USPS - Insurance & Signature Confirmation

gk4ever2

gk4ever2

Gold Member
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2,578
I learned something new about USPS shipments. I sold some knives recently and shipped them using Priority Mail, and insured each of them for around $400 or higher. It used to be when the insured value was that high then a signature was required (I think $200 was the point where this started).

I just received a knife in the mail yesterday that was insured for $400+, and the mailman left it in the mailbox without requiring a signature! When I sold the knives mentioned above, I thought there is no need to pay extra for a signature confirmation, when paying for insurance would accomplish the same thing – well, that's no longer true!

So, if you want a signature confirmation when using USPS to ship something, you have to specifically ask & pay extra for that!
 
I've had postal workers ignore signature requests and leave things unsigned and on the porch.

I've also had them leave "sorry we missed you" cards in the mailbox while I stood on the porch waiting for my mail, walked to the mailbox immediately after he pulled to the next mailbox, saw the failed delivery notice, and asked him for my package.

You can't expect professional behavior from these people.
 
Demon613 said:
I've had postal workers ignore signature requests and leave things unsigned and on the porch.

I've also had them leave "sorry we missed you" cards in the mailbox while I stood on the porch waiting for my mail, walked to the mailbox immediately after he pulled to the next mailbox, saw the failed delivery notice, and asked him for my package.

You can't expect professional behavior from these people.
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Ive had similar problems with usps. Once I bought nano oil from gpkknives, was around 20 bucks for a tiny bottle of it but I heard t was good stuff so I said what the hell, why not.
Wasn't able to get mail in time and i guess the mail lady put it into the wrong mailbox...(theres three in a row)
I complained to usps but they said theres nothing they could do because it was marked delivered at correct location.
To this day I have not tried nano oil because In my head ill be thinking "I spent 40 dollars for this stupid bottle:mad:"

What I've found that helps is to try to get to know your mail person, say good morning blah blah have a nice day. Mine knows me as the "package guy" because I'm constantly getting a big package or three or four small ones a week and she knows to bring them to the door.

Sometimes I walk out to the driveway and get them from the car. Making their job a little easier goes a LONG way. Never missed a package or letter since.
 
We also had a mail carrier that would turn the truck 90 degrees, drive straight through the yard, and up to the front door so he only had to take two paces to deliver something.

That problem, while ignored by the post office, solved itself when he had a heart attack in oir neighborhood and died.

I've found that postal Administration only cares if they're stealing mail, and only when it happens to dozens of customers, and for years.

Anything else is a "one-off, anecdotal anomaly" and is summarily dismissed.
 
Demon613 said:
I've also had them leave "sorry we missed you" cards in the mailbox while I stood on the porch waiting for my mail, walked to the mailbox immediately after he pulled to the next mailbox, saw the failed delivery notice, and asked him for my package.
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I had this exact same thing happen to me. I just walked across the street and waited for him to make his way back out of the cul-de-sac, then exchanged the slip he left in my box for my package. Same thing happened once when it was raining. Didn’t want to get wet.
 
MacLaren1 said:
I NEVER buy USPS insurance. I've heard too many times, that it's almost impossible to collect.
I ALWAYS buy Signature Confirmation. Signature Confirmation creates a chain of custody within the USPS. Anyone who handles it must sign off on it. It leaves a paper trail.
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I do this also and have had good luck so far! Its a little inconvenient sometimes as a buyer but good things are worth waiting for and a little extra work sometimes. Its a lot less expensive than insurance!
 
Signature Confirm adds a layer of security, but it's not the end-all. You can beef up Signature Confirm service, as well. You can request that someone over 18 must sign and you can even require that the actual recipient you've addressed your parcel to must be the person to sign. Of course they have to show photo ID and it's more costlier. I think it's called "Restricted Delivery." I've used it once.

Registered Mail is the most secure, it's also the slowest...and last time I used it there were special wrapping requirements, such as using that brown tape that has to be moistened before being applied, etc. That's the one where everyone that handles the parcel has to sign off and make a paper trail. Pretty secure but Pretty costly, too. But if something does go wrong you're still left with dealing with Uncle Sam to collect.

