USPS disgust….

[338 dude]

Yep insured to $700.00 and received $318.90 back. Hard lesson learned on this one.

I had a problem when I sold a BR 2500 rangefinder. I insured it for $750 which is what I sold it for, it was broken when the buyer received it. After 4 1/2 months of pure hell I only received a payment with help from my local postmaster! at first I received a lowball settlement just as you did, and was told they figured depreciation.I hate the post office!

 

[ARlife4me]

Well, looks like peeps need to insure for 10x the amount! Just like having a new vehicle totalled out and getting less than what you paid for it (your fault or not). Even at a 5yo vehicle you couldn't replace it for another of the same spec and same year. Most likely it'll have 2x the mileage than your's.

 

[Muddyboots]

What USPS DOES NOT tell you is their insurance is based upon the article value not replacement value. I emphasized their language. If it was new you have good basis for replacement with receipt of proof of purchase. If item is considered "used", they will pro rate it unless you can validate the used value somehow.

Scroll down to "proof of value".

https://faq.usps.com/s/article/Domestic-Claims-The-Basics#What_is_Proof_of_Value

What is proof of value?

Proof of value proves an item's value or any required repair costs. Either the mailer or the addressee must submit acceptable proof to establish the cost or value of the merchandise at the time it was mailed. If you are filing your claim online, evidence may be uploaded or mailed in with your claim. Examples are:

1. A sales receipt, paid invoice or bill of sale, or statement of value from a reputable dealer.
2. Paid repair bills; if the claim is for partial damage, estimates of repair costs or appraisals from a reputable dealer. Repair costs may not exceed the original purchase price.
3. Receipt or invoice for the costs incurred to buy a surety bond required to reissue a lost item.
4. Receipt or invoice of costs incurred for the reconstruction of non-negotiable documents.
5. A copy of a credit card statement or other documentation indicating the amount paid.
6. For Internet transactions conducted through a Web-based payment network that offers payment services through a stored value account, provide a computer printout of the online transaction identifying the purchaser and seller, price paid, date of transaction, description of item purchased, and assurance that the transaction status is completed. The printout must clearly identify the Web-based payment network provider through which the Internet transaction was conducted.

 

[lyle2231]

So I used my local post office back on January 18th to ship a stock back to Mesa to open a barrel channel up. In the process USPS lost my stock. I have fought with them since the first part of February to either find it or reimburse me. After phone call after call after call and submitting a claim with the exact invoice and credit card statement they continued to deny my claim. Luckily I got a local postal worker to step in to see this through. Received a "reimbursement settlement" of HALF of my stock costs to replace! HALF! While half is better than nothing it still ****es me off to no end that they were responsible for the handling of my package to and from and THEY lost it! And I get is half of what my item is worth to replace! Just beware and spend a little extra on other carriers with your valuables!

I feel bad for you. Similar experience I bought a die off GB the man sent it, got a notification from PO went to pick it up, couldn't find it. Two months later got reimbursed but had to get seller involved as well.

 

[ImBillT]

That really sucks and I'm sorry.

Another forum I used to be on had a sticky thread begging sellers only to ship via USPS because loss/theft was so much higher via UPS and FedEx than USPS. I don't know if that still holds as that was quite a few years ago, but that's at least what was claimed at the time.

 

[TXTrained]

So I used my local post office back on January 18th to ship a stock back to Mesa to open a barrel channel up. In the process USPS lost my stock. I have fought with them since the first part of February to either find it or reimburse me. After phone call after call after call and submitting a claim with the exact invoice and credit card statement they continued to deny my claim. Luckily I got a local postal worker to step in to see this through. Received a "reimbursement settlement" of HALF of my stock costs to replace! HALF! While half is better than nothing it still ****es me off to no end that they were responsible for the handling of my package to and from and THEY lost it! And I get is half of what my item is worth to replace! Just beware and spend a little extra on other carriers with your valuables!

How much did you insure itn for?

 

[bigworm64]

So I used my local post office back on January 18th to ship a stock back to Mesa to open a barrel channel up. In the process USPS lost my stock. I have fought with them since the first part of February to either find it or reimburse me. After phone call after call after call and submitting a claim with the exact invoice and credit card statement they continued to deny my claim. Luckily I got a local postal worker to step in to see this through. Received a "reimbursement settlement" of HALF of my stock costs to replace! HALF! While half is better than nothing it still ****es me off to no end that they were responsible for the handling of my package to and from and THEY lost it! And I get is half of what my item is worth to replace! Just beware and spend a little extra on other carriers with your valuables!

I was very nervous about receiving my suppressor through USPS but they did great with it. I then had to send it in for warranty repairs and everything went smooth. I will not use UPS for any gun related item, next time Fed Ex will get my business. I had no idea you couldn't get reimbursed for what you insure it for! What's the purpose of putting a value on it? I could understand if you insure it for twice the value.

