933 Payments for Priority Mail International Parcels

933.1 General Provisions

933.11 Payment of Indemnity

Priority Mail International shipments are covered by document reconstruction and merchandise insurance in case of loss, damage, or missing contents. Indemnity will be paid by the Postal Service as specified in DMM 503.4 and 609, subject to the exclusions in IMM 933.12.

Indemnity may be paid as follows:

1. For loss, damage, or missing contents, based on the actual value of articles at the time and place of mailing.
2. To the sender, or to the addressee if the sender waives the right to payment, in writing, in favor of the addressee.

933.12 Indemnity Will Not Be Paid

In addition to the general exceptions to payment described in 932, indemnity will not be paid in the following instances:

1. When other countries report delivery of parcels without external trace of damage or missing contents 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.
2. When loss, damage, or missing contents 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.
3. When the claimant, with intent to defraud, has declared the contents of a parcel to be above their real value.
4. 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. In the event of loss, damage, or missing contents of mail erroneously accepted for insurance to other countries, limited indemnity may be paid as if it had been addressed to a domestic destination — i.e., on the basis of the indemnity limits for domestic insured mail. If postage was erroneously collected at other than a parcel price, but the parcel was otherwise properly accepted for insurance, indemnity may be paid pursuant to the general provisions of this section and the special provisions of 933.2.
5. For indirect loss or loss of profits.
6. 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.
7. When evidence of insurance coverage has not been presented.

933.13 Priority Mail International Parcels — Indemnity Limitations

When additional merchandise insurance has not been purchased, coverage is limited to the actual value of the contents or $200, whichever is less. Document reconstruction insurance is limited to the actual cost of document reconstruction or $100, whichever is less.

933.14 Priority Mail International Parcels — Exceptions to Indemnity

In addition to the general exceptions to payment described in 932, indemnity may not be paid:

1. For parcels containing prohibited articles.
2. For consequential losses, delay, concealed damage, spoilage of perishable items, articles improperly packaged, and articles too fragile to withstand normal handling in the mail.
3. When other countries report delivery of parcels without external trace of damage or missing contents 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.
4. When loss, damage, or missing contents 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.
5. When the claimant, with intent to defraud, has declared the contents of a parcel to be above their real value.
6. For indirect loss or loss of profits.
7. When evidence of the value of the ordinary indemnity coverage on an ordinary parcel has not been presented.

933.2 Special Provisions

The sender may be paid only such indemnity for loss, damage, or missing contents 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.