posted on December 17, 2000 03:29:36 PM new
I sent an item to bidder in a priority box. The glue on the inside of the box damaged the item that is card stock type paper. I had to refund the bidder for this item and although I insured it, she made no offers to file a claim to recoup her funds and I had to send her the refund. Does it matter who files the claim and also, can it be filed at any post office or at the one that the insurance was purchased. I know that my p.o. is not easy to deal with when filing a claim, so I'm tempted to let it go but I would like to recoup this money. I've never filed an insurance claim before. Only one other occasion that a bidder said glass arrived broken, she filed the claim w/o any problem. Any suggestions. Thanks.
posted on December 17, 2000 07:16:53 PM new
Hello HarvestMoon,
USPS insurance claims for damaged items must be initiated by the receiver. They take the item and the complete original packaging to the post office and fill out some paperwork.
If the claim is not rejected then ultimately you (as the insurer) would receive paperwork to complete the claims process and receive the money.
Without the original packaging the post office probably will not even consider the claim.
In the future, if someone indicates they received an insured item and it was damaged, you should tell them to immediately take the item and the packaging to the post office to get the claim started.
Since you refunded the buyer's money have you requested that they return the damaged item to you?
posted on December 17, 2000 08:50:55 PM new
Actually, either party can initiate the claim.
The post office must have the package in question, as well as the insurance receipt and some sort of invoice.
The buyer cannot file the claim without the paperwork, so is dependent on the seller's sending it.
The seller, however, can initiate the claim on the basis of the paperwork. The seller's post office will fill out a claim form, attach the insurance receipt and invoice. I'm not sure if the buyer received all the paperwork, or merely a copy of the claim form, but whichever, the buyer then takes the paperwork he/she has received, along with the package, to his/her post office and the claim is settled.
Have only had 2 claims...one was done one way, and one the other.
posted on December 18, 2000 05:21:37 AM new
Either one can do it. I received a damaged item and at the sellers request sent it back. She refunded my money and A few weeks later I got a form in the mail from the PO to sign and send back. It was just to verify that I actually received the item and that it was damaged.
posted on December 18, 2000 12:42:11 PM new
Thanks for the feedback. Yes, I did receive the item back, but did throw out the priority box it was returned in. I'm not even sure if the box used to return the item was the same one that the item was received damaged in. I guess I'm ???? out of luck since I do not have original pkg.
posted on December 18, 2000 03:56:02 PM new
I'm not sure the PO would pay this claim anyway, since the insurance coverage doesn't apply to damage due to improper packing, just damage due to mishandling. If the damage was from the glue on the Priority box, it seems to me that the damage occurred during the packing process, rather than during shipping.
