Domestic Claims
Customer Reference
Guide
Publication 122
September 2016
Publication 122
Domestic Claims: Customer Reference Guide
September 2016
USPS Trademarks
The following are among the many trademarks owned by the
United States Postal Service®:
First-Class Mail®, First-Class Package Service®, Media Mail®,
Parcel Select®, Parcel Select Lightweight®, PC Postage®, Post
Ofce™, Postal Explorer®, Postal Service™, Premium Forwarding
Service®, Priority Mail®, Priority Mail Express®, Priority Mail
Express Military®, Priority Mail Open and Distribute®, Registered
Mail™, Standard Mail®, USPS®, USPS Retail Ground™, USPS
Tracking®, USPS.com®, and ZIP Code™.
This is not a comprehensive list of all Postal Service™
trademarks.
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Contents
Introduction ................................ 1
Insurance Availability ......................... 1
Shipping Services With Insurance Included
for Most Packages ......................... 1
Extra Services With Insurance Included
for Most Packages ......................... 2
Services for Which Insurance May Be Purchased .... 2
Filing a Claim ............................... 3
Timeline for Filing Claims ...................... 4
How to File a Domestic Claim .................. 5
Filing Online ................................ 5
Filing by Mail ............................... 6
Required Documentation and Information ........ 6
Overview .................................. 6
Proof of Damage or Missing Contents ............. 6
Proof of Value, Replacement, or Repair Costs ....... 6
Evidence of Insurance and Proof of Purchase ....... 7
Payable Claims .............................. 8
Claims for Priority Mail Express —
Nonnegotiable Documents ..................... 11
Nonpayable Claims ........................... 13
Inquiries on Registered Mail With No
Declared Value .............................. 16
Who May File ............................... 16
How to File ................................. 16
Claims Adjudication ......................... 17
Appealing a Denied Claim Decision .............. 17
First Appeal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Second Appeal .............................. 18
Compensation ............................... 19
Depreciation ................................ 19
Insufcient Fee .............................. 19
Loss ....................................... 20
Dual Claim .................................. 20
Incompetent or Deceased Payee ................ 20
Recovered Article ............................ 20
Frequently Asked Questions ................... 21
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Introduction
You may le a claim for a package that is lost or that
was delivered with damaged or missing contents if
you mailed the package with any of the following
services:
a. Insurance.
b. Collect on Delivery (COD).
c. Registered Mail with any declared value.
d. Priority Mail Express.
e. Priority Mail.
Insurance Availability
Shipping Services With Insurance Included
for Most Packages
The Postal Service includes insurance for the following
items:
a. Priority Mail Express service, which includes up to
$100 insurance. (See the Note below.)
b. Priority Mail service, which includes up to
$50insurance for most retail packages, and
$100insurance for most commercial packages.
(See the Note below.)
Note: To qualify for insurance, Priority Mail Express
and Priority Mail items must bear a tracking
barcode (available from a retail unit or PC Postage).
Priority Mail pieces meeting the requirements
to qualify for insurance, but not supported by a
Shipping Services le, must have a full acceptance
scan to qualify for automatic insurance coverage.
Insurance coverage is not available for Priority
Mail pieces mailed with the following services:
Merchandise Return Service, Priority Mail Open and
Distribute, or Premium Forwarding Service.
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Extra Services With Insurance Included for
Most Packages
The Postal Service includes insurance for the following
extra services items:
a. Collect on Delivery (COD), up to the amount to be
collected (maximum coverage: $1,000).
b. Registered Mail, up to the declared value of the
shipment (maximum coverage: $50,000 limit).
Services for Which Insurance May Be
Purchased
You may also purchase insurance, up to $5,000, when
using any of the following services:
a. USPS Retail Ground.
b. Standard Mail parcels (excluding Marketing
Parcels bulk insurance only).
c. Media Mail.
d. First-Class Mail.
e. First-Class Package Service.
f. Parcel Select.
g. Parcel Select Lightweight (bulk insurance only).
h. Priority Mail Express.
i. Priority Mail.
j. Bound Printed Matter.
k. Library Mail.
