USPS Insurance Claim Beware!

May be this is something the ANA and the ANS should take up perhaps also ebay. The Royal Numismatic society of New Zealand developed an arrangement with New Zealand post granting members an exemption from the standard coin exclusion clause. It enables dealers and collectors to send coins by mail and have them covered by insurance. May be its time to fight back with a Facebook page?

Just another idea but lately I've been sending mine in express mail which is surprisingly cheap with a flat rate padded envelope. They havent been the insanely expensive submissions over the 5k insurance limit but they move through the system so fast I figure they have a better chance of making it there since less people get their hands on it.

Not sure if its true or not but according to the post office people at my PO they get graded on their ability with express mail so if they screw those up its one of the few times they would be held accountable if it happened to much

My second appeal was approved for the full insured amount. If you appeal it and attach their publication that states coi ns with numismatic value are insurable they have to reimburse you. This is what I wrote in my appeal. If you write something similar and attach the mentioned publication then you should win the case like I did. Whatever you do don't back down.

"I received a check today for $20.15 when my claim is for $825.00. I called and was informed that the postal service does not insure coins and it was my responsibility to know that prior to shipping the coins. Well I did research the post office publications prior to shipping and it DOES state that coins are covered. Page 8 of publication 122, dated January 2013, states "Reasonable costs incurred for duplicating the fair market value of stamps and coins of philatelic or numismatic value, as determined by a recognized stamp or coin dealer or current coin and stamp collector's newsletter and trade paper" The coins I shipped were of extreme numismatic value and I have provided receipts to prove this. I am appealing my claim based on the fact that your own publication states my items were insurable. Also, I have worked with the postmaster as well as an individual from consumer affairs and was never informed that my coins were not covered. I have attached the publication for your reference. "

I am happy to hear you won this battle with USPS. I have had bad experiences with USPS earlier in which they lost the package or just got me an empty box cut in pieces. Couldn't get any compensation whatsoever. But reading your experience makes me hopeful for the future.

I knew there was a catch to this and they would hassle you to get your insurance claim the way they lose packages.

dang, I know this is an old thread, but USPS put the insured value on the outside of the package. I never saw this before on my insured packages, maybe it was because of what it was?

but my main point is that it is just another reason to privatize the USPS.

There seems little chance that a coin/package insured at over a thousand or two will make it to its destination. what if it was insured value on the outside in a small box (I am pretty sure the post office would know this was a valuable coin or jewelry) was $20,000? it seems to me that it is begging to be stolen by the post office or the grading service. glad to see it finally worked out, I was bamboozled, yes, bamboozled at all the stalling tactics and dirty deeds by the post office.

that being said, I did sent in a very valuable coin (over 20k value) to png through my coin dealer to have the coin graded, I would have had a do-do in my pants if I had seen this thread before I received my coin back.

mike

remember, just because you are paranoid does not mean that someone is NOT out to get you...

The reason I say to privatize the USPO is because nearly every time I go to the post office, there ALWAYS is a looooong line (usually about 15-20) customers waiting to get to the counter, of which there are usually only TWO people "assisting" the customers, while I see about a half-dozen of other employees involved in "make it look like I am busy" mode. I saw that there were THREE other employee counter positions that were closed besides the two that were open.

We would never put up with this if it was privately owned, as they know if they fail the customers, the customers will just go someplace else. I do not go to the post office to mail anything now (with rare exceptions), I just drop off my package at a PRIVATELY RUN BUSINESS packing and mailing center.

sure, it is more expensive this way, but I get in and out within a reasonable time instead of spending an entire lunch hour at the post office. besides, whenever have you seen ANYTHING run by the government (like congress) that is nothing but incompetent, corrupt, using way over-charged items or whatever (you know... the $100 toilet seat or hammer syndrome), lazy and overpaid employees who know they can't be fired. the government even loses money at the capital cafeterias.

ok, maybe I just got a bad attitude, but I do not believe I am being unrealistic. these days, if you point out a factually negative topic in many areas of government-ran enterprises or just people, you are automatically labled a "hater" or whatever... the fact that it is the truth and factual is not even a consideration...

ok, I know there are good and competent employees there, I do not wish to paint all of them with the same brush.

ok, that does it with my rant... for now haha... mike

4504: You might want to do some research as you seem to be quite mistaken with the way the USPS operates. Also, your assertions about privately run business are solely your opinion, although you present it as though it was fact. I can give you COUNTLESS examples of horrible service and terrible mishaps at private companies.