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enough detail to determine whether the value
claimed is accurate.
Paid repair bills. Estimates of repair costs or
appraisals if the claim is for partial damage. The
USPS will not make payment for repair costs in
excess of the original purchase price.
NOTE: It is best to describe the item in sufficient
detail, otherwise the claim may be returned for more
information.
Claims for indemnity cannot exceed the amount
for which the customer paid insurance, or the amount
that the customer actually paid for the article. For
example, if a customer purchased an item for $25.00
and insured the item for $100.00, they would only be
allowed to claim $25.00 for the actual cost of the item.
(They would have over-insured the article.)
Likewise, if the customer purchased the item for
$100.00, and only insured it for $25.00, then they
would only be allowed to claim $25.00, because that
was all the indemnity coverage they purchased.
Proof of Damage or Loss
If the addressee files a claim for damage, the
addressee must take the item, box, wrapper and all
packaging materials to the post office. If the sender
files the claim and the addressee has the damaged
article, the claim is sent to the addressee who must then
present the item, box, wrapper and all packaging
materials to the post office for inspection.
The customer may retain articles that are
completely damaged and have little or no salvage
value. If the customer does not want the article, the
claims clerk in the presence of a witness destroys it.
Articles with salvage value must be retained at the
MPO for 90 days, then forwarded to the serving Mail
Recovery Center. If the customer’s claim is denied,
return the article to the customer upon request.
Retain damaged registered articles and packaging
in the registered mail section until notified by the
USPS Claims Processing Section, Accounting Service
CTR, St Louis, MO.
If an article is claimed to be lost, proof of the loss
must be submitted before a post office accepts a claim.
(Proof of loss is not required for Express Mail). Any of
the following is acceptable as proof of loss:
A claim form (PS Form 1000) completed by the
addressee denying receipt or a letter or statement
from the addressee, dated at least 30 days (15
days for registered mail) after the date the article
was mailed, stating that the addressee did not
receive the article.
A copy of the letter or
statement must be attached to the claim form
with evidence of value.
A statement from the post office of address (the
post office of the addressee) stating that a delivery
record is not on file. To get this statement, the
sender of the article must send a written request to
the post office of address with a check or money
order for an amount equivalent to the delivery
record fee listed in Module R of the DMM. The
fee will be reimbursed if the claim is paid. The
request must include the names and addresses of
the sender and addressee, the insured or registered
number, and the mailing date.
Overseas MPOs receiving fees for claims
information must forward them to the serving
PFO. Shipboard post offices must forward fees
to the NPFO. When forwarding fees to the PFO
or NPFO, include a letter of explanation.
Receipt for Article(s) Damaged in Mails (PS
Form 3831)
When an MPO retains a damaged article, PS Form
3831, Receipt for Article(s) Damaged in Mails, must
be prepared in duplicate (see figure 10-5). Give the
original to the customer and attach the duplicate to the
damaged article.
Complete PS Form 3831 as follows:
Block 1: Enter the date you received the damaged
article.
Block 2: Enter the name of the person from whom you
received the damaged article.
Block 3: Enter the special service number (obtained
from the mailing receipt or wrapper).
Block 4: Enter the date the article was mailed.
Block 5: Enter the location where the article was mailed
(located on the mailing receipt or the postmark on the
article).
Block 6: Enter the name of the person who mailed the
article.
Block 7: Enter a detailed description of the article(s)
received.
Block 8: Enter the name and address of the addressee as
shown on the wrapper or mailing receipt.
10-8
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