If an insured package (article) is lost or is delivered
with damaged or missing contents, the Postal Service
will reimburse you for the value of the article and the
contents at the time of mailing or for the repair costs,
up to the applicable amount of USPS insurance. If
only the outer packaging is submitted with the claim,
indemnity is limited to $50 for COD, $100 for insured,
$100 for Registered Mail, and $100 for Priority Mail
Express. See DMM 609.3.1.b.
See also exceptions in the “Nonpayable Claims”
section of this document.
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Filing a Claim
Exhibit 1 notes the types of claims and who may le a
claim.
Exhibit 1
Filing a Claim
Type of Claim Who May Make
a Claim
Comments
Damaged Articles The mailer or
addressee
n/a
Content Missing The mailer or
addressee
n/a
Lost Article The mailer or
addressee
The claimant is the
person who is in
possession of the
original retail mailing
receipt, the online label
record, or the computer
printout of the Web-
based application used
to print the label and
purchase or qualify for
the insurance.
Merchandise
Return Service —
Permit
Only the
merchandise
return permit
holder
The permit holder must
have registered or
insured these articles
as indicated by the
permit holder on the
MRS label.
Merchandise
Return Service —
Insurance
Only the mailer The mailer must have
added and paid for
insurance.
COD — eVS Only the mailer The mailer must have
paid for insurance
by using eVS
requirements.
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Timeline for Filing Claims
Exhibit 2 lists the valid time limits for ling claims for
lost articles and for articles delivered with damage or
with the contents missing.
Exhibit 2
Time Limits for Filing Claims
Important: Read the following table about time limits before ling
a claim or inquiry.
Damaged or Missing Contents is dened as any mailing that has
been received but some or all of the contents are damaged or
missing.
A Lost Article is dened as any mailing that has not been received
and has not been returned to the sender.
Damaged
and/or
Missing
Contents
Customers may le claims for damaged and/or
missing contents immediately, but no later than
60days from the date of mailing.
Lost
Articles
Mail Type or Service When to File (from
mailing date)
No Sooner
Than
No Later
Than
Priority Mail Express 7 days 60 days
Priority Mail Express
Collect on Delivery
15 days 60 days
Registered Mail 15 days 60 days
Registered Mail
Collect on Delivery
15 days 60 days
Priority Mail and Other
Insured Mail
15 days 60 days
Collect on Delivery 15 days 60 days
APO/FPO Priority Mail
Express Military
21 days 180 days
APO/FPO/DPO Insured
Mail and Registered
Mail (Priority Mail, First-
Class Mail, SAM, or PAL)
45 days 1 year
APO/FPO/DPO Insured
Mail (Surface Only)
75 days 1 year
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How to File a Domestic Claim
Filing Online
You can le a domestic claim online at www.usps.
com/domestic-claims for packages covered by USPS
insurance as described in the “Insurance Availability”
section. The online claims process allows you to
electronically upload .pdf and .jpg les as the required
supporting documentation for a claim.
You can save entered information without submitting
it for up to 3 days. After 3 days, the data you entered
will no longer be available.
There are eight easy steps to le a claim online:
1. Go to www.usps.com/domestic-claims.
2. Sign in to the Online Claims site with your
USPS.com user name and password. New users
can register for a user name and password at
www.usps.com.
3. Enter the Tracking/Label Number and shipping
date.
4. Enter the address information and claim details.
5. Select the reason for ling a claim.
6. Upload proof of value, such as a receipt
of purchase (upload .pdf and .jpg les as
attachments).
7. If required, enter insurance fees and upload
evidence of insurance (e.g., a mailing receipt)
using a .pdf or .jpg attachment.
8. Review your claim information and submit it.
You must keep evidence of insurance until the claim is
resolved.
If the insured, registered, or COD article is lost, and if
the claim is paid, the Postal Service also reimburses
the mailer for the amount of the postage paid.
For technical assistance with the online Web-based
system, please contact the Internet Customer Care
Center at 800-344-7779.
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Filing by Mail
If you are unable to le a claim online, you may le a
claim by mail. Call 800-ASK-USPS (800-275-8777)
to request the Postal Service to mail a domestic
claim form to you. When you receive the form, then
complete it and mail it to the address on the form with
all required supporting documentation.
