shipment value	35.00 LT or 1% of stated shipment value if higher
Payable Packaging	Per item	10.00 LT minimum
GOGREEN Carbon Neutral	By shipment weight	0.35 LT per kilogram
GOGREEN Carbon Footprint	Per annum	8,632.00 LT
Dedicated Pickup	Per shipment	70.00 LT
Dedicated Delivery	Per shipment	140.00 LT
Delivery Notification	Per shipment	17.00 LT
Proactive Tracking	Per shipment	35.00 LT
Hold for Collection	For 7 calendar days	No charge
Storage at DHL Facility	Per day	30.00 LT
Shipment Preparation	Per hour	70.00 LT
Change of Billing	Per shipment	35.00 LT

Optional Services and Surcharges are in addition to applicable transportation charges. They will be billed in accordance with the published rates current at the time the shipment booking is made.

The DHL Express Rate & Transit Guide is available for download.

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