Amazon’s November 2, 2026 update requires all sellers in enhanced-safety categories to carry $1 million in liability coverage. Meeting Amazon’s requirements does not guarantee adequate protection for product claims.
Despite speculation about changes for Mainland China sellers, the key update for U.S. sellers is that insurance is now required for all products in enhanced-safety categories, regardless of sales volume. Any listing, even with low or no sales, can require a $1 million commercial liability policy.
If you sell on Amazon, this summary outlines the recent changes, current insurance limits, affected categories, and additional coverage to consider beyond Amazon’s minimum requirements.
What Amazon required before November 2, 2026
Amazon’s commercial liability rule has been in the Business Solutions Agreement in roughly this shape since September 1, 2021 (earlier versions used a three-month trigger; Amazon cut that to one month).
- Who had to buy it: Sellers whose Amazon.com gross proceeds exceeded $10,000 in any single month had 30 days to obtain and maintain commercial liability insurance and upload proof.
- What Amazon wants: Commercial liability (commercial general liability, umbrella, or excess) that includes products / products-completed operations. That is product liability inside the commercial liability form, not a separate exotic “Amazon-only” product policy, and not premises-only GL. A business owners policy (BOP) or GL that excludes products will not satisfy Amazon.
Base limits that still apply.
- Commercial general liability, umbrella, or excess liability with products / products-completed operations included
- At least $1 million per occurrence and $1 million in the aggregate
- Deductible no higher than $10,000, shown on the certificate
- Occurrence basis (Amazon’s published baseline)
- Coverage for all products listed on Amazon.com, not just the one that triggered the ask
- Named insured matches the legal entity on the seller account exactly
- Amazon.com Services LLC and its affiliates and assignees named as additional insured (Amazon’s published address belongs on the certificate paperwork)
- Insurer with global claims-handling capability and a solid financial rating (Amazon cites S&P A- and/or AM Best A- or better in its help material)
- No sunset clause that kills a timely claim after the policy period ends
- Insurer notice to Amazon on cancellation, modification, or nonrenewal (Amazon asks for at least 30 days)
Amazon may request proof of insurance from any seller at any time. Due to inconsistent enforcement, some small sellers have only complied when directly asked for a certificate in Seller Central.
Uploading your insurance certificate meets Amazon’s requirements, but does not ensure your policy will cover all product claims. Review your policy carefully.
What changes on November 2, 2026
Amazon has added two new requirements to the existing rule. The $1 million minimum stays the same, and not every seller must buy insurance on November 2. The changes affect who needs to show proof of coverage in enhanced-safety categories and where Mainland China–based sellers must get their next policy.
1. Enhanced-safety categories: $1 million with no sales threshold
If you list products in enhanced-safety categories, you must maintain a commercial liability policy with at least $1 million per occurrence and $1 million aggregate, regardless of monthly sales volume.
- Applies to new and existing listings
- Trigger is the category / ASIN flag, not volume
- A low-volume or nearly dormant ASIN still counts
Amazon will notify sellers who must provide new or updated proof of insurance and will allow time to respond before deactivating enhanced-safety listings. Monitor Seller Central messages for your actual deadline.
2. Mainland China sellers: Amazon Insurance Accelerator for new policies
Sellers based in mainland China must obtain insurance through the Amazon Insurance Accelerator (AIA) for newly submitted policies. AIA is Amazon’s pre-vetted insurer network. Starting November 2, 2026, Amazon will reject new China-based submissions that did not come through AIA.
- A valid third-party policy that met the rules and was submitted before November 2 can stay in place until it expires
- After expiry, renewal for those sellers runs through AIA
- This is about where the selling entity is based, not where the factory is located. A U.S. brand that sources from a Chinese factory is not pulled into the AIA-only rule for that reason alone.
For all other sellers, use of the Amazon Insurance Accelerator is optional. Brokers such as Falcon West can help you obtain a compliant policy from any carrier that meets Amazon’s requirements. The Accelerator is primarily required for sellers based in Mainland China, not U.S. sellers.