Required Documentation and
Information
Overview
You must provide the following information to le a
claim for loss, damage, or missing contents:
a. Proof of damage or missing contents.
b. Proof of value, replacement, or repair costs.
c. Evidence of insurance and proof of purchase.
Proof of Damage or Missing Contents
Until the claim is resolved, retain the mailing container
including any damaged items, the wrappings,
packaging, and any contents that were received.
Do not return or reship the item. The Postal Service
may request more information or documentation to
process your claim. Upon written request from the
Postal Service, you must present the mailed article
and all wrappings, labels, and available contents for
inspection at a Post Ofce. Failure to do so will result
in denial of the claim.
Proof of Value, Replacement, or Repair
Costs
Proof of cost or value of the article at the time it
was mailed is required in order for the claim to
be processed. Either the mailer or the addressee
must submit acceptable proof to establish the cost
or value of the article at the time it was mailed.
The Postal Service may request additional proof to
help determine an accurate value. Be prepared to
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provide an estimate of repair by a reputable dealer (if
applicable). (For a complete list, see DMM 609.3.2.)
When ling online, you must upload a sales receipt
or paid invoice (using a .pdf or .jpg attachment). If
mailing your claim, include in your mailing a copy of
the sales receipt or paid invoice.
You may use any of the following as proof of value:
a. A sales receipt, paid invoice, or paid bill of sale.
Note: Indemnity may be limited if you present only
the packaging without the original mailing or sales
receipt.
b. A copy of the credit card billing statement
indicating the amount paid.
c. A copy of the front and back of a canceled check
used to pay for the item.
d. A copy of the money order receipt if the money
order was used to pay for the item.
e. The nal or complete transaction sheet indicating
the amount deducted from an Internet account to
pay for the item.
f. Estimates of repair costs from a reputable dealer,
or paid repair bills. A reputable dealer is dened
as a licensed business owner who is qualied
to estimate value or cost of repairs for the item.
We will not cover repair costs above the original
purchase price.
g. Receipt or invoice of costs incurred for the
reconstruction of nonnegotiable documents.
We will not pay more than $100 for document
replacement.
Evidence of Insurance and Proof of
Purchase
You can provide the mailing label number as evidence
of insurance and proof of purchase. The label number
(or tracking or article number) is stated on the sales
slip, extra service receipt, online label record, or
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package label. (For the complete list, see DMM
609.3.1.)
The printed online label record must clearly identify
the following information:
a. The USPS Tracking number of the insured parcel.
b. The total postage paid.
c. The insurance fee paid.
d. The declared value.
e. The declared mailing or shipping date.
f. The origin ZIP Code and delivery ZIP Code, or a
printed online label record.
For Priority Mail Express COD claims, you must
provide both the original Priority Mail Express receipt
and the COD receipt; for Registered Mail COD claims,
you must provide both the original Registered Mail
receipt and the COD receipt.
Payable Claims
Listed below are the payable insurance claims for
lost, damaged, or missing contents of insured mail,
Registered Mail, or COD mail, within the amount
covered by the fee paid, or within the indemnity limits
for Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail service:
a. Actual value of lost articles at the time and place
of mailing.
b. Cost of repairing a damaged article or replacing
an irreparably damaged article, not exceeding the
actual value of the article at the time of mailing.
c. Remittance due on a COD parcel not received by
the mailer, subject to the limitations set by the
standards for COD service.
d. Reasonable costs incurred for duplicating
documents, including the following:
1) Copying services.
2) Notary fees.
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3) Bonding fees for replacement of stock or bond
certicates.
4) Reasonable attorney’s fees if required to
replace the lost or damaged documents.
5) Other direct and necessary expenses or costs,
as determined by the Postal Service.
6) The face value of negotiable documents (i.e.,
nancial instruments payable to bearer) that
cannot be reconstructed, up to the amount of
insurance coverage bought or included.