 

[CNY Yote Hunter]

I would assume it was stolen and not lost. It's hard to imagine a package the size of a stock go missing somehow, but I could see someone taking it. Being it is Federal, if you file a complaint for a possible stolen item I believe the feds have to step in and determine what happened to it. Mail fraud is most definitely a federal offense, if they would do it over a piece of paper I'd imagine they would do it for this as well. Just an idea…. Nothing worse than something coming up missing. On another note, we had a local trucking company lose a 14' long cylinder that weighed 780lbs once. That being said, if someone could lose that I guess they could lose anything lol! I hope you pursue this more, only because I feel like society has gotten beyond the point of giving up and giving in. I refuse to!!

 

[ncfireman83]

OP: sorry you only got half your value back. Keep trying. Sometimes I think they just try to wear us down. Guess we need to insure for twice the value.

USPS really only affordable option for regular guy to ship firearms. I did it once with them after UPS shut us out. Dreading the next time at USPS.

My local UPS driver agreed to accept a signed hand written note from me for deliveries requiring signatures. Worth asking so you don't hav to wait around all day although UPS gives pretty good delivery time windows whereas FedEX is terrible at tracking.

I ordered a custom catchers mitt for my daughter and after 6 six weeks it shipped. I have spoken to my rural mail carrier and told her it's fine to leave packages on my porch or at garage door and offered to leave a job box out there to drop packages in in the rare

What USPS DOES NOT tell you is their insurance is based upon the article value not replacement value. I emphasized their language. If it was new you have good basis for replacement with receipt of proof of purchase. If item is considered "used", they will pro rate it unless you can validate the used value somehow.

Scroll down to "proof of value".

https://faq.usps.com/s/article/Domestic-Claims-The-Basics#What_is_Proof_of_Value

What is proof of value?

Proof of value proves an item's value or any required repair costs. Either the mailer or the addressee must submit acceptable proof to establish the cost or value of the merchandise at the time it was mailed. If you are filing your claim online, evidence may be uploaded or mailed in with your claim. Examples are:

1. A sales receipt, paid invoice or bill of sale, or statement of value from a reputable dealer.
2. Paid repair bills; if the claim is for partial damage, estimates of repair costs or appraisals from a reputable dealer. Repair costs may not exceed the original purchase price.
3. Receipt or invoice for the costs incurred to buy a surety bond required to reissue a lost item.
4. Receipt or invoice of costs incurred for the reconstruction of non-negotiable documents.
5. A copy of a credit card statement or other documentation indicating the amount paid.
6. For Internet transactions conducted through a Web-based payment network that offers payment services through a stored value account, provide a computer printout of the online transaction identifying the purchaser and seller, price paid, date of transaction, description of item purchased, and assurance that the transaction status is completed. The printout must clearly identify the Web-based payment network provider through which the Internet transaction was conducted.

And I did have proof it was new and a document from Mesa showing their list price for the item

 

[thwatson2]

Don't settle…raise hell and Don't give in. call the insurance carrier that insured your package. They will probably pay you in full

 

[ncfireman83]

I would assume it was stolen and not lost. It's hard to imagine a package the size of a stock go missing somehow, but I could see someone taking it. Being it is Federal, if you file a complaint for a possible stolen item I believe the feds have to step in and determine what happened to it. Mail fraud is most definitely a federal offense, if they would do it over a piece of paper I'd imagine they would do it for this as well. Just an idea…. Nothing worse than something coming up missing. On another note, we had a local trucking company lose a 14' long cylinder that weighed 780lbs once. That being said, if someone could lose that I guess they could lose anything lol! I hope you pursue this more, only because I feel like society has gotten beyond the point of giving up and giving in. I refuse to!!

Yeah I'm willing to bet it was stolen not lost. At first they told me on return trips if the package is larger they may push it aside a bit for several smaller packages, I said lady I was shipping a 30"x4" box not a toilet! But with society the way it is it's come to the fact they take no pride in their work and it's not theirs so they could give two s*$ts what happens to it

 

[ncfireman83]

OP: sorry you only got half your value back. Keep trying. Sometimes I think they just try to wear us down. Guess we need to insure for twice the value.

USPS really only affordable option for regular guy to ship firearms. I did it once with them after UPS shut us out. Dreading the next time at USPS.

My local UPS driver agreed to accept a signed hand written note from me for deliveries requiring signatures. Worth asking so you don't hav to wait around all day although UPS gives pretty good delivery time windows whereas FedEX is terrible at tracking.

Just realized I stopped mid thought on my reply! We had a call at the station I guess. But the carrier left a note to pick my daughters mitt up at the local post office…. What??? So she never attempted to deliver it at all! When I called her out on it she just shrugged her shoulders and said some make it, some don't. I lost it! I told her she has 1 **** job and that's to deliver my mail whether it be in an envelope or box and if I lived her work philosophy people would die!

 

[Dr. Richard Gray]

Same as most on the forum, Fedx or UPS. Don't trust USPS with anything.

 

[Knight]

In the past I sent a Weatherby stock by UPS to a gunsmith in Michigan for a recoil pad replacement. The third and last time it was sent back for correction I packaged so the shipping box weighed more then the stock itself. The gunsmith was recommend by Weatherby and that was just one of the reasons I would never purchase a Weartherby again...