- Joined
- Apr 3, 2011
- Messages
- 5,811
Wanted to post up a glowing review of stamps.com's decision to use PIP insurance. If you have used my services before you are likely aware that I refuse to use USPS insurance unless requested, and rather go with PIP as a default.
Many do not know that they have this option when shipping through stamps.com (yes, for an account it's about $15/month) so I have many customers that just refuse to get insurance at all (which is unwise imho).
I have had 2 experiences w/ USPS damaging or completely losing a package. In both instances I had used PIP insurance and got paid within a month w/ no hassle. On the most recent claim I had several knives in the package, being returned to a customer (over $3k worth) but my customer only wanted $1k insurance so that was all I got. I did ship with sig confirmation.
Turns out that my customer was out of town on the deliver date (he lives in an apt) and USPS allowed someone else to sign for the package - my customer never received the package at a huge loss. Apparently USPS had been having a lot of subs working over the summer and several people had high value items stolen out of the mail somehow. Not sure all of the details since I didn't investigate it myself, but apparently the security cameras show the USPS driver not even having delivered any packages in the office that day.
Anyway, I filed with PIP, basically emailing them the required documents along with the invoice for my customer. A week later I had a check for about $273 and was wondering what happened to the rest of the $$! I called and found out that they are used to working with merchants who sell products, not those who offer services. I explained that I had insured the value of the knives, not the work (which I believe they were perfectly fine covering) to which they responded to just email them some documentation with current market values - which I did. Less than 2 weeks later I had the remaining $727 w/ no questions asked.
Contrast this with USPS - I filed a claim with them as well just to try to get the $50 min to add it to the $1k for my customer. They denied the claim, and the appeal I made, because they stated that the package was showing as delivered.
So coupled w/ our amazing mail lady (who picks up from the house daily) - I have a winning combo to be certain!!
Many do not know that they have this option when shipping through stamps.com (yes, for an account it's about $15/month) so I have many customers that just refuse to get insurance at all (which is unwise imho).
I have had 2 experiences w/ USPS damaging or completely losing a package. In both instances I had used PIP insurance and got paid within a month w/ no hassle. On the most recent claim I had several knives in the package, being returned to a customer (over $3k worth) but my customer only wanted $1k insurance so that was all I got. I did ship with sig confirmation.
Turns out that my customer was out of town on the deliver date (he lives in an apt) and USPS allowed someone else to sign for the package - my customer never received the package at a huge loss. Apparently USPS had been having a lot of subs working over the summer and several people had high value items stolen out of the mail somehow. Not sure all of the details since I didn't investigate it myself, but apparently the security cameras show the USPS driver not even having delivered any packages in the office that day.
Anyway, I filed with PIP, basically emailing them the required documents along with the invoice for my customer. A week later I had a check for about $273 and was wondering what happened to the rest of the $$! I called and found out that they are used to working with merchants who sell products, not those who offer services. I explained that I had insured the value of the knives, not the work (which I believe they were perfectly fine covering) to which they responded to just email them some documentation with current market values - which I did. Less than 2 weeks later I had the remaining $727 w/ no questions asked.
Contrast this with USPS - I filed a claim with them as well just to try to get the $50 min to add it to the $1k for my customer. They denied the claim, and the appeal I made, because they stated that the package was showing as delivered.
So coupled w/ our amazing mail lady (who picks up from the house daily) - I have a winning combo to be certain!!