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Postal Explorer > International Mail Manual - Issue 32 > 9 Inquiries, Indemnities, and Refunds > 930 Indemnity Payments
Claims for indemnity are initiated upon receipt of a completed PS Form 2855
with appropriate documentation by International Claims, St. Louis ASC,
PO Box 80146, St. Louis, MO 63180-0146.
931.2 International Claims
931.21 Indemnity Claims for International Registered Mail, Insured
Parcel Post, and Ordinary Parcel Post
Indemnity claims relating to international insured and ordinary parcel post,
EMS, or registered mail are adjudicated by the St. Louis Accounting Service
Center.
931.22 Country of Origin Pays Indemnity
The indemnity is paid by the country of origin. Payments to U.S. senders will
be made by the U.S. Postal Service.
931.31 Appealing a Claims Decision
A customer may appeal a claims decision by filing a written appeal within
60 days of the date of the original decision. The customer must send the
appeal directly to International Claims Appeals, St. Louis ASC,
PO Box 80146, St. Louis, MO 63180-0146.
931.32 Final Postal Service Decision of Claims
If the manager of International Claims Appeals at the St. Louis ASC sustains
the denial of a claim, the customer may submit an additional appeal within
60 days for final review and decision to the Consumer Advocate, International
Claims Appeals, 475 L'Enfant Plz SW Rm 10433, Washington, DC
20260-0433, who may waive standards in favor of the customer.
932 General Exceptions to Payment - Registered
Letter-post Mail, Insured Parcel Post, and Ordinary
Parcel Post
Indemnity may not be paid:
a. In excess of the limit prescribed for the insurance or registry fee paid or
greater than that corresponding to the actual amount of loss (except
registered mail), rifling, or damage. Allowance must be made for
depreciation or for needed repairs, and in the absence of purchase
receipts or invoices, the contents must be described in sufficient detail.
b. When an item cannot be accounted for due to the destruction of service
records by force majeure.
c. When the contents are prohibited.
d. For an item seized by customs or any other government agency.
e. When no inquiry or application has been made by the claimant or a
representative within 6 months, commencing with the day following the
mailing of the item. In the case of insured mail with Canada, however,
the time limit may be waived when it is satisfactorily established that the
delay was unavoidable and not the fault of the claimant.
f. For damage that results from the characteristics of the contents - that
is, its inability, due to its nature, to withstand the ordinary incidents of
the contemplated carriage.
g. When full compensation or reimbursement has otherwise been made
by the U.S. Postal Service or by any outside firm or corporation
whatsoever except on a pro rata basis as coinsurer.
h. For sentimental values arising from association. Also, in the absence of
a complete description, the claimant must satisfactorily establish the
ordinary market value at the time of mailing, particularly in the case of
heirlooms or antiques.
i. For an amount in excess of the maximum prescribed for the insurance
or registry fee paid, unless responsibility rests with the United States
and it is shown to the satisfaction of the Postmaster General that the
sender was charged a fee less than that required to cover the amount
of indemnity desired, through error on the part of the U.S. Postal
Service. On such a showing, the deficiency in fee may be collected
from the sender and postal indemnity paid, within the limit fixed for the
higher fee.
933 Payments for Insured Parcel Post and Ordinary
Parcel Post
933.11 Paid for Actual Value for Insured Parcel Post
Indemnity may be paid for loss, rifling, or damage, based on actual value.
933.12 Indemnity Will Not Be Paid
In addition to the general exceptions to payment described in 932, indemnity
will not be paid:
a. When other countries report delivery of parcels without external trace of
rifling or damage and acceptance by the addressee or an agent without
reservation concerning the condition of the contents, and when delivery
was made under conditions prescribed by the domestic regulations of
the country of destination for mail of the same kind or on presentation
of a regular postal identity card.
b. When loss, rifling, or damage has been caused by the fault or
negligence of the sender or the addressee or the representative of
either, such as failure to endorse the parcel conspicuously to show the
nature of the contents or to provide adequate packing for the length of
the journey and for the protection of the contents.
c. When the claimant, with intent to defraud, has declared the contents of
a parcel to be above their real value.
d. For parcels that:
(1) Contain matter of no intrinsic value.
(2) Contain matter that did not conform to applicable postal
conventions.
