USPS Insurance SNAFU w/ Rio Grande

Phil - If The Count's and my edits are correct then always use "neither + nor" as in "USPS neither supports your claim.... nor that it received the actual package......

Getting a bit picky I know, but......
 
Thanks guys for your fine proofing! Leaving out the NOT (or neither) would have been an awkward mistake. I'll keep you posted.
 
I finally heard back from Rio Grande. They have forwarded me a document from their local PO corroborating their story. I am forwarding it to the claims appeal office with some hope. Wish me luck fellas.

================================

Date:
April 12, 2012​
From:
Phil Dwyer​
1720 St Louis Dr
Honolulu, HI 96816
​
To:
USPS​
Claim Appeal
Accounting Services
PO Box 80141
St Louis, MO 63180-0141​

Subj: Insurance Claim (Claim ID: 1929014)

My recent lost package insurance claim was denied. The stated reason my claim was denied was that your records indicated the package was delivered. This is to appeal that decision. The package was not delivered. The "recipient" of the "package" only received the USPS shipping label, NOT the package. The label was attached to another package, not mine.

Please refer to the accompanying USPS Damage Report of Insured Parcel Contents that was issued to the “recipient” and forwarded to me. In this form it is stated…

  • “City carrier pending termination for stealing mail/parcels from Rio Grande/Bell Group.”
  • It also states to “contact Brian Nguyen OIG for additional information.”
  • Signed and verified by Chris Yazzie (sp?) at (505)346-0875
  • Stamped by USPS Five Points Albuquerque NM 87105, April 02, 2012
This clearly corroborates and documents the “recipient's” claim as to not receiving the insured package, but only the shipping label attached to a different package and addresses the erroneously stated reason for the denial of my claim.

Please process my claim and reimburse me for the lost (stolen by a USPS contracted carrier) contents.

Thank you,

Phil Dwyer

Enclosures:
  • USPS letter (claim ID: 1929014)
  • USPS Damage Report of Insured Parcel Contents, Five Points Albuquerque NM 87105, April 02, 2012
 
Ha, ha...not sure I'd want to go as far as a lynch mob, although I am not sure about that one. My life lately reminds me of a comic I once saw of a fella in a striped prison suit in a prison yard with a rain cloud pouring down over him. The caption read something to the effect, "That's Phil, he committed a crime against nature!"

To top it all of, I am now battling a case of internet identity theft and dozens of unauthorized PayPal transactions both in and out of my account amounting to thousands. Looks like PayPal will straighten it all out, but I am getting more and more spooked lately. Reminds me of the guy seeing a shrink about his persecution complex while a fella with a mask and gun is waiting for him to come back to his car in the parking garage!

Moral of this recent story seems to be increase the complexity and diversity of the passwords you use all over the place. Problem is, I'm scared to type anything on my laptop these days for fear each keystoke is being transmitted somewhere. I'm running all kinds of security software, but left with little confidence these days in much of anything.

Geesh, I'm starting to sound like a broke dick dog...snap out of it DUDE!!! I'm not schizophrenic! Yes I am! No I'm not! And the beat goes on....

Wish me luck fellas!
 
Good. We put a lot of trust in people handling the mail, when it's abused the consequences should not be pleasant for them.

Phil, one solution to that issue is to backup your files as FILES, not whole directories, then wipe the machine and reinstall from scratch. That's assuming you don't want to just replace it. Relax, remember that even when the rest of the world seems out to get you, not all of us are, you just managed to piss off the bad luck fairy somehow and it's getting revenge.
 
Damn Phil it sounds like your having some of my luck, "if if weren't for bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all"! Hang in there man, they always say God won't give you more than you can handle. I always say I am trying to tell him I am just about there!:eek::D

Laugh man sometimes its the only thing that keeps you from crying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D:D:D:D:D:D
 
Phil,
Your not paranoid - the world really IS out to get you.
As far as your schizophrenia goes, it is a good thing - it allows you to work twice as hard.

This sort of fits Phil:
Welcome to the USPS Claims Hotline.
If you are obsessive-compulsive, please press 1 repeatedly.
If you are co-dependent, please ask someone to press 2.
If you have multiple personalities, please press 3, 4, 5 and 6.
If you are paranoid-delusional, we know who you are and what you want. Just stay on the line until we can trace the call.
If you are schizophrenic, listen carefully and a little voice will tell you which number to press.
If you are manic-depressive, it doesn't matter which number you press. No one will answer.
 
Lots of luck, Phil! It's not your fault that silver went missing, someone along the line will have to pay. The Paypal thing, well that just sucks. At least it sounds like Paypal will fix it.

But hey, you get to teach kids blacksmithing and you have a nice little family and live in Hawaii! You have a good little shop on the back of your house and the sun shines all the time. Life is good in many ways, right? Maybe you should go to the beach (I recommend Pray for Sex beach over past Makaha) and just soak up some rays. Getting some good sunshine on my face will almost always instantly elevate my mood on a chemical level.
 
