Usps insurance

[GAnderson]

Alex , a friend of mine had the same situation , he filed charges to take them to court and they paid up then ..

A friend of mine did somewhat this same thing and they paid the claim...he had his attorney draw up a letter with all the "legal language" and the USPS didn't want anything to do with a battle, so they agreed to pay the claim...which was over $2000 if I remember correctly.

 

[NorCalMikie]

A friend of mine did somewhat this same thing and they paid the claim...he had his attorney draw up a letter with all the "legal language" and the USPS didn't want anything to do with a battle, so they agreed to pay the claim...which was over $2000 if I remember correctly.

Something about "a squeaky wheel" comes to mind.

Shipped a Flintlock Fowler from California, USPS Priority Mail Insured back east in a custom built box that took two men and a boy to pick up.
First Class Insured, about $120.00 to ship. Got there in one piece in a little less than a week. Not ONE tire mark or scratch on the box. Insured for $2K. You pays your $$$ and you takes your chances.

If anything is shipped "registered", it is SCANNED every time it changes hands. If it gets lost the last time YOU touched it.....

Shipped a pretty good size box to my Kid in Minnesota. Left the SF shipping hub and got to MN in a couple of days. Then, back to SF, then, back to MN, then. back to SF, then back to MN. All seen on Tracking. 5,6 or 7 trips back and forth across country.
Finally got our Local rural Post Master to check on it. He got SOMEBODY to jump on the belt and kick the package off and send it in the proper direction. All those Air Miles and nobody got credit for them.

 

[majohnson]

When I ship some things I will ship Priority, instead of paying for the insurance I ship items with signature required. On heavy items it gives the receiving party a chance to inspect the item if the box shows damage. It cheaper than paying for their insurance, and you stand a much better chance of making sure things are delivered. It can be a PIA for the customer, but it limits my liability. Once you explain why to the receiving party they are usually ok with doing a signature required. Like most have said getting the post office to pay is next to impossible.

Another of post office funny is the tracking will show delivered, however the item was never delivered and shows up a few days later. What the post office will do is show the item was delivered to stop the time clock. If your lucky it shows up a few days later. If not the package has been lost, misplaced or any other word you care to use for a lost shipment. Try avoiding shipping during the holidays if possible, it can save you some headaches.

For those of us that make are own products, you are not only out monetary side of the equation, but also the time involved in producing and reproducing the item. Double boxing when possible is a great way to protect items you send by any carrier.

 

[wedgy]

I had a scope return to opticsplanet go missing. Opticsplanet has a GUY that tracks missing packages. He made a few phone calls and they found the scope stuck in a corner at the PO I dropped it at. Apparently, an employee had stashed it waiting for the claim to blow over so he could take it home.

This is exactly what happened to a Mark 5 that was shipped to me from a forum member. Somehow it was shown as never being scanned in at the local office and never left that office with a departure scan. After 3 weeks and multiple visits and being told to leave the seller told me he was either getting the scope back or going to jail. He happened to get a very nice supervisor that day who took him in back and immediately found the package in the "not deliverable as addressed" bin but the package was fine and the label was perfect. Supervisor had no idea how or why it was in there but now it was on its way and I got it in a few days. Definitely a thief in the building, word he got was that somehow the employees end up with the stuff and sell it so they toss it in the damaged bin.

 

[jk80]

@Alex Wheeler any chance the barreled action went missing in Memphis? I've had more stuff go missing at the Memphis hub than I care to count. As soon as I file a claim it miraculously shows up.

I just had an experience with Memphis hub recently. Payment for something I bought on this site was sent from st louis. Made it from there to Memphis and then sat at that hub for close to 2 weeks!!! Thank God the seller was understanding. I paid for tracking so I could see where it was and how long it sat. It's getting where you don't know where to go to send something.

 

[DngBat7]

They didnt give a reason

Is there any reason not to use shipmygun service? Do they insure?

 

[epc308]

Thats what is going to happen.

I worked for a guy that shipped a lot of small parts. He bought the insurance, but soon learned his time and whatever profit(s) was quickly eaten up with trips to the local PO.
As you and others have learned, postal insurance is a feel good profit maker for them, but nothing more than a scam for the customer when it comes time to pay.
My boss quit buying insurance, and turned out to be $$ ahead even if he had to eat a loss.