(3) Were not posted in the manner prescribed. However, in the event
of loss, rifling, or damage of mail erroneously accepted for
insurance to other countries, limited indemnity may specially be
paid as if it had been addressed to a domestic destination - that
is, on the basis of the indemnity limits for domestic insured mail. If
postage was erroneously collected at other than parcel post
rates, but the parcel was otherwise properly accepted for
insurance, indemnity may specially be paid pursuant to the
general provisions of this section and the special provisions
of 933.2.
e. For indirect loss or loss of profits.
f. For an amount in excess of the maximum prescribed for the insurance
fee paid, unless full or partial responsibility rests with the other country
and the sender requested full coverage at the time of mailing, but a
deficient and unauthorized insurance fee was collected. In such case,
the sender must be paid for full value, less the amount of the deficient
fee, but not exceeding the limit fixed for the appropriate insurance fee.
g. When evidence of insurance coverage has not been presented.
h. Payment for parcels delivered with damaged or missing contents is
made to the addressee unless the addressee waives payment, in
writing, in favor of the sender.
933.13 Ordinary Parcel Post - Indemnity Limitations
Coverage is limited to the actual value of contents or the maximum indemnity
based on the weight of the article, whichever is less.
933.14 Ordinary Parcel Post - Exceptions to Indemnity
In addition to the general exceptions to payment described in 932, indemnity
may not be paid:
a. For parcels containing coins; banknotes; currency notes (paper
money); securities of any kind payable to bearer; traveler's checks;
platinum, gold, and silver; precious stones; jewelry; watches; and other
valuable or prohibited articles.
b. For consequential losses, delay, concealed damage, spoilage of
perishable items, articles improperly packaged, and articles too fragile
to withstand normal handling in the mail.
c. When other countries report delivery of parcels without external trace of
rifling or damage and acceptance by the addressee or an agent without
reservation concerning the condition of the contents, and when delivery
was made under conditions prescribed by the domestic regulations of
the country of destination for mail of the same kind or on presentation
of a regular postal identity card.
d. When loss, rifling, or damage has been caused by the fault or
negligence of the sender or the addressee or the representative of
either, such as failure to endorse the parcel conspicuously to show the
nature of the contents or to provide adequate packing for the length of
the journey and for the protection of the contents.
e. When the claimant, with intent to defraud, has declared the contents of
a parcel to be above their real value.
f. For indirect loss or loss of profits.
g. When evidence of the value of the ordinary indemnity coverage on an
ordinary parcel has not been presented.
h. To the addressee for parcels delivered to the addressee in damaged
condition or with missing contents unless the addressee waives
payment, in writing, in favor of the sender.
933.2 Special Provisions
The sender may be paid only such indemnity for loss, rifling, or damage
occurring after redispatch by the original country of address to a third country,
if the country in which the mistreatment occurred is willing or obliged to pay
under any agreement between the countries involved.
934 Payments for Registered Mail
934.1 General Provisions
934.11 Indemnity Paid by Country of Origin
Indemnity for loss is paid by the country of origin for registered items and is
made according to 934.2.
934.12 Parcel Post Erroneously Accepted
If a parcel post item is accepted in error as a registered mail item, indemnity
may be paid under the conditions in 934.2.
934.13 Indemnity Will Not Be Paid
In addition to the general exceptions to payment described in 932, indemnity
will not be paid:
a. To anyone in the United States, other than the sender, for the loss of an
outbound or an inbound registered item. The sender may waive
payment, in writing, in favor of the addressee.
b. To anyone in the United States, other than the addressee, for items
delivered with damaged or missing contents.
c. In excess of the limits in 934.2 for domestic registered letters bearing
foreign return addresses that are forwarded under 762.2b.
934.14 Indemnity Paid by Country of Destination
Indemnity for damage and loss of contents is made by the country of
destination to the addressee unless the addressee waives payment, in
writing, in favor of the sender.
934.2 Special Provisions
Regardless of the declared value of a registered item, the maximum amount
of indemnity payable for loss, damage, or rifling is $44.86.
935 Payments for Global Express Mail
Global Express Mail (EMS) shipments are covered by document
reconstruction and merchandise insurance in case of loss, damage, or rifling.
Indemnity will be paid by the Postal Service as specified in DMM 609 and
503 and IMM 221.3 and 935.2.
935.2 When Prohibited
Indemnity for Global Express Mail items will not be paid:
a. For delay in delivery.
b. When the contents are prohibited.
c. For any items seized by customs or any other government agency.
d. When no inquiry or claim has been made by the mailer within 90 days
from the date of mailing.
e. For damage that results from the quality of the contents; that is,
inability, due to its nature, to withstand the ordinary incidents of
international Express Mail carriage. See DMM 609.
f. When delivery was made under conditions prescribed for international
Express Mail items by the country of destination.
g. When evidence of mailing has not been presented.
h. For any reason specified in DMM 609.
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