What did not change
- The $10,000-in-any-month trigger still applies to sellers outside the enhanced-safety set
- The $1 million per occurrence and aggregate floor did not go up
- U.S., EU, and other non–Mainland China sellers keep insurer choice (subject to Amazon’s specs)
The enhanced-safety categories that matter
Amazon’s announcement names children’s products, cosmetic and ingestible products, and lithium battery products as examples. The Seller Central page for Product categories with enhanced safety listing requirements is longer. As of early September 2026, seller reporting of that page included categories such as:
- Children’s products (toys, car seats and travel systems, infant sleep products, play yards, children’s portable bed rails, and related)
- Consumable and ingestible products (dietary supplements, ingestible OTC medication, ophthalmic products; cosmetics are called out in the announcement)
- Fire-related products (fire extinguishers, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms)
- General household devices (small kitchen appliances and similar countertop heating/cooking devices)
- Home medical devices (mobility and transfer equipment, home respiratory supplies, walkers and rollators)
- Lithium battery products (e-mobility devices and accessories, lithium batteries, battery-powered electronics and smart-home gear, portable power)
- Outdoor power and heating equipment (generators, pressure washers, outdoor heaters, electric cutting tools)
- Personal safety equipment (helmets, harnesses, fall protection, related climbing and sports safety gear)
- Sleep products (mattresses, adult portable bed rails)
- Transport-related products (auto and motorcycle tires)
- Water and marine safety products (life jackets and flotation gear, pool alarms, barriers, covers, and gates)
Amazon notes this list will expand over time. Enforcement occurs at the ASIN level, so do not rely solely on parent category names. Use Account Health, Compliance tools, and the enhanced-safety page to review all active listings.
These categories often require testing and documentation. The new insurance rules add an additional requirement to existing compliance obligations.
Before vs after at a glance
| Topic | Before Nov 2, 2026 | From Nov 2, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Sales trigger | $10k gross proceeds in any Amazon.com month; 30 days to comply | Still true for sellers not in enhanced-safety categories |
| Enhanced-safety ASINs | Same $10k rule as everything else | $1M required regardless of sales; existing listings included |
| Minimum limits | $1M occurrence / $1M aggregate | Unchanged |
| Deductible | Max $10,000 | Unchanged |
| Policy form | Occurrence (Amazon’s published baseline) | Unchanged |
| Mainland China new policies | Any compliant insurer | Must come through Amazon Insurance Accelerator |
| Mainland China policies already on file | Compliant third-party OK | OK until expiry; then AIA |
| Everyone else | Choice of compliant insurer | Unchanged; AIA still optional |
What a compliant certificate has to show
Amazon frequently rejects uploads due to paperwork errors rather than coverage amounts. Before purchasing a policy, ensure the following:
- Limits and deductible match the floor above
- Form is occurrence, with products / products-completed operations included (forms that exclude products fail)
- Named insured exactly matches Seller Central legal entity (Inc. vs Incorporated, commas, DBAs)
- Additional insured wording matches Amazon’s required entity language
- The policy covers the whole Amazon catalog, not only the enhanced-safety SKUs
- The carrier can handle U.S. product claims and will answer Amazon’s verification requests
- There is no sunset clause that quietly drops late-reported injuries
Upload your certificate through Seller Central Business Insurance well in advance to allow sufficient time for verification before November 2. Last-minute submissions are risky.
Beyond Amazon’s floor: coverages sellers should actually consider
Amazon’s $1 million insurance rule is a platform requirement and does not reflect the actual risks associated with your products.
Ensure your policy includes products and completed operations coverage. Amazon requires commercial liability that covers product liability. If your policy excludes products, it will not provide coverage for customer injuries.
Consider higher coverage limits for higher-risk categories. Products for children, ingestibles, lithium batteries, fire-related items, and home medical devices may require more than $1 million in coverage. You can add umbrella or excess insurance to supplement your primary policy if necessary.
