Lost or damaged Colissimo parcel: what the sender does
Updated · Rotomal
The sender claims: La Poste asks that loss or damage claims be started by the sender, within 30 days of sending according to its lost-parcel guide. Compensation is capped at €23 per kilo, postage included, against proof of the posting date and postage paid, and La Poste commits to answer within 21 calendar days for mainland France. If refused, an internal appeal is required before you can go to the La Poste group mediator.
The numbers that matter
| Rule | What La Poste says |
|---|---|
| Compensation cap for a parcel | €23 per kilo, postage included (terms, art. 5.1) |
| Item treated as lost | Not delivered 40 days after posting (terms, art. 5.1) |
| Time to claim | 30 days from sending in the lost-parcel guide; claims admitted for one year under the terms (art. 6.1.2) |
| Response time | 21 calendar days in mainland France (terms, art. 6.1.3) |
| Delay | Paid only with a contractual delivery commitment, at most the postage paid |
Sources: La Poste general terms for mail and parcels, version of 6 October 2026, and La Poste's lost Colissimo parcel page, checked 7 November 2026. A Colissimo business contract may set its own conditions.
Step by step
- Check tracking: no update for several days, well past the announced delivery time, is a warning sign.
- Ask the customer to check their mailbox, the post office and nearby pickup points.
- Gather proof of posting, tracking number, purchase invoice and tracking screenshots.
- Submit the claim as sender: online at laposte.fr, on 3634 for businesses, or by letter.
- Keep the claim number and the acknowledgement date, which counts as the claim date.
If the answer is no
- File an internal appeal, preferably on 3634 or by email to screcours.clp@laposte.fr for parcels, quoting the case reference.
- If the appeal fails or gets no answer within 2 months, refer the case to the La Poste group mediator, free of charge, within a year of the original claim; the mediator issues a proposed solution within 2 months, which can be extended.
- A pending claim does not pause the one-year limitation period in the terms.
If you want the preparation done for you
Dossier Colis checks your shipments daily, opens a case at the right time, prepares the claim and appeal with the documents and tracks deadlines. 20% of compensation paid with no monthly fee, or €29 a month with no commission; every plan starts with a review of your last 60 days.
Sources
- La Poste: general terms of sale for mail and parcels, version of 6 October 2026 Source: laposte.fr
- La Poste: lost Colissimo parcel, how to react and get a refund Source: laposte.fr