What is insured delivery?
When you buy metal personally, outside an IRA, it ships to you. Proper delivery is insured door to door, packaged so the outside says nothing about what's inside, and released only against an adult signature.
Until you sign, the shipment remains the dealer's responsibility. A lost or tampered package before signature is their problem to resolve, not yours, that allocation of risk should be stated in writing before you pay.
Why does the process matter so much?
Because metal is dense value: a shoebox-sized package can hold six figures. Discreet packaging, signature requirements, and insurance exist because the entire system is built around never advertising that fact to anyone along the route.
For IRA purchases, delivery works differently: metal ships from dealer to depository directly, insured the same way, and you never take possession at all.
How does insured delivery show up in practice?
On arrival, inspect the package before the carrier leaves if anything looks disturbed, open it promptly, and verify contents against the invoice. Report discrepancies immediately, insurance claims have strict windows. Then store your documentation with your purchase records; you'll want it at resale.