USPS Insurance is not worth a dime. Don't pay for extra. It is near impossible to collect. Good advice about that was already given ^^^.

The best "insurance" offered thru USPS is the security of their delivery system itself. If, by chance, you have solid employees at your regional hub, a competent crew at your local PO and a good route man, then you're golden 95% of the time. :) Most of my packages route in/out of the Nashville USPS hub. I've never had an issue when that's the shipping route for me.

OTOH, I've had 2 padded envelopes of blades shipped to me, that went thru Memphis arrive with razor clean box cutter slits on the corners and contents emptied out. I'd be willing to bet it was an inside job, maybe even the same worker. Just a hunch.

This brings me to the most important secure shipping method that you're in control of >>> how your parcel is packed. Use boxes, never envelopes. Seal your blade in a box inside of the actual shipping box. Pack in a lot of messy styro peanuts. Tape all seams-- ALL SEAMS. Tape your item to the inside of the the outer box. Use a novelty tape on the outside of the clear packing tape. These things will deter some unscrupulous USPS workers from "damaging" the box and going over your ordinary clear packing tape with their own. They're like the rest of us, time crunched on the line and they don't have time to clean up messes and have special tape on hand to clean up the trail of their misdeeds. So they often will pass over things that look like too much risk/reward potential that will bring suspicion upon them. Basically make it as difficult and messy for any thief-- gov't. paid, or otherwise-- to get your blade out of the box as possible. The other side of the coin is, it makes it more worrysome for your legit buyer to get their fix, but most of the time, Busse buyers are smart enough to realize when they have to take a Jackhammer <see what I done there? ;):p> to their parcels, they know it for what it is and are most appreciative of the extra security measure. Even if it means delayed gratification for a couple extra min. :confused:

If you sell a lot and ship a lot get a third party shipping insurer. They pay off with a minimum of headaches if you have a claim. Of course, you're still out your merch. but you at least get some sort of compensation. With USPS you're gonna lose your blade and not collect a dime compensation. :thumbsdown::mad::thumbsdown:

Sorry it's so long, but I wanna help my Busse bros to have success in securing their goods safely!

In closing there's no such thing as a "sure thing" when it comes to shipping a fine blade regardless of shipper, but USPS gets the job done very well for me almost every time...It was a different era, but this is still a remarkable story some of you may have not read about yet, ENJOY! https://postalmuseumblog.si.edu/2012/11/delivering-the-hope-diamond.html
 
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Probably just throwing it on the porch/in the box because they figure they’re not gonna pay an insurance claim anyway no matter what happens to it so why bother to knock and ask for a signature.
 
The strarting point for signature confirmation being added to insured stuff automatically has gotten steadily higher- it's now $600 iirc. (Its been $500 for the past few years but I think they raised it to $600 somewhat recently)
 
Look into the required proof of purchase and value for the insurance claim and you will never pay for USPS insurance again. Do you have a dated receipt from an entity they will believe for proof of purchase? Is it worth more or the same not the automatic less that they insist upon. Heaven forbid you are selling it for more than you paid because that does not compute. I can't even imagine if you made it and tried to tell them it was worth hundreds of dollars. They might give you the value of materials used after a year long fight.
 
I'm convinced that instead of paying for the extra insurance, we'd all be better off if we were to stash the additional amount that USPS would have charged in an envelope or secondary bank account each time we ship. Self-insure, if you will. It's most likely that if we have done our job as shippers, by the time we have a loss there will be plenty there to cover it and then some, and it will be readily available without the headache of making a claim. That's been my method for awhile now and the biggest challenge is being disciplined enough to leave it alone once the balance starts to grow.
 