Review your vendor and supplier contracts. Secure upstream indemnity and obtain certificates from your suppliers, in addition to adding Amazon as an additional insured. If you private-label products from overseas, your insurer may be the only party able to pay in the event of a customer injury. The AIA rule for Mainland China does not eliminate the need for careful vendor management for U.S. sellers.
Coverage for stock, inbound cargo, and shipments to FBA is separate from product liability. Warehouse fires or lost shipments are different types of claims, so you may need inland marine or transit insurance in addition to Amazon’s requirements.
Product recall and crisis expenses are typically first-party and separate from commercial general liability. A liability certificate that keeps listings active does not automatically cover recall logistics.
Cyber risks and account takeovers are distinct from product liability. Issues involving Seller Central credentials, advertising accounts, or customer data require separate coverage. Do not assume a policy meeting Amazon’s requirements covers all risks. If you have employees, contractors, or a warehouse team, consider Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI), as Amazon’s required insurance does not cover workplace claims.
Business interruption and supply chain issues, such as recalls, Fulfillment Center disruptions, or supplier shutdowns, can impact your income even without injuries. Buy coverage for major risks. While Amazon’s certificate keeps your listings active, your coverage limits and policy type should match the most serious product risks in your catalog, not just Amazon’s minimum requirements.
Practical checklist before November 2
- Review every ASIN and flag any that may fall under an enhanced-safety category. Use Seller Central Compliance tools rather than relying on memory.
- Deactivate listings you do not intend to sell. Leaving inactive children’s or battery ASINs live can trigger insurance requirements.
- If you already have a policy, review the certificate and policy form against Amazon’s checklist. Limits alone aren't enough; confirm the products are included.
- If you need a new policy, begin obtaining quotes now. Underwriting for higher-risk categories takes time. A broker can assist, and the Accelerator is only required for Mainland China-based sellers.
- Mainland China entities should plan to use the AIA for any new submission or renewal after November 2.
- U.S. sellers sourcing abroad: ignore the rumor that “anyone buying from China must use Accelerator.” That is false. Your own certificate and vendor story still matter.
- Maintain organized records, including your certificate of insurance, endorsement pages for additional insureds, and correspondence from Amazon’s insurance requests. Treat the certificate as documentation for Amazon, not as a substitute for reviewing your policy.
FAQ
Do I need commercial liability insurance for Amazon if I sell under $10,000 a month?
After November 2, 2026, yes if any listing sits in an enhanced-safety category. Outside those categories, the monthly $10,000 trigger still applies. It is not required for every Amazon seller on November 2.
Is this only about China?
No. The AIA-only rule is the China-specific half and applies only to sellers based in Mainland China, but the category rule applies everywhere.
Does sourcing from a Chinese factory force me into AIA?
No. The AIA mandate applies to sellers based in Mainland China, not U.S. brands that import from Chinese factories.
Will Amazon suspend my whole account on day one?
Public seller guidance around the announcement points first to listing-level action on the enhanced-safety ASINs after notice and a response window, not an instant full-account kill. Repeat failures and ignored verification requests can still climb into Account Health problems. Follow the notice you actually receive.
Is the Amazon Insurance Accelerator required for U.S. sellers?
No. It remains optional if your entity is not based in Mainland China. Falcon West can place a compliant policy with carriers that meet Amazon’s specs.
Is Amazon’s $1 million enough?
It is enough for Amazon’s upload in many cases. It is not automatically enough for a serious product claim in kids’, ingestibles, lithium, fire, or medical categories. Adequacy is a separate conversation from marketplace access.
Want help?
If you would like assistance reviewing your seller certificate or understanding how product liability coverage fits with your inventory and vendor agreements, please contact us. We help sellers across the United States maintain marketplace access and understand the difference between Amazon’s minimum requirements and comprehensive insurance programs.
Get started · hello@falconwest.com · 619-297-9181
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