 

[epc308]

Couple words of caution.

1. With UPS and FEDEX you are not buying insurance. You are buying additional declared value. Read the receipts. There is a difference.

2. Both have explicit written instructions on how to package firearms. 2" solid foam all the way around is the norm. You need to follow their instructions. They have grounds to deny if you do not follow the requirements.

3. Both consider manufacturers original shipping boxes as "one time use" only.

4. If you use a 3rd party shipper such as a Mail Box, they have the claim not you!! You have to give all your documentation to them and let them file the claim and hopefully they are as passionate about your money as you are. Again, read the receipt they give you.

5. IF there is damage, have the receiver maintain all original shipping boxes, wrapping, foam etc and ask the shipper in writing (UPS/FEDEX/USPS) to go see the packaging. Have the receiver take plenty of pics and send them to you. Hopefully, the receiver had the delivery person note damage etc at time of delivery.

6. All will want you to "prove" current value and they will try to depreciate that. You must have documentation of current replacement value.

7. They will routinely deny the claim saying you failed do to something they required or at best offer maybe 25% of declared value. Here is how to respond again in writing and this is why they only have $100 standard insurance and require the additional declared value be purchase.

Liability of shippers/carriers is controlled by the Carmack Amendment of 1906 to the Interstate Commerce Act which "makes carriers liable for the full actual loss, damage, or injury*** caused by them to property they transport and declares unlawful and void any contract, regulation or tariff, or other means of limiting liability. "

The statute codifies that a carrier is liable for damage to goods transported UNLESS it can show the damage was cause by one of the following exceptions allowed by law:

a. the act of God,
b. public enemy
c. the act of the shipper himself
d. Public Authority
e. the inherent vice or nature of the goods.

Those are the ONLY exceptions for the carrier. Since they cannot show any of those they are on the hook.

By the way, this was specifically upheld the US Supreme Court ruling in Missouri Pacific Railroad vs. Elmore & Stahl, (1964).. The above comments were taken from the Supreme Court decision.

"You can pay the claim or I will file a small claims case and then you will pay the claim, and my attorney fees and filing charges etc." (Most small claims courts do not require an attorney and pretty easy filing with minimal costs to file and have sheriff deliver claim to the shipper (UPS/FEDEX and 3rd party shipper etc.)

NOTE: Copy this statement and save it for later.

8. Depending on how you shipped it, if they deny the claim you can sue either the shipper or 3rd party in small claims court and win with above statement and copy of the US Supreme Court decision which can be downloaded. That makes your case simple normally as they cannot fight a Supreme Court decision. Just give the judge a copy of the decision to back up your claim.

9. Note also that 3rd party shippers often do not buy additional declared value from the shipper (UPS/FEDEX). They carry private insurance that makes filing a claim even harder. Then you are suing the shipping company, the 3rd party shipper and his insurance so you have 3 defendants.

Been there and done that.

Read the supreme court decision and file a small claims court claim. Bet they pay before court date. I have had to do this twice and they paid both times before I filed.

I once filed in small claims court and won, but couldn't ever collect....
The last paragraph of the 4 page application stated that the guilty party can't/won't be forced by the court to pay, and you may need to seek the services of an attorney, or something to that effect. In other words, exactly what you are trying to avoid.
Being the PO, they may not want to go to court to have their nose smeared in the poo.

 

[hicap40]

apple airtag those babies, cheap and whoever you send the firearm to can mail it back to yu


johnny

 

[DngBat7]

apple airtag those babies, cheap and whoever you send the firearm to can mail it back to yu


johnn

Lol. That’s a great idea!!

 

[TIMO]

ATTN: Officer in Charge
Jennifer DeBoer-Horrocks
117 S Idaho St
Dillon, MT 59725

ATTN: Postmaster
Joel Eighorn
117 S Idaho St
Dillon, MT 59725

ATTN: HOTLINE
USPS OIG
1735 North Lynn Street
Arlington, VA 22209-2020

Yes,
and don't forget to burn up the email and phone lines to your Congressional Representatives. Beat on the BATF door as well.
I hope you can get this resolved.
Tim

 

[wedgy]

My guess is that Alex does not have the time to pursue this any longer just throwing more time at it, and time is money. If someone with experience and time were to pursue it for him and get some free build work is the only way I see this going any further. I would offer if I had either of the two.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

@Alex Wheeler any chance the barreled action went missing in Memphis? I've had more stuff go missing at the Memphis hub than I care to count. As soon as I file a claim it miraculously shows up.