Note: For Registered Mail service, the
maximum amount of insurance coverage
available is $50,000.
e. Extra costs of gift wrapping, if the gift-wrapped
article was enclosed in another container when
mailed.
f. The cost of an outer container, if the outer
container was designed and constructed for the
article sent.
g. The value of collectible items as substantiated by
one of the following:
1) Sales receipt.
2) Paid Invoice or paid bill of sale.
3) Statement of value from a reputable dealer.
Note: A reputable dealer is dened as a
licensed business owner who is qualied to
estimate value or cost of repairs for the item.
h. The fair market value for collectible stamps of
philatelic value or for coins of numismatic value,
determined as follows:
1) The fair market value is determined by a
recognized stamp or coin dealer or current
coin and stamp collectors’ newsletters and
trade papers.
2) The date of the determined fair market value
must be the most recent available (but before
the mailing date).
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i. Federal, state, or city sales tax paid on articles lost
or totally damaged.
j. Postage (not fee) paid for sending damaged
articles for repair. (When sending damaged articles
for repair, you must use the Postal Service, if
available; if not available, you may include other
reasonable transportation charges.)
k. Costs of lm stock or blank tapes for photographic
lm, negatives, slides, transparencies, videotapes,
laser disks, x-rays, magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) prints, computerized axial tomography (CAT)
scan prints, etc.
l. Cost of bees, crickets, or baby poultry or birds
destroyed by physical damage to the package or
delay for which the Postal Service is responsible.
m. For bulk insured articles, the lesser of (1) the
actual value of the article at the time of mailing,
or (2) the wholesale cost of the contents to the
mailer.
n. For currency or bullion, a maximum of $15.
Exception: For items sent by Registered Mail
service, the Postal Service provides payment
for the included insurance coverage, based on
declared value, up to the maximum amount of
$50,000.
o. For a rearm mailed by a licensed rearms dealer
(under DMM 601.8.0 and Publication 52), the
dealer must submit a PS Form 1508, Statement by
Shipper of Firearms, with the claim.
Note: If the insured mail, Registered Mail, or COD
article is lost, the payment includes an additional
amount for the postage (not fee) paid by the
mailer.
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Claims for Priority Mail Express —
Nonnegotiable Documents
Nonnegotiable documents (e.g., title instruments such
as an air waybill, legal notice, crossed check, or other
such instrument that may not be transferred from the
holder or named party to another individual or entity)
sent by Priority Mail Express service are insured
against loss, damage, or missing contents while in
transit, but coverage is limited to $100 per piece (the
unit on which postage is paid), subject to a maximum
dollar limit per occurrence as noted in item c(2) below.
Nonnegotiable documents include audit and business
records, medical records, transcripts, and other similar
documents that have no immediate cash value.
Note: Articles that are considered merchandise
(rather than nonnegotiable documents) may be
eligible for compensation as merchandise, but are not
eligible for compensation under this section. Articles
considered merchandise include artwork, collector
or antique items, books, pamphlets, readers’ proofs,
repro proofs, separation negatives, engineering
drawings, blueprints, circulars, advertisements, lm,
negatives, and photographs. Legal documents (e.g.,
notices, pleadings, bond instruments, etc.) are not
merchandise.
When submitting a claim for document reconstruction
insurance, you must support the claim with a
statement of expense incurred in reconstruction.
The following issues pertain to claims for
nonnegotiable documents sent by Priority Mail Express
service:
a. Indemnity for document reconstruction is paid as
follows:
1) For reasonable costs incurred in the
reconstruction of the exact duplicate of a lost
or damaged nonnegotiable document.
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2) For reasonable reconstruction expenses
incurred or obligated between the time of
guaranteed or scheduled delivery and actual
delivery.
3) For a loss sustained by the use of funds to
maintain cash balances during the period
of document reconstruction (based on the
applicable Federal Reserve discount price).
The period begins at the scheduled delivery
time and may not exceed 15 days.
b. Indemnity is not paid for the following issues:
1) For the cost of preparing the document mailed
or for the mailer’s time in preparing the
document mailed or reconstructed.