PeteyTwoPointOne said:
Signature Confirm adds a layer of security, but it's not the end-all. You can beef up Signature Confirm service, as well. You can request that someone over 18 must sign and you can even require that the actual recipient you've addressed your parcel to must be the person to sign. Of course they have to show photo ID and it's more costlier. I think it's called "Restricted Delivery." I've used it once.

Registered Mail is the most secure, it's also the slowest...and last time I used it there were special wrapping requirements, such as using that brown tape that has to be moistened before being applied, etc. That's the one where everyone that handles the parcel has to sign off and make a paper trail. Pretty secure but Pretty costly, too. But if something does go wrong you're still left with dealing with Uncle Sam to collect.

USPS Insurance is not worth a dime. Don't pay for extra. It is near impossible to collect. Good advice about that was already given ^^^.

The best "insurance" offered thru USPS is the security of their delivery system itself. If, by chance, you have solid employees at your regional hub, a competent crew at your local PO and a good route man, then you're golden 95% of the time. :) Most of my packages route in/out of the Nashville USPS hub. I've never had an issue when that's the shipping route for me.

OTOH, I've had 2 padded envelopes of blades shipped to me, that went thru Memphis arrive with razor clean box cutter slits on the corners and contents emptied out. I'd be willing to bet it was an inside job, maybe even the same worker. Just a hunch.

This brings me to the most important secure shipping method that you're in control of >>> how your parcel is packed. Use boxes, never envelopes. Seal your blade in a box inside of the actual shipping box. Pack in a lot of messy styro peanuts. Tape all seams-- ALL SEAMS. Tape your item to the inside of the the outer box. Use a novelty tape on the outside of the clear packing tape. These things will deter some unscrupulous USPS workers from "damaging" the box and going over your ordinary clear packing tape with their own. They're like the rest of us, time crunched on the line and they don't have time to clean up messes and have special tape on hand to clean up the trail of their misdeeds. So they often will pass over things that look like too much risk/reward potential that will bring suspicion upon them. Basically make it as difficult and messy for any thief-- gov't. paid, or otherwise-- to get your blade out of the box as possible. The other side of the coin is, it makes it more worrysome for your legit buyer to get their fix, but most of the time, Busse buyers are smart enough to realize when they have to take a Jackhammer <see what I done there? ;):p> to their parcels, they know it for what it is and are most appreciative of the extra security measure. Even if it means delayed gratification for a couple extra min. :confused:

If you sell a lot and ship a lot get a third party shipping insurer. They pay off with a minimum of headaches if you have a claim. Of course, you're still out your merch. but you at least get some sort of compensation. With USPS you're gonna lose your blade and not collect a dime compensation. :thumbsdown::mad::thumbsdown:

Sorry it's so long, but I wanna help my Busse bros to have success in securing their goods safely!

In closing there's no such thing as a "sure thing" when it comes to shipping a fine blade regardless of shipper, but USPS gets the job done very well for me almost every time...It was a different era, but this is still a remarkable story some of you may have not read about yet, ENJOY! https://postalmuseumblog.si.edu/2012/11/delivering-the-hope-diamond.html
Click to expand...
I owe you 1,000 likes for this. Excellent info!
 
Hard Knocks said:
I'm convinced that instead of paying for the extra insurance, we'd all be better off if we were to stash the additional amount that USPS would have charged in an envelope or secondary bank account each time we ship. Self-insure, if you will. It's most likely that if we have done our job as shippers, by the time we have a loss there will be plenty there to cover it and then some, and it will be readily available without the headache of making a claim. That's been my method for awhile now and the biggest challenge is being disciplined enough to leave it alone once the balance starts to grow.
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I like this idea, a lot. But who am I kidding? I’ll never be able to leave it alone! How about every time I ship something, I’ll stop off for a lottery ticket instead? ;)
 
Apocryphiliac said:
I like this idea, a lot. But who am I kidding? I’ll never be able to leave it alone! How about every time I ship something, I’ll stop off for a lottery ticket instead? ;)
Click to expand...

I can see some merit to your method T. For instance, you've got a way better chance of winning the lottery than collecting on the USPS insurance :D
 
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