Priority Mail International shipments containing merchandise are insured against loss, damage, or missing contents up to $200 at no additional charge. Priority Mail International shipments containing only nonnegotiable documents are insured against loss, damage, or missing contents up to $100 for document reconstruction at no additional charge. Indemnity is paid by the U.S. Postal Service as provided in 933. For a fee, the sender may purchase additional insurance to protect against loss, damage, or missing contents for Priority Mail International items containing merchandise, subject to individual country limitations. Additional document reconstruction insurance may not be purchased. If the item has been lost, or if it has been delivered to the addressee in damaged condition or with missing contents, payment is made to the sender unless the sender waives the right to payment, in writing, in favor of the addressee.
Merchandise insurance above the included $200 amount is available for all Priority Mail International items to certain countries. See Exhibit 322.2.
Additional merchandise insurance coverage above the included $200 — up to the maximum amount allowed by the country (see Exhibit 322.2) but never to exceed $5,000 — may be purchased at the sender’s option. The insurance fee is in addition to postage and other applicable fees and is based on the insured value. See Notice 123, Price List, for the fee schedule for optional Priority Mail International merchandise insurance coverage.
Return receipt service is the only extra service that mailers may add to insured items. It is available for an additional fee and is available only to certain countries. See the Individual Country Listings for availability. See 340 for additional information about return receipt service.
The insured value (insurance coverage) of a parcel may not be more than the declared value of the contents. However, the insured value may be less than the declared value depending on the wish of the sender.
As proof of mailing and proof of insurance to file a claim, the sender must submit the following:
- The original mailing receipt.
- The sender’s copy of the hard copy PS Form 2976-R or an electronically generated PS Form 2976-A.
For more information on indemnity claims and payments, see chapter 9.
All Priority Mail International insured parcels must be numbered. The mailing receipt issued at the time of mailing, accompanied by either the hard copy PS Form 2976-R or an electronically generated PS Form 2976-A, will serve as proof of mailing and proof of insurance. Volume mailers may use PS Form 3877, Firm Mailing Book for Accountable Mail, as the sender’s receipt.
When a customer has purchased additional insurance, the accepting clerk must indicate on the hard copy PS Form 2976-R the amount for which the parcel is insured by writing the amount in U.S. dollars in ink in the “Insured Value (U.S. $)” block. After using the information on PS Form 2976-R to electronically generate PS Form 2976-A, the accepting clerk must write a bold capital “V” in or near the boxes “Insured Amount (US $)” and “Insurance Fees (US $)” on PS Form 2976-A.
Postmark the item at the time of acceptance at all breaks (including any cut or torn edges) of any tape or tabs used in sealing the parcel.
The sender should enter the name and address of the addressee on the mailing receipt and retain the receipt. The sender must submit the receipt to make an inquiry about or file a claim for an insured parcel (see chapter 9).
The sender has the responsibility to do the following:
- Mark parcels containing fragile or perishable articles with the appropriate endorsement — e.g., “FRAGILE,” “PERISHABLE,” “GLASS,” etc.
- Enter the insured amount in U.S. currency (figures only) in the appropriate space on the customs declaration.
The sender must seal all insured parcels.
