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 Replies: 13 / Views: 7,187 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1291 Posts |
I've heard it said (or seen it written) somewhere that buying insurance from the US Postal Service is a waste of money because it's impossible or nearly impossible to collect in the event of a loss. Can anyone comment on THAT from the standpoint of personal experience? Back before I began offering free shipping on my ebay sales (the result of subtle arm-twisting by ebay) I used to tell my customers that insurance was optional but recommended and that I wouldn't be responsible for items lost in the mail if they didn't purchase the insurance. Now...I offer free shipping and I NEVER insure anything unless it's over $300 in value. I rely on the ability to track the package (I generate shipping labels through PayPal) to keep my customers honest. Last night, however, I received an email from a customer stating he got the package, but there was a slit in it and the $22.53 roll of nickels was missing. So...if I had purchased the minimum insurance of $50.00, would I be any further ahead....? |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3592 Posts |
Well, no I haven't tried collecting yet.But I do have a question...don't ebay rules state the seller is responsible to get the package to the buyer ? I never purchase optional insurance for exactly that reason...and it works that way on mail order purchases too. If you don't get an answer, I can go see my postal worker and pose your question, she is always honest with me and this is a very small community with an atmosphere to match. |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1291 Posts |
Maineman750: I'm not sure about ebay rules, but in THIS case there is no doubt that my customer has the package. He acknowledges that he has the package. The problem is, he says the coins are missing from the paackage, probably as the result of a 2 inch slit in the package (a number 00 bubble mailer). Regardless if it's my RESPONSIBILITY to keep him whole or not, I intend to do exactly that. My question is whether buying the insurance would have benefitted me or not. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3592 Posts |
weerdsteve, I understand your question and as stated above, if you don't get an answer, I will go to my PO and find out for you  |
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Rest in Peace
United States
1729 Posts |
I would say that this envelope should go to a postal inspector for investigation. Theft in the postal system is quite another matter beyond insurance coverage, and postal inspectors - in my experience - will go to great lengths to protect the integrity of the postal process and its customers.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
14454 Posts |
I have never filed a claim either so I have no information you are asking for but I don't know if the slit in the package could be proven to happen in transit instead of the recipient which would probably be what it takes to file a claim if you had of had insurance. That is why when its insured that make them sign for the package, so they can inspect it for damage and not say it happened during transit when they took the item and then claimed they didn't get it.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1291 Posts |
Bryan1315: Unless something has changed since the last time I was routinely insuring stuff, I think they only have to sign it if it's insured for $300 or more. A week ago I received an insured package (coins!) from San Diego. No one was home so the carrier left it on a table by my front door.
Edited by weerdsteev
01/28/2011 6:25 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
14454 Posts |
oh ok, I rarely receive anything under $300.00 worth so I always have to sign for it and thought you had to on everything insured
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1291 Posts |
Right...so...to rephrase and expand upon my initial question, has anybody collected on USPS insurance, particularly if the package was insured for less than $300.00 and does not require a signature? And if the answer is NO, is there any sense in insuring (in my case) shipments with values that routinely fall into the $10.00 to $100.00 range?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1007 Posts |
Yes! I was selling some items on ebay and bought insurance from USPS for $100 for an item to send. The buyer e-mailed me stating the item arrived damaged. I filed a claim at my local post office and within 2 weeks I received a check for $100. No hassles and it worked like a charm. I sent the money to the buyer. She was happy as she received a full refund and I was happy as I wasn't out anything. From now on I'll always buy insurance when I sell something on ebay. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1291 Posts |
Matchbox: Excellent! Thank you! However...that leads to the next question: Has anyone had success filing a claim, NOT for damaged merchandise, but for completely MISSING merchandise?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2589 Posts |
I assume that happens when items are destroyed for example in a wrecked postal truck, or a downed plane that was carring packages. Those things might be rare occurances, but they do happen and I'm 100% positive that the post office would issue claims if the packages that were destroyed were insured. I imagine tracking would also have to be bought for claim of that nature though.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
Mail scattered 65 miles after falling off truck Mail was found scattered along 65 miles of St. Louis-area interstate highways after falling out of a contractor's truck on its way to Tennessee. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch says mail and boxes were found along southbound lanes of Interstates 270 and 55 Sunday morning. U.S. Postal Inspector Dan Taylor says the mail fell out of the back of a truck that was taking the items to Memphis. Taylor says the driver realized the rear door was open in St. Genevieve County and stopped. The mail was reported to the Missouri State Highway Patrol around 7:30 a.m. A Highway Patrol spokesman says all of the mail was collected by around 10:30 a.m. http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/...992bc8b.html
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2589 Posts |
Thats insane lol, but I imagine thats the type of thing that one could claim the insurance money on if a package never arrived at its address.
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Replies: 13 / Views: 7,187 |
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Posted 01/28/2011 3:27 pm
