Installation Guide

Prerequisites

Before installing the plugin, ensure your system meets the following requirements:

Server Requirements

• PHP Version: 7.4 or higher (8.0+ recommended)
• WordPress Version: 5.0 or higher
• WooCommerce Version: 5.0 or higher
• Memory Limit: 128MB minimum (256MB recommended)
• Disk Space: 5MB free space

Required WordPress Plugins

• WooCommerce: Must be installed and active
• Multi-Currency Plugin (Optional): For multi-currency support

Installation Methods

Method 1: WordPress Admin (Recommended)

Step 1: Access Plugin Installation

1. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard
2. Navigate to Plugins → Add New
3. Click the Upload Plugin button at the top of the page

Step 2: Upload Plugin

1. Click Choose File and select the plugin ZIP file
2. Click Install Now
3. Wait for the upload and installation to complete

Step 3: Activate Plugin

1. Click Activate Plugin after successful installation
2. You'll see a success message confirming activation

Method 2: FTP Installation

Step 1: Extract Plugin Files

1. Download the plugin ZIP file
2. Extract the contents to a local folder
3. Locate the shipping-insurance-for-woocommerce folder

Step 2: Upload via FTP

1. Connect to your server using an FTP client
2. Navigate to /wp-content/plugins/ directory
3. Upload the entire shipping-insurance-for-woocommerce folder
4. Ensure all files are uploaded correctly

Step 3: Activate Plugin

1. Go to WordPress admin → Plugins
2. Find "Shipping Insurance for WooCommerce Pro" in the list
3. Click Activate

Method 3: WP-CLI Installation

If you prefer command line tools:

# Navigate to WordPress root directory
cd /path/to/wordpress
 
# Install plugin from ZIP file
wp plugin install shipping-insurance-for-woocommerce.zip
 
# Activate the plugin
wp plugin activate shipping-insurance-for-woocommerce

Post-Installation Setup

Step 1: Verify Installation

1. Check Plugin Status

   • Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins
   • Verify "Shipping Insurance for WooCommerce Pro" is active
   • Look for the green "Active" status

2. Check WooCommerce Integration

   • Navigate to WooCommerce → Settings → Shipping
   • Scroll down to see insurance-related settings
   • Confirm settings panel is visible

Step 2: Initial Configuration

1. Access Settings

   WordPress Admin → WooCommerce → Settings → Shipping

2. Basic Configuration

   • Set Insurance Rate Type: Fixed amount or percentage
   • Configure Rate Value: Your insurance fee amount
   • Set Minimum Amount: Lowest insurance fee
   • Set Maximum Amount: Highest insurance fee

3. Save Changes

   • Click Save changes at the bottom of the page
   • Verify settings are saved successfully

Step 3: Test Installation

1. Frontend Test

   • Add a product to cart
   • Proceed to checkout
   • Verify insurance option appears
   • Test different country selections

2. Admin Test

   • Create a test order with insurance
   • Check order details in admin
   • Verify insurance fee is recorded

Troubleshooting Installation Issues

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue: Plugin Not Visible After Upload

Symptoms: Plugin doesn't appear in installed plugins list

Solutions:

1. Check file permissions (755 for folders, 644 for files)
2. Verify all files were uploaded correctly
3. Clear any server-side caching
4. Deactivate and reactivate the plugin

Issue: Activation Errors

Symptoms: Error messages during activation

Solutions:

1. Memory Limit Error:

   // Add to wp-config.php
   ini_set('memory_limit', '256M');

2. PHP Version Error:

   • Upgrade PHP to version 7.4 or higher
   • Contact hosting provider for assistance

3. WooCommerce Not Found:

   • Install and activate WooCommerce first
   • Ensure WooCommerce is properly configured

Issue: Settings Not Appearing

Symptoms: Insurance settings missing from WooCommerce

Solutions:

1. Clear WordPress cache
2. Deactivate and reactivate the plugin
3. Check for plugin conflicts
4. Verify WooCommerce version compatibility

Plugin Conflicts

Identifying Conflicts

1. Conflict Testing:

   • Deactivate all other plugins except WooCommerce
   • Test if insurance plugin works correctly
   • Reactivate plugins one by one to identify conflicts

2. Common Conflicting Plugins:

   • Other checkout modification plugins
   • Cache plugins (may need clearing)
   • Security plugins (may block functionality)

Resolving Conflicts

1. Update Conflicting Plugins: Ensure all plugins are up-to-date
2. Configure Exceptions: Add plugin to security/cache exceptions
3. Contact Support: For persistent conflicts

File Permissions

Recommended Permissions

Folders: 755 (rwxr-xr-x)
Files: 644 (rw-r--r--)

Setting Permissions via FTP

# Set folder permissions
chmod 755 shipping-insurance-for-woocommerce/
 
# Set file permissions recursively
find shipping-insurance-for-woocommerce/ -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;

Uninstallation

Complete Removal

1. Deactivate Plugin:

   • Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins
   • Click Deactivate for the insurance plugin

2. Delete Plugin:

   • Click Delete after deactivation
   • Confirm deletion when prompted

3. Remove Data (Optional):

   • Plugin settings are preserved by default
   • To remove all data, uncomment uninstall code in main plugin file

Backup Before Uninstall

1. Export Settings: Note current configuration
2. Backup Database: Export insurance records if needed
3. Export Insurance Data: Use CSV export feature

Migration and Updates

Updating the Plugin

1. Automatic Updates:

   • WordPress will notify you of available updates
   • Click Update Now when prompted

2. Manual Updates:

   • Download new version
   • Deactivate current version
   • Upload new files
   • Reactivate plugin

Migration from Other Plugins

1. Export Data: From previous insurance plugin
2. Configure Settings: Match previous configuration
3. Test Thoroughly: Verify functionality
4. Import Data: If compatible format available

Next Steps

After successful installation:

1. Configuration Guide: Set up all plugin features
2. Features Documentation: Learn about available features

Support

If you encounter issues during installation:

1. Check Documentation: Review troubleshooting section
2. System Requirements: Verify all requirements are met
3. Contact Support: Provide detailed error information
4. Community Forums: Search for similar issues

Need Help? Contact our support team with your installation questions.