I'll try to make a long story shorter. In June sold a previously built rod to a friend in Montana. We agreed on a price of $300. I shipped it to him USPS with insurance for $300. About 10 days later he sent me a picture of the broken rod and the packaging. I sent a claim to USPS by snail mail. with all the documentation. After about 45 days I received a rejection because the claim was not filed soon enough (30 day limit). I sent the claim 4 days after damaged package was received and they claimed they did not receive it within 30 days. I then filed an appeal. I just received a response to my appeal. Rejected claim again. They say that I need an "acceptable proof of value" I have sent them copies of the emails between me an my friend that show the price paid and the time of the sale. Along with it I have sent them other builder web pages showing the same size and weight rods that are being sold for close to twice the price.
I have 1 more appeal I can file.

If any of you have suggestions on how I can prove "Acceptable Proof of Value" I sure would like your advise/

Good luck with the usps. Mudhole sent a back order usps on 11/27 and it’s still sitting at the original center. Hasn’t moved at all. Can’t get ahold of anyone and mudhole won’t do anything until 10 business days, then you wait more....
As far as proof of cost, have someone notarize a document showing agreed upon cost. Not sure if that would work but it might help.

In my opinion, the fact that an insurance policy does not pay out the value for which the policy was written when the insurance policy should cover its face value is unacceptable.

For example - if a car id damaged and the car is insured; the car is repaired and the insurance pays the insured value with little hassle.

If a person passes away and a death benefit is claimed, the insurance policy pays out the value of the insurance policy.

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Now, if one goes in to ship something and buys an insurance policy for $5,000 on the item being shipped, the person doing the shipping pays the price for $5,000 worth of insurance. Then, if the item is damaged and or destroyed, the insurance policy should pay out the face value of the insurance policy - with 0 hassle.

Unfortunately, it seems that others have had similar issues of low to no pay out on insurance policies that have been purchased at this particular shipper.

In contrast, if other shippers are used; it seems that there is little hassle with an insurance payment for the insured value of the policy.

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In a word - if an insurance policy is written and paid for for a particular value for any use and or vendor - it seems reasonable that if an object is destroyed - the full value of the policy should be paid with 0 hassle.

If an insurance company is going to argue about an insured value, the arguing should be done at the time that the policy is written, and not when an insured comes to ask for an insurance pay out on a paid up policy.

Take care

The insurance from any and all carriers is limited to the actual value of the item that has been insured. You can ship and insure a $50 camera for $1000, but that doesn't entail you to recover $1000 if the camera is damaged or goes missing.

As far as your timeline in making the claim, the USPS should go by the postmark on the envelope in which you mailed them the particulars.

...........

The USPS changes postmarks all the time, it is SOP for them. They have been doing it for many years, I know I have family that works for them. Good luck with your claim, I would try to go down to your local post office and talk to the postmaster or someone else in charge. It gets real when someone is in their face.

Call either one, if not both of these numbers:

1-877-876-2455 or 703-248-2100

Those are the main numbers for the USPS Inspector General. Call them EVERY TIME you get a free minute.

ALSO, lodge a complaint here .....

[www.uspsoig.gov]

THEN, Even after doing all of those, file a complaint with the link below with the FTC (Fair Trade Commission)
REGARDLESS of ANYTHING that happens, if you are registered with the FTC ( And the Post Office is! ), whoever is
registered with the FTC, MUST clear all complaints.

[reportfraud.ftc.gov]

Become a thorn in the side!!!!

Tony Boschi
Banana River Rods
Merritt Island, Florida
321~525~1063

* Rapid Prototyping Services
* Custom Beach Rods
* Custom Inshore Rods

[bananariverrods.com]

This gets messy since it was an informal transaction between friends and I take it there is no itemized invoice, so you'll have to document YOUR cost for components, materials, and an estimate of your time building spent building the rod. An invoice with proof of payment for similar rods you've sold.would be very helpful in establishing the retail value. Good luck.

Thank you Lance, Tony , Roger , Tom, David and Dan for the information. I'll make a last attempt at settling the claim. I really don't have much hope.

This isn't going to solve your current issue with UPS but I'd suggest from here on ship your rods in PVC pipe. Schedule 20 or sewer pipe will do just fine. The shipper can't put the package through the sorting machines, it has to be sorted by hand and since about the only thing that will damage it is running over it with a dump truck, you don't have to pay insurance. I've shipped many and never had an issue.

Phil

Point taken. I packaged it in a cardboard tube that I had just received 3 rod blanks in. They were shipped USPS.

Dumb Me!

Phillip,
Actually, virtually any container can be bent by the sorting machines and conveyors that are used by the shipping companies.

I have received about 6 shipments over the years that had each been handled by one of the big three - i.e. UPS, Fedex, and USPS.

In each case the shipment was well packaged and then shipped in a nice pvc pipe that was either schedule 40 or sewer pipe.

But, this is out of hundreds of shipments and I have either shipped or received over the years.

So, normally the shippers do an excellent job of shipping our products with a very long track record of no damage, excellent shipment.


Anything that can be created, can be destroyed. And - Murphy's law will always win. So, if you build and receive and ship enough rod blanks and finished rods - there will eventually come a time where one or more of your parts or shipments will get broken.

But, another adage - any thing that has been created, can be created again!!

I have had several issues with USPS. Some rods have been deemed lost and other one piece rods arrive 2 months later in 4 pieces. I showed proof of purchase from the Seller to buyer and it seems to work for the damaged rods. The ones that are still lost, I have not had any luck with getting compensated. Im sure some USPS employer is enjoying it!!!!