Phil,

I can't contribute anymore than the fine responses you already have. With Stacy et al watching your back this should turn out well. I'll follow this thread and would be willing to help in any manner.
Best of luck to one that deserves it-

Dean
 
Thanks guys! Your humor, suggestions and kindness mean a lot to me!

I'm heading out to Molokai this Sunday with the high school class I cosponsor. We're having a week long service learning practicum at Puu O Hoku Ranch. If not completely relaxing, it will at least be distracting. No electronic media, computer and internet for a week and a mess of urban teenagers camping, cooking and working together in the sticks, so to speak. They're a great bunch of kids that get along exceptionally well with each other. I've had the good fortune to be one of their two sponsors since 9th grade, their 11th graders this year.

Crossing my fingers on the other stuff.

All the best, Phil
 
Update...

USPS has now asked for proof of value (receipts, invoices, etc) of the contents of my package. I was stumped on that one, because its having been scrap sterling there aren't typical documents like that. I consulted with Stacy and put quite a package of 6 documents together including a notorized letter from jeweler Stacy Apelt of Either Ore Jewelers attached to the email correspondence we had several months ago about selling the scrap, etc. The docs went out certified mail to the claims office in MO today.

Say your favorite incantations and spells for success for me.

Thanks Guys! --Phil
 
I will sacrifice three of my finest sheep for your success Mr.Phil Dwyer of honolulu!!! (umm i dont have any sheep tho will a "good luck" do?)
 
Hang in there Phil. It will work out.
Once they see you won't go away, they usually pay the claim.


My wife deals with this regularly concerning disability and similar claims. You may be in an iron lung ( OK, I'm old, and realize half the guys reading this will have to google that.), and the docs say you have two years tops to live....but the Social Security Administration will still deny your claim for disability. They will probably tell you to go down to the local social services and get food stamps.
If you don't go away ( where can you go in an iron lung) , and file an appeal, suddenly they say, "Gosh, I guess a fellow bolted inside a 500 pound machine every moment of the rest of his life may possible be disabled. Heck, we will be generous, and declare him 25% disabled.
If you appeal that, a panel of doctors will finally get to see the case, and declare you disabled...if you live that long :)
 
The saga may be coming to a successful conclusion, but first...

I sent in the next appeal along with 5 support documents.

  1. copy of dated merchant's scrap return form sent in with the scrap
  2. paking list of the scrap items
  3. scrap value estimate from the merchant
  4. dated sterling market value report
  5. notarized letter from Stacy
USPS then sent me a $15 check for the postage fees and said that was the maximum amount they cover for items such as scrap. Their exact words were...

DMM 609.4.1.o: The maximum indemnity for negotiable items (defined as instruments that can be converted to cash without resort to forgery), currency, or bullion, is $15.00.​

Mind you they first rejected my claim saying they had proof of delivery. Then they had to admit one of their workers/contractors stole it. They still rejected my claim though, saying I needed to prove value. Even though there are no documents for scrap of the type they specified as proving value I put up a good show of proof, yet they only gave me $15.00.

The fight continued though. The merchant has been arguing my case on their end and sent me this correspondence...

The information you provided [above] was forwarded to our Contracts and Logistics Department who forwarded it to our contact with the United States Postal Service.
The Business Service Network Representative with USPS is working with the USPS Accounting Department/Claims Supervisor on the claim payment/settlement
offered to you.

At this time Rio Grande has been told the thefts occurred at the USPS office while the mail was being staged for delivery. There is photographic evidence corroborating that fact and will be used to prosecute the person charged in this case.
​

So, I waited and waited then got this email from Rio Grande a couple of weeks ago...

Your claim information was forwarded Friday, June 6th to the USPS Claims processing in Missouri by Rio Grande’s USPS Business Service Network representative. Because this was a documented case of theft by a Postal employee the Claims Supervisor has agreed to pay the claim for the insured amount.

We do not know how long that process will take. Please submit another appeal to keep the claim open.

The Domestic Mail Manual has the following phrase in the Claims (not Insurance) section:

Except for Registered Mail, the maximum indemnity for negotiable items (defined as instruments that can be converted to cash without resort to forgery), currency, or bullion, is $15.00.

The USPS Claims Department considers metal scrap to be a negotiable item; they are waiving that stipulation due to the theft. Going forward, the only insurance for scrap that USPS will honor is for Registered Mail packages.

Rio Grande has never experienced claims denial prior to the incidence of theft; we were not aware of the regulation stated above until this incident. Our USPS BSN representative was also unaware of that particular stipulation until this incident.
​

And I continued to wait...

Today I got a phone call from Rio Grande and was informed they have been informed USPS will be sending me a check for $1,185 (the $1200 claim less the $15 sent earlier), which I should receive in 8-10 business days.

Hope it's cash-able! :grumpy:;)

Crossing my fingers and still waiting...
 
Last edited:
SWEET!!!!!!!!!

I'm really happy for you Phil!!!
Too bad you can't bill them for your time too!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top