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What Happens If PSA Damages Your Card?

PSA compensates card damage only while the item is in its custody, capped at the lesser of fair market value and the service level's Maximum Insured Value, with a signed release and a five-day written notice on return.
Length5 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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If PSA damages your card while the card is in its possession or control, PSA’s current U.S. submission terms say PSA will compensate you based on the degree of damage. That payment is capped, requires a signed release, and does not extend to the period before PSA has unpacked, identified, and confirmed receipt of the item. Damage in transit is handled outside that provision, and how you respond in the first five calendar days after a card comes back matters as much as the coverage itself.

What PSA’s custody provision covers

PSA’s Submission Services Terms and Conditions draw the line at custody. A damage claim turns on whether PSA determines that the item was damaged while in PSA’s possession or control. PSA states its duty of care directly: “PSA will exercise reasonable and ordinary care in handling items submitted for authentication, grading, review, or reholdering” (Submission Services Terms and Conditions, Section 10). Under the same terms, PSA’s determination of whether damage exists is final and binding.

When PSA’s responsibility starts and ends

Before PSA confirms receipt

PSA does not assume responsibility until a submitted item has been unpacked, identified, and confirmed received in its tracker. Damage that occurs before that point is excluded from the custody provision, even if the card was shipped to PSA through a PSA-arranged service.

Inbound shipping

PSA’s coverage page says PSA does not insure inbound packages itself. You may be able to buy separate third-party inbound shipping insurance; PSA names Cabrella as one option when it is offered for an eligible shipment. If you bought Cabrella protection, PSA directs you to Cabrella’s claim process. Check that policy’s terms and eligible-shipment requirements, because it is a separate contract and not PSA’s own custody coverage.

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Return shipping

PSA’s terms describe two return options: PSA-arranged insured return shipping, or use of your own shipping account and insurance. Once a card leaves PSA’s custody, damage may involve the carrier or the shipping policy you used rather than the PSA provision. Which route applies depends on which option the return was shipped under, so keep the shipping record with the order.

How the payout limit works

PSA defines Maximum Insured Value (MIV) on its coverage page: “Max Insured Value is the maximum amount you can receive as compensation, up to the item’s fair market value, if your collectible is damaged or lost while in PSA’s care.” The table below breaks down how the limit is calculated.

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Element What the terms say
Coverage trigger Damage PSA determines occurred while the item was in its possession or control
Payout ceiling The lesser of PSA-determined fair market value and the Maximum Insured Value for the applicable service level
Payout basis Compensation is assessed on the degree of damage or loss, so a ceiling is not automatically the amount paid
Settlement condition A signed standard Release of Claims Agreement is required before payment, and compensation is described as the exclusive remedy for covered loss or damage

PSA determines fair market value using its standard procedures. The submission FAQ asks you to make a realistic, educated estimate of the card’s value after grading, and suggests references such as PSA Photograde, pricing sources, auction results, and dealer input. PSA also says it does not value or appraise the item. The declared value affects your service level and fees, so it should not be read as a guaranteed payout.

If the declared Maximum Insured Value turns out to be understated, PSA says it may require payment for an adjusted service level before completing the submission. According to the FAQ, that adjustment does not automatically raise the stated Maximum Insured Value for claim purposes. Set the value realistically at submission, because a later adjustment will not change the claim ceiling.

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Steps if a card comes back damaged

  1. Inspect the card, holder, labels, certificate, and packaging promptly and carefully. PSA’s terms require returned items and related records to be checked on receipt.
  2. Notify PSA in writing within five calendar days of receipt. The deadline applies to damage, discrepancies, or errors noticed on return. Missing it is the most avoidable way to weaken a claim.
  3. Document everything. Photograph the card, holder, label, and shipping materials, and keep the box and order details. PSA’s terms set the reporting deadline but do not list the evidence to keep, so this step is practical advice rather than a PSA requirement.
  4. Describe the problem precisely. State whether the issue is physical card damage, holder damage, a label discrepancy, or a disagreement with the grade. Each is handled differently, as the next section explains.
  5. Expect a release before payment. If PSA accepts a covered claim, payment is conditioned on a signed standard Release of Claims Agreement.

Sorting your situation

Most confusion comes from mixing up the place where damage happened with the type of problem. The table separates the two.

Situation Covered by PSA’s custody provision? Where to take it
Card physically damaged after PSA confirmed receipt, while in PSA’s possession Eligible for compensation if PSA determines the damage occurred in its custody, subject to the cap and release PSA claim, with written notice within five calendar days of return receipt
Card damaged before PSA unpacked and confirmed receipt Excluded by the terms Carrier or any third-party inbound shipping policy you bought
Damage in inbound transit to PSA, including a PSA-arranged shipment Excluded by the terms Third-party inbound insurance, such as Cabrella for eligible shipments, under its own claim process
Damage in return transit after the card leaves PSA’s custody Not part of the PSA custody provision The carrier, or the insurance on your own shipping account, or PSA-arranged insured return shipping if that is what you used
Holder damage Not stated separately in the cited terms Written notice to PSA within five calendar days of receipt
Label discrepancy Not stated separately in the cited terms Written notice to PSA within five calendar days of receipt
Disagreement with the grade Not damage; PSA describes grading as a subjective professional opinion and disclaims liability for the grade itself A grade review, which PSA describes as a separate paid service

Reducing the risk before you ship

PSA’s submission instructions recommend packaging that prevents the card from moving in transit. PSA may also transfer cards from certain submitted holders into Card Saver semi-rigid holders for processing. A holder protects against future movement but cannot repair damage that already exists or guarantee a claim outcome. Good packaging lowers the chance of a problem; it does not change the claim rules above.

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Scope of this summary

This describes PSA’s U.S. terms as published on its pages, last updated April 22, 2026. Regional terms may differ, and PSA can revise its terms. It explains how PSA’s published process is structured, not whether PSA will accept any particular claim.

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