2) If copies of the lost documents are available
or, with the exception of the per-page copying
cost, if copies could have been made before
mailing.
c. For catastrophic losses of multiple Priority
Mail Express items, such as from a major re,
indemnity is limited to $5,000, regardless of the
number of Priority Mail Express items, or the
identity or number of customers involved, as
follows:
1) Each claim resulting from a catastrophic loss
is rst adjudicated individually.
2) If the preliminary adjudication exceeds
$5,000, the percentage of the sum
represented by each individual settlement
is applied to the $5,000 to determine
each claimant’s pro rata share of the nal
settlement, not to exceed $100 per piece.
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Nonpayable Claims
The following conditions justify the denial of a claim:
a. No evidence of insurance coverage is provided.
b. The mail does not bear the complete names
and addresses of the mailer and addressee,
or is undeliverable as addressed to either the
addressee or the mailer.
c. The loss, damage, or missing contents occurred in
either of the following circumstances:
■
After delivery by the Postal Service, including
when the item was signed for by the
addressee’s agent or the delivery employee (if
authorized under the applicable standards).
■
After the Postal Service transferred the article
to another carrier or agent to complete the
delivery.
d. The loss, damage, or missing contents was
caused by employees or agents of the sender or
addressee.
e. The claim is based on the mailer’s or addressee’s
failure to follow the required procedures, including
in the following circumstances:
■
The mailer or addressee failed to cooperate in
the completion of required claim forms within
the published time limits.
■
After the adjudication of the claim, the mailer
or addressee did not, within the time limits
specied in the Postal Operations Manual,
collect items that had previously been
submitted to the Postal Service for retention
until the adjudication of the claim.
f. Items were sent COD without the addressee’s
consent.
g. The mailer refused to accept delivery of the parcel
on return.
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h. Perishable contents melted, spoiled, froze, or
deteriorated.
i. Damage (such as abrasion, scarring, or scraping)
occurred because the article was not properly
wrapped for protection.
j. The fragile nature of the article prevented its safe
carriage in the mail, regardless of packaging.
k. The claim is for a nonmailable, prohibited, or
restricted item that was not prepared and mailed
according to postal standards, or for any item
packaged in such a manner that it could not have
reached its destination undamaged in the normal
course of the mail.
l. The requested replacement value exceeds the
actual value at the time and place of mailing.
m. The claim is based on any of the following:
■
Solely on sentimental value rather than actual
value.
■
On consequential loss rather than the actual
value of the article.
■
On a delay of the mail, except under DMM
609.4.2a2 and DMM 609.4.3a–d.
■
On consequence of the loss of a Priority Mail
Express item, except under DMM 609.4.2a2
and DMM 609.4.3a–d.
n. The claim concerns the following:
■
Lottery tickets, sweepstakes tickets, contest
entries, and similar items.
■
Gift cards.
■
Event tickets (e.g., tickets for a concert,
theater performance, sporting event, etc.)
or transportation tickets (e.g., tickets for an
airline, bus, train, etc.) that were received
after the date of the event or departure. Such
items are insured for loss, but not for delay
or for receipt after the date of the event or
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departure for which they were purchased,
unless the mailer used Priority Mail Express
service and the delay is attributable solely
to the Postal Service’s failure to meet the
guaranteed delivery standard under the terms
and conditions for the Priority Mail Express
service used.
o. The claim involves the contents of lm (e.g.,
positives, negatives, slides, transparencies,
videotapes, laser disks, x-rays, MRI prints,
CATscan prints), the cost of creating or
re-creating these items, or the photographer’s
time and expense in taking the photographs.
p. The claim is for either of the following:
■
Damage to a containerized item is caused by
shock, transportation environment, or x-ray,
but without evidence of damage to the mailing
container.
■
The claim is for radioactive injury, electrical
or magnetic injury, or erasure of electrical
recordings.
q. The claim concerns software installed on
computers that have been lost or damaged.
r. The claim is for the death of animals in any of the
following circumstances:
■
The death of baby poultry was caused by
shipment to points where delivery could
not be made within 72 hours from the time
of hatching, unless it is determined that
transportation was in place to achieve the
72-hour target.
■
The death of honeybees, crickets, and live
animals is not the fault of the Postal Service.
