Does USPS insurance really protect sellers?

[Mishmashman]

What I'm gleaning from this thread so far is that in the case of LOST parcels, the SELLER must reimburse the buyer and make the claim to USPS.

 

In the case of DAMAGED parcels, the SELLER OR BUYER can make the claim for reimbursement to be made whole.

 

Does the USPS restrict who can initiate a claim based on who PURCHASED the insurance? Specifically, if I sell an item in which shipping AND insurance are included in the purchase price, it'd appear that I, as the seller, am purchasing the insurance.

[brendanb438]

So much derf derf derf.

 

 

If package is missing, lost, gone forever only seller has the info to start insurance claim.

 

If damaged either buyer or seller has the info to be able to start a claim.

 

 

It really is just that simple.

[Jiminy_Cricket-migration]

The person who paid for and has the receipt of insurance, and all the info in his/her name. Which is the..... seller.

 

 

[slym2none]

I hope an item of yours never gets lost or damaged in transit then. You will have no recourse whatsoever.

 

Collector's insurance covers it. You're tightrope walking without a net if you have more than a few thousand bucks' worth of comics and don't have that kind of insurance, and paying shipping companies for their insurance product is a poor substitute.

 

I don't have any collectors insurance. :shrug: And if you pay for USPS insurance for the amount of what you are shipping, they have to pay up (if they decide your claim is valid.)

 

The part in parentheses is what scares me.

 

 

 

 

-slym

[slym2none]

So much derf derf derf.

 

 

If package is missing, lost, gone forever only seller has the info to start insurance claim.

 

If damaged either buyer or seller has the info to be able to start a claim.

 

 

It really is just that simple.

 

It really is! I wish others could see that part.

 

 

 

-slym

[slym2none]

The person who paid for and has the receipt of insurance, and all the info in his/her name. Which is the..... seller.

 

 

 

 

 

-slym

[slym2none]

What I'm gleaning from this thread so far is that in the case of LOST parcels, the SELLER must reimburse the buyer and make the claim to USPS.

 

In the case of DAMAGED parcels, the SELLER OR BUYER can make the claim for reimbursement to be made whole.

 

YES!!!

 

Does the USPS restrict who can initiate a claim based on who PURCHASED the insurance? Specifically, if I sell an item in which shipping AND insurance are included in the purchase price, it'd appear that I, as the seller, am purchasing the insurance.

 

I don't know about the first part there, but it seems like the receiver (buyer) still could initiate a claim. Again, it is in their best interest as they won't have to ship the parcel back and wait even longer. But, if you offer free shipping, I would think that at that point, yes, you are the purchaser of insurance.

 

 

 

-slym

[NewWorldOrder]

USPS has always paid me when an item was broken or busted in transit. Not the buyer.

 

Exactly!

 

So which do you believe? You agreed with Not*Sure* that the seller files the claim, but you told me the buyer does it. My understanding is that it's the seller.

 

Classic example of why I'll never do shipping insurance is item gets damaged in shipping, seller gets a full refund but refuses to give that refund until the buyer sends the damaged item back. Hold on there, slim! YOU didn't pay for that service, I did, so if anyone gets to keep this damaged freebie, it's me. I'm not giving sellers that free option to hold my insurance settlement hostage so that they get a free reduced-value product they already got paid for in full to try to sell again. If someone's thought on this is that the seller deserves that damaged item because they're the one who paid the USPS, then that's exactly the mistaken perspective that causes me to rebuke the idea of shipping insurance--my money as the buyer paid for that thing, not yours. The insurance and its settlement is mine. You bought it on my behalf.

 

From dishonest sellers yes.

 

Here is what I do and is obviously very simple and effective.

 

1. Item is damaged

2. Tell buyer to send it back for a full refund

3. Receive item back

4. Refund buyer

5. File Insurance claim

.......

6. Drink

[mschmidt]

USPS has always paid me when an item was broken or busted in transit. Not the buyer.

 

Exactly!

 

So which do you believe? You agreed with Not*Sure* that the seller files the claim, but you told me the buyer does it. My understanding is that it's the seller.

 

Classic example of why I'll never do shipping insurance is item gets damaged in shipping, seller gets a full refund but refuses to give that refund until the buyer sends the damaged item back. Hold on there, slim! YOU didn't pay for that service, I did, so if anyone gets to keep this damaged freebie, it's me. I'm not giving sellers that free option to hold my insurance settlement hostage so that they get a free reduced-value product they already got paid for in full to try to sell again. If someone's thought on this is that the seller deserves that damaged item because they're the one who paid the USPS, then that's exactly the mistaken perspective that causes me to rebuke the idea of shipping insurance--my money as the buyer paid for that thing, not yours. The insurance and its settlement is mine. You bought it on my behalf.

 

So if an item gets damaged in the mail, you want to keep both the damaged item and get a full refund from the seller?

 

People need to stop with the "buyer paid for the insurance"-thing. When an item has a shipping fee and you, as the buyer, pay it during checkout, what you're doing is hiring the seller to perform one basic service: take care of getting the item from him to you.

 

The actual postage might be less than what you paid - it might be more. The seller might decide to add a bunch of value-added services (like insurance, DC, SC, etc) to the package - he might not. The seller might go out and buy brand new mailing boxes, or he might reuse whatever he has left around the house. None of these decisions have anything to do with you - by paying the shipping fee, all you've done is contract the seller to assume the responsibility of getting you your item. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

It blows my mind that anyone could feel that they are entitled to receive more than what they paid for.

[Jiminy_Cricket-migration]

So if an item gets damaged in the mail, you want to keep both the damaged item and get a full refund from the seller?

 

People need to stop with the "buyer paid for the insurance"-thing. When an item has a shipping fee and you, as the buyer, pay it during checkout, what you're doing is hiring the seller to perform one basic service: take care of getting the item from him to you.

 

The actual postage might be less than what you paid - it might be more. The seller might decide to add a bunch of value-added services (like insurance, DC, SC, etc) to the package - he might not. The seller might go out and buy brand new mailing boxes, or he might reuse whatever he has left around the house. None of these decisions have anything to do with you - by paying the shipping fee, all you've done is contract the seller to assume the responsibility of getting you your item. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

It blows my mind that anyone could feel that they are entitled to receive more than what they paid for.