posted on November 26, 2002 04:48:02 PM new
I went to mail a postcard today and said I needed $50.00 Insurance and the Post OFfice refused to insure the card. I have insured these (in a rigid photo mailer) for 4 years with no problems. Never had to make a claim though. I was informed that the Post OFfice will NOT insure paper of any type. I'm interested in how other postcard dealers handle this situation or if they are able to insure in some other way. Thanks for your help!
Provides coverage against loss or damage up to $5,000 for Parcel Post, Bound Printed Matter, and Media Mail matter as well as merchandise mailed at Priority Mail or First-Class Mail rates. Items must not be insured for more than their value. Insured mail must be presented to a retail employee at a post office or to a rural carrier.
For an additional fee, insured mail may be combined with Delivery Confirmation, parcel airlift service (PAL), Signature Confirmation, or special handling. For items insured for more than $50, restricted delivery and return receipt service are also available. The amount of insurance coverage for loss will be the actual value, less depreciation. No claim payments are made for sentimental losses or for any expenses incurred as a result of the loss.
posted on November 26, 2002 05:00:44 PM new
I had one postal clerk say that but she went and checked with a supervisor and they did go ahead and insure it, but only for $12.00 which is what my bidder paid.
If they say they don't insure any paper items then that would include movie posters as well? I know some of those go for hundreds so surely they will insure them.
I will follow the thread to see if anyone else knows.
posted on November 26, 2002 05:14:14 PM new
You got an idiot at the PO. Of course you can insure it. My husband buys rare and one of a kind photos and negatives all of the time and I always pay for and get insurance. You'll hear a lot of inconsistent things from counter clerks. Sometimes I think they make it up as they go. You just have to do what robertsmithson does and go to the USPS website, look it up and in your case print it to wave under their noses.
posted on November 26, 2002 05:26:29 PM new
Why do you have to declare what you are insuring? They don't ask for that information on the insurance forms?
posted on November 26, 2002 06:01:20 PM new
PO does insure paper items. The clerk was wrong. I sell music books and other books and sheet music, all are paper products, that go Media Mail, First Class and Priority. Have sold and insured inside the USA and All Over the World. Good Luck..
posted on November 26, 2002 06:11:24 PM new
This is just the case of another uninformed Postal Clerk. There are so many outthere it
is unbelieveable. They insure sports cards because I bought one and had insurance put on it. Now your card isn't covered and what if something happens to it. You know darn well confronting that clerk he/she will plead the 5th.
posted on November 27, 2002 09:21:18 AM new
Even if you insure it for $50.00 - if there is a loss or damage, it will only be covered for the amount the bidder paid. That is the item's value in the eyes of the PO.
Determining the value of printed matter can be very subjective. I once worked at the bus depot, and we had a customer claim insurance on 100 pages she had sent and had been lost. She had photocopied the pages at the courthouse where they charge a ridiculous $1.00/page for photocopying, so in her mind the papers were worth $100. Greyhound doesn't insure printed matter at all, so she was out that money either way. Even if they had honoured the claim, it is unlikely they would have seen the value as being $100, especially when most copy shops in the are charge .10/page.
posted on November 27, 2002 10:02:18 AM new
I am amazed that the clerk was so dumb. I have mailed postage stamps & have insured them for the selling value, although sometimes they are really worth more. I have never been asked what I was insuring, except if I send a large pkg., they ask if it has any thing hazaedous etc. in it. As far as insuring value, the cost is the same for any amount up to $50.00.