Note: The mailability of these insects and
animals is subject to Publication 52,
chapter 5.
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■
The claim concerns adult birds sent by
Priority Mail Express service when there is no
physical damage to the container.
s. The claim is for personal time as follows:
■
Personal time required to replace documents.
■
Personal time used to make hobby, craft, or
similar handmade items.
t. The article or part or all of its contents were
ofcially seized while in the military postal system
outside the United States.
u. The claim is based on the results of war,
insurrection, civil disturbance, or seizure by any
agency of government
Inquiries on Registered Mail With No
Declared Value
Who May File
Registered Mail service includes insurance except
for items with no declared value. Only the mailer or
a merchandise return service permit holder may le
an inquiry for Registered Mail items with no declared
value, and not until 15 days after the date of mailing
of the article.
How to File
Original Inquiry
An inquiry for a Registered Mail article with no
declared value must be led by entering the
article number at www.usps.com or by calling
800-222-1811.
Duplicate Inquiry
A duplicate inquiry may not be led sooner than
30days after the original inquiry.
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Initiating an Investigation
A postmaster who determines that there is no scan
data in the USPS Product Tracking System for a
Registered Mail article must notify the USPS Ofce of
Inspector General.
Claims Adjudication
USPS Accounting Services adjudicates the claim —
considering the facts of the claim including evidence
of insurance, proof of value, and evidence of damage
or missing contents — and determines whether to
uphold a claim in full, uphold a claim in part, or decline
a claim in full.
After receiving a completed online claim that
includes all required supporting documentation, the
Postal Service generally pays a payable claim within
5–7 business days.
Appealing a Denied Claim Decision
First Appeal
You may appeal a Postal Service decision for a denied
claim or partial payment within 30 calendar days from
the date of the original decision letter. Focus your
appeal on the reason why the Postal Service denied
the claim. As part of this appeal, you may attach
additional documentation to support your claim.
You must submit your appeal in the same manner as
you submitted your claim — either online or by mail:
Online: To appeal a decision for a denied claim or
partial payment that was originally submitted online,
you must submit your appeal online at www.usps.
com/domestic-claims.
By mail: To appeal a decision for a denied claim or
partial payment that was originally submitted by mail,
you must submit your appeal by mail. Include a copy
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of the denial letter. Submit your appeal to the following
address:
DOMESTIC CLAIMS APPEALS
US POSTAL SERVICE
ACCOUNTING SERVICES
PO BOX 80141
ST. LOUIS MO 63180-0141
Second Appeal
If the Postal Service denies your rst appeal, and if
you have additional evidence to substantiate your
denied claim, you can le a second appeal to the
Consumer Advocate at Postal Service Headquarters
within 30 days of the date of the rst appeal denial
letter. Focus your second appeal on the reasons why
the Postal Service denied the rst appeal or claim.
As part of this appeal, you may provide additional
documentation to support your claim.
You must submit your second appeal in the same
manner as you submitted your claim and your rst
appeal — either online or by mail:
Online: To appeal a decision for a denied claim or
partial payment that was originally submitted online,
you must submit your second appeal online at
www.usps.com/domestic-claims.
By mail: To appeal a decision for a denied claim
or partial payment that was originally submitted by
mail, you must submit your second appeal by mail.
Include a copy of the rst appeal denial letter. Submit
your second appeal to the Consumer Advocate at the
following address:
CONSUMER ADVOCATE
US POSTAL SERVICE
CLAIMS APPEALS
475 L’ENFANT PLZ SW
WASHINGTON DC 20260-2200
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Compensation
The Postal Service does not make payment for more
than the actual value of the article or, in the case of
bulk insurance, for more than the wholesale cost of
the contents to the mailer if the wholesale cost is
a lesser amount. The Postal Service does not make
payment for more than the maximum amount covered
by the fee paid.
Depreciation
The Postal Service depreciates a used article, either
lost or damaged, based on the life expectancy of the
article.
