USPS Insurance

[Bocabirdman]

Hi Everyone...

I have sent out thousands of packages over the years. I have sent some insured. However, I never gave it much thought. Now, I am preparing to consign a few cards that would have a $5000 replacement value. If I insure them and the worst happens, will the insurance actually pay out? Would I have to "prove" that the contents of the package are worth $5K ? or jump through any other hoops? Or is it a simple process?

Has anyone here actually collected on the USPS's insurance?

[sb1]

Send them Registered and you won't have to worry about them getting there. You can add the insurance and yes they will pay(I have had two claims in 25, years and both were promptly paid).

That being said, the place you are sending them may well have(should have!) private insurance that will cover the material while in transit to them at no additional cost to you. You would just have to send them as required for the value stated, which on my policy is Registered or Overnight, each with a signature required.

[Jim65]

Originally Posted by Bocabirdman

Hi Everyone...

I have sent out thousands of packages over the years. I have sent some insured. However, I never gave it much thought. Now, I am preparing to consign a few cards that would have a $5000 replacement value. If I insure them and the worst happens, will the insurance actually pay out? Would I have to "prove" that the contents of the package are worth $5K ? or jump through any other hoops? Or is it a simple process?

Has anyone here actually collected on the USPS's insurance?

You have to prove the worth, printout of Ebay sale or credit card receipt, a letter from an expert might be enough as well. I filed one claim and they made me jump through hoops and it took 6 months to get reimbursed.

[frankbmd]

I sent over 100 pieces of antique china from a small town in northern WI to CA.

When I asked about a potential insurance claim, I was told that an appraisal of value would be necessary. I couldn’t find any recent sales. An eight hour drive would have been required to get an appraisal. After considering the cost of the drive, the cost of the appraisal and the cost of the insurance, this is what I did.

I split the shipment into three parcels. I put enough padding between each individually wrapped piece of china to protect every quarterback in the history of the NFL from injury for life. I sent the large boxes one at a time. Number two wasn’t sent until number 1 arrived safely.

I sent each package parcel post without postal insurance. All arrived safely and there was no breakage. I have heard multiple tales of difficulty in collecting on USPS Insurance claims. It’s hard for me to understand why the post office runs an annual deficit with their insurance seemingly being a cash cow.

I have only had to refund a couple of small eBay sales to fine upstanding eBay buyers who claimed no delivery or damage. Had I insured everything that I have sent using USPS in the last two decades, perhaps they wouldn’t have had a deficit.

[AGuinness]

You could also get a quote from Collectibles insurance, as it may cost about the same to cover the shipment through USPS as it does to insure your whole collection with Collectibles for a year.


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[oldjudge]

The auction who you are consigning to should cover it on their policy if you ask. If not, find a different auction.

[Jobu]

This is what I do.

Originally Posted by AGuinness

You could also get a quote from Collectibles insurance, as it may cost about the same to cover the shipment through USPS as it does to insure your whole collection with Collectibles for a year.


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[pokerplyr80]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

The auction who you are consigning to should cover it on their policy if you ask. If not, find a different auction.

This is good advice.

[Leon]

It isn't too expensive to send it registered. It is probably the safest way to send something. I personally don't buy insurance. When I have something of high value I overnight the item USPS. It is a risk but when I ask the ladies at the counter, at our very busy PO, they all say they have never heard of an overnight package getting lost. That all said, registered is probably the way to go. Or do as Jay said, and ask the AH to help with it. Sort of curious what way you go so let us know, if you can.

Originally Posted by Bocabirdman

Hi Everyone...

I have sent out thousands of packages over the years. I have sent some insured. However, I never gave it much thought. Now, I am preparing to consign a few cards that would have a $5000 replacement value. If I insure them and the worst happens, will the insurance actually pay out? Would I have to "prove" that the contents of the package are worth $5K ? or jump through any other hoops? Or is it a simple process?

Has anyone here actually collected on the USPS's insurance?

[Jim65]

Originally Posted by Leon

It isn't too expensive to send it registered. It is probably the safest way to send something. I personally don't buy insurance. When I have something of high value I overnight the item USPS. It is a risk but when I ask the ladies at the counter, at our very busy PO, they all say they have never heard of an overnight package getting lost. That all said, registered is probably the way to go. Or do as Jay said, and ask the AH to help with it. Sort of curious what way you go so let us know, if you can.

The Overnight makes sense, you gotta figure the less time a package spends in the system, the lesser the chance it gets lost.

[buymycards]

Registered is your safest way to ship. Over the years, as a Postmaster, I have dealt with many overnight packages that arrived late, arrived damaged, arrived without contents, or didn't arrive at all. Overall, First Class and Priority mail seems to be much more consistant than Express Mail.

For some reason, Express Mail seems to be more prone to theft while traveling through the processing plants than other classes of mail. Recently, I personally sent an Express item to Denver, and the package was opened in the Denver Express Mail facility and $600 in cash was stolen. Also, a month ago I sent an Express item to a small city that is around 110 miles from my home. The item was guaranteed overnight but it took 4 days to be delivered, and that was only after I called the Post Office and raised hell.

Registered is handed off from person to person, with each person signing for the registered item. The drawback is that because of the safer handling procedures, Registered is much slower than other classes of mail.

Yes, right now I am a pissed off former Postmaster.

Rick