No it was in Mt.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

We are going to appeal one more time, I already have ordered replacement parts. I have enough on my plate that I do not have time to push it any farther.

 

[TIMO]

I believe if Alex wanted to, he could start at the first name and work his way up through the PO Hierarchy, then onto local political figures, etc. and likely be reimbursed at the least. After all, it is our tax money they would use.

But it isn't only about time. It would be an emotional headache to fight if you had to go too far with it, and through too many people. Sometimes you have to sit back, figure out the costs and loss, and decide if it is worth the drain.

I'd like to see people in this position get their satisfaction and just results, but I can't fault them if they decide it isn't worth it. You can't always put a price on mental health.

RKS,
I see what your saying, I have been that squeaky wheel in the past and it did pay off. Not with USPS but other gov't entities. I can have that mental drain on a person over time.

Tim

 

[Michael Huebner]

Well, usps finally lost a barreled action. This is the first time they have ever lost anything I have shipped. It was insured for $1500. We submitted the claim with as much evidence and reciepts as possible. Denied, they want to gove me $100. Appeal was aslo denied. We spent $18k in shipping last year. Insurance is almost half of that. I dont see a point in insurance going forward. I will probably start self insuring and just eat this one.

We are going to appeal one more time, I already have ordered replacement parts. I have enough on my plate that I do not have time to push it any farther.

Alex,
So they are saying it was never insured and they will give you $100 for the free insurance under Priority Mail.
I assume you have the receipt which shows you paid for $1500 value? If you have receipt they cannot deny claim.

600.01 - 5,000.00 (maximum liability is $5,000)

$11.50 plus $1.75 per $100.00 or fraction thereof

You should have a receipt for $27.25 for the insurance?

 

[kmcdonou]

Although this doesn't help Alex now or maybe not at all as a business owner, but for everyone else, if you get firearm insurance, which I just did through Collectibles Insurance Services, I am covered up to my policy limit for losses in shipping under the following conditions. These conditions seem reasonable, even if they likely add to the shipping costs.

Shipping Requirements
The following Sublimits shown in the Declarations, apply to worldwide shipments of Covered Property, that require the signature of the recipient:

The Class 1 Signature Required Shipment Sublimit applies to shipments by:

• USPS Registered or Express mail, including USPS and non-USPS postal equivalents;
• Delivery or courier services such as FedEx, Airborne Express, DHL,TNT, other than United Parcel Service; or
• Any air freight carrier; or
• Any armored car service.

This Sublimit does not apply to Covered Property going to or returning from any "Collectible Exhibition".

The Class 2 Signature Required Shipment Sublimit applies to shipments by:

• USPS Insured Mail, Certified Mail, and Signature Confirmation(but not Delivery Confirmation)Mail including USPS and non-USPS postal equivalents; or
• United Parcel Service.

 

[dcali]

Well, usps finally lost a barreled action. This is the first time they have ever lost anything I have shipped. It was insured for $1500. We submitted the claim with as much evidence and reciepts as possible. Denied, they want to gove me $100. Appeal was aslo denied. We spent $18k in shipping last year. Insurance is almost half of that. I dont see a point in insurance going forward. I will probably start self insuring and just eat this one.

Sadly, self insurance is the way to go. When you add up how much stuff they have to lose to come out ahead, it's just easier and cheaper to eat it.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Adding a "tracker" to your package sounds like the way to go.
Finding the package and doing something about it is something altogether different. Trackers on cars usually gets your car back.
A tracked barreled rifle assembly???

 

[LarryDScott]

Well, usps finally lost a barreled action. This is the first time they have ever lost anything I have shipped. It was insured for $1500. We submitted the claim with as much evidence and reciepts as possible. Denied, they want to gove me $100. Appeal was aslo denied. We spent $18k in shipping last year. Insurance is almost half of that. I dont see a point in insurance going forward. I will probably start self insuring and just eat this one.

Alex contact you area congressman, you will eventually get your money. I have been there. LDS