Insufcient Fee
If the Postal Service conrms that it incorrectly
charged the mailer a fee that was less than the
amount required to pay for the insurance coverage
requested at the time of mailing, the mailer may pay
the difference in order to receive the full indemnity
available if the Postal Service had charged the correct
fee. The Postal Service may pay the indemnity within
the limit xed for the higher fee; this applies only to
the insurance fee when the article is insured. The
mailer may not pay an additional fee to register an
article previously sent by insured mail, or to increase
the declared value on a Registered Mail article.
The declared value must already be noted on the
appropriate Registered Mail receipt: PS Form 3806,
Receipt for Registered Mail; PS Form 3813, Insured
Mail Receipt — Domestic Only — $500 and Under;
or PS Form 3813-P, Insured Mail Receipt — Domestic
Only — Over $500. The mailer must complete all
entries on the current edition of PS Form 3877, Firm
Mailing Book for Accountable Mail (or facsimile).
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Loss
If the Postal Service loses an insured, COD, or
Registered Mail article, then as part of the claims
process, we include postage (not fee) paid by the
mailer in the claim payment. We refund postage
for Priority Mail Express service as described in
DMM609.5.4
Dual Claim
If the mailer and the addressee both claim insurance
and cannot agree on which one should receive the
payment, the Postal Service pays any amount due to
the mailer, unless the Postal Service has already paid
the claim to the addressee who presented the original
mailing receipt.
Incompetent or Deceased Payee
If the payee is deceased or is legally incompetent or
incapacitated, the Postal Service pays any approved
claim to the payee’s legal representative. If there is
no legal representative, the Postal Service may make
payment at its discretion.
Recovered Article
If an article is recovered after the Postal Service has
paid a claim for an insured, COD, Registered Mail,
Priority Mail Express, or Priority Mail article that
it thought was lost, then we handle the matter as
follows:
■
If the article is undamaged, the payee may
reimburse the Postal Service and accept the
article.
■
If the article is damaged, depreciated, or is
missing contents, the payee may reimburse the
Postal Service in the amount set by the USPS
Consumer Advocate.
Publication 122
September 2016 | 21
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can the postage be reimbursed?
If the article was lost, you may request
reimbursement for postage paid when ling a
claim.
2. Are insurance fees reimbursed?
Insurance fees are not reimbursed. The fee covers
the cost of providing the insurance.
3. My claim was denied for Filing Tolerance, and
the denial letter instructed me to submit a PS
Form 3760, Package Search Request — what
should I do?
File an appeal (see the “Appealing a Denied
Claim Decision” section) and submit a copy of a
completed PS Form 3760.
4. Where can I nd information about the cost of
insurance?
To nd information about insurance fees, refer to
Notice 123, Price List, which is available on the
Postal Explorer site at http://pe.usps.com — under
“Prices,” click on Price List (Notice 123); under
“Domestic” and under “Services & Fees,” see
“Extra Services and Fees.”
5. How long does it take to receive payment for
an insurance claim?
After receiving a completed online claim that
includes all required supporting documentation for
a payable claim, the Postal Service generally pays
the claim within 5–7 business days.
6. If I sent a package to an APO/FPO/DPO address
in another country and the package was lost,
is my claim domestic or international?
An item sent to an APO/FPO/DPO is considered
domestic mail and therefore requires a domestic
claim.
Publication 122
22 | September 2016
7. I never received my package — where can
I nd the article/tracking number to le my
claim?
The article/tracking number is on the mailing
receipt. You might need to contact the mailer.
8. What if both the mailer and the addressee le
a claim for payment?
The Postal Service makes payment to the mailer
unless the mailer and addressee agree that the
addressee should receive payment.
9. What is the process to repay the Postal Service
when a claim has been paid but the package
was later delivered?
If you receive a package after being paid for the
claim, you must reimburse the Postal Service the
full amount that was paid. However, if you haven’t
yet cashed the check, you can return the check to
a local Post Ofce.
10. Does postal insurance cover gift cards that are
lost in the mail?
No, postal insurance does not cover the loss of
gift cards. Some gift card companies will replace
a lost card if it was registered with or purchased
directly from the company, and/or if you have a
purchase receipt or the gift card number. (For cash
and coins, see DMM 609.)
PSN 7610-03-000-9059
