My USPS insurance claim story. Now with a happy ending!!!

[anstettoman]

my story begins with a transaction with lone star comics. I sent them a list of books they had interest in and they accepted with a payment expected of $400+. I know that they have a tendency to downgrade so i calculated that i'd be offered somewhere north of $300.

I sent by USPS and insured for $300 (just in case something went wrong). this was in the last week of Oct. On the 3rd week of November I went to the post office to track the shipment and saw that the parcel had attempted to be delivered approx 1 week after i shipped and was refused.

So I'm thinking WTF?? I called customer service at Lonestar and they were very helpful. I talked to a person who told me the only way they would've refused the shipment is if the parcel was so damaged that they couldn't accept or the parcel was empty.

So i filed an insurance claim with the USPS and submitted my invoice from lonestar as "evidence" of value on the books. I waitied another 1+ weeks and went back to the post office and asked if they had any folloup information and viola they had updated tracking that stated my parcel was indeed on its way back. About 3 days later i received a notice that the parcel was waiting for me at the post office depot (as they needed a signature).

I arrived at the post office depot at their convienient hours of 9-3p and the parcel was brought to the counter in a plastic bag and as some of you have guessed was both damaged and empty.........Of course I could not simply return it to the center where i picked it up but had to go to a regular post office and stand in line to file a claim there.

I received a letter about 1 week later and my insurance claim was denied. So I called the Post office customer service dept and they stated that apparently the claims dept only knows that a parcel was picked up and not that it was an empty box.

So i filed an appeal that documented my problem with signing for an empty box and referenced my estimated value along with my claim for $300 insurance and figured that it was all set and I should have my refund for the lost merchandise and postage.

Not so fast I received a letter that stated that my claim was again being denied because I needed receipts for what i spent on the books, credit card recipts, etc to verify the value. The box was shipped at 31# and was received empty, I paid for insurance and the post office had it in their possession for the full time it left my home.

secondly the books are collectables does this mean that a person who bought a 12 cent asm #1 in 1963 and paid 12cents would only be entitled to 12 cents returned from the post office?? I don't think so.......I don't know how much i spent on these. so to request evidence of purchase is really unreasonable.

Has anyone a similar story with an insurance claim and any suggestions where to go to or who to contact would be appreciated. thanks and merry christmas

 

 

[CAHokie]

Sorry to hear this. This is pretty much why I don't buy insurance unless it is a book worth a very large amount. I pretty much assume at this point if anything goes wrong I am going to get the short end of the stick either way. Are there any furthers steps or appeals left for you?

[Dr. Balls]

Wow. That sucks. I've rarely had problems with shipping, but when I did (and it was insured) I never got a bunch of grief about receipts, etc. Man, times have changed.

[Gatchaman]

USPS is a "no fault" company. They take no responsibility for what they do to their patrons. A couple months ago they mis delivered something I ordered on Amazon and they refused to look into it nor do anything about it. I made phone calls for days just get the run around and to eventually be told that once it is delivered they can't do anything about it. USPS has been responsible for most of my high blood pressure.

[Topnotchman]

I tried to file a claim a few years ago and I got the, we need a receipt of purchase, credit card receipt canceled check etc. to prove value.

 

If you buy something on Ebay its easy to provide proof of what you paid. Not so easy on your childhood collectables.

[DougC]

Even if you are lucky enough to have some type of receipt they still drag their feet or will outright deny any claim to make you run through as many hoops as possible in hopes that you just give up. There have been many horror stories even with registered mail, eventually you just have accept the sad state of things.

 

I am sorry for your loss and I hope you get back as much as possible, just fight on!

[Sqeggs]

USPS is a "no fault" company. They take no responsibility for what they do to their patrons. A couple months ago they mis delivered something I ordered on Amazon and they refused to look into it nor do anything about it. I made phone calls for days just get the run around and to eventually be told that once it is delivered they can't do anything about it. USPS has been responsible for most of my high blood pressure.

 

Did you contact Amazon? My experience is that they are good about sending replacements if a book was damaged in transit through mishandling, being left out in the rain, etc.

 

I'm referring here to regular trade books shipped by Amazon, not collectibles sold by a third-party through Amazon's site.

[telerites]

Stories like these make me glad I purchased a separate collectbles insuramce policy from Collectinsure. I hope I never have file but from what I have read and heard, it is fairly painless process if you follow their guidelines when mailing books through a carrier.

 

Good luck. It really sucks and I imagine a helpless feeling...

[Aces]

This sucks.

 

[Chip Cataldo]

As a counter-point, I sold a Captain America statue for $55 on eBay last week. It showed up damaged and I agreed to accept the return in full, but did ask for pictures of the damage from the buyer. I used the USPS online claim form to submit the $55 claim (you can't claim the postage) and it took about 5 minutes.

 

Two days ago I received a check from USPS for $55. It shocked the hell out of me, for sure. I couldn't believe how easy it was and how fast the money got here...or that it was honored at all!

 

Peace,

 

Chip

[AnkurJ]

This is why I have private insurance. The post office insurance is a joke and will deny every claim they can.

[kav]

So if you sold the declaration of independence without a receipt they'd re imburse the cost of the paper I guess

USPS you rock

[Silver Surfer]

Well I just checked the tracking on a parcel sent from New York. It arrived today in Vancouver but is now on route to Tokyo, Japan!

[Aces]

Well I just checked the tracking on a parcel sent from New York. It arrived today in Vancouver but is now on route to Tokyo, Japan!

Greggy's far east mafia at work again I see.

[vane]

This is why I have private insurance. The post office insurance is a joke and will deny every claim they can.

 

What Insurance company you're using?

[Jaylam]

Here's what gets me me so . If I purchased insurance for $300 and something has happened while the package/goods are in their possession, then they should be obligated to pay whatever value I purchased the insurance for. The burden of proof should not be on me as I have already declared the value when I purchased the insurance and made the appropriate (pro-rated) payment for that insurance. For a claim to be dis-allowed is practically fraud on their part, or they are implying fraud on your part so they don't have to pay the claim. Sounds like something you need a lawyer for. Call Keller & Keller and tell them you mean business.

[Cephusdog]

Here's what gets me me so . If I purchased insurance for $300 and something has happened while the package/goods are in their possession, then they should be obligated to pay whatever value I purchased the insurance for. The burden of proof should not be on me as I have already declared the value when I purchased the insurance and made the appropriate (pro-rated) payment for that insurance. For a claim to be dis-allowed is practically fraud on their part, or they are implying fraud on your part so they don't have to pay the claim. Sounds like something you need a lawyer for. Call Keller & Keller and tell them you mean business.

 

Better call Saul!

[kav]

Heisenberg would clear this matter up in short order

Postal clerk would wake up with a horse head in his bed

[anstettoman]

Here's what gets me me so . If I purchased insurance for $300 and something has happened while the package/goods are in their possession, then they should be obligated to pay whatever value I purchased the insurance for. The burden of proof should not be on me as I have already declared the value when I purchased the insurance and made the appropriate (pro-rated) payment for that insurance. For a claim to be dis-allowed is practically fraud on their part, or they are implying fraud on your part so they don't have to pay the claim. Sounds like something you need a lawyer for. Call Keller & Keller and tell them you mean business.

jaylam: you are on the money with this one my argument exactly too bad you don't work for the post office. I will plod on and keep this post updated as things progress. I may be forced to take legal action if my paperwork that was filed 2 days ago is rejected. thanks kevin

[AnkurJ]

This is why I have private insurance. The post office insurance is a joke and will deny every claim they can.

 

What Insurance company you're using?

 

Collect Insure.