[Porschedude]

Does the USPS pay claims?

I bought a NEW DUAL MASS (NOS) flywheel from a guy many States away and had it insured and shipped via USPS Ground transportation. The package was 19 days in transit, which normally would take 7 –10 days at most. When the package arrived, my wife said the USPS worker had this horrid look on her face, and the package that was a cardboard box, looked more like a cardboard BAG! When I opened the box/bag, the packing peanuts were gone and the flywheel was damaged in three places. The raised lip around the flywheel face was broken.

Judging by the looks of the damage, I was thinking that maybe the USPS Truck had a flat and put my flywheel down as a spare! Most likely the heavy object met its fate by a over-worked “Ya Right” employee. More like over-something else…

Anyway, I filed a claim against USPS and the local claims official was very nice and efficient. The claim went back to St. Louis, Missouri for further review. After three or four weeks, I started making calls and they said they send paper work. Funny thing, they lost their own paper work in the mail! HAAAAH!

I finally wrote a letter to there in response to the investigation, with a little lawyer spin on it, explaining the facts. Bought it, insured it, shipped, damaged it, worthless, pay-up!

After reading the USPS regulations “Weasel Words”, they can twist there own meaning into whatever the claims review person wants.

A weird thing about the USPS, you can’t over-insure something. Lets say you got a good deal on an item, and the replacement value was higher than you paid, you can only collect on what you had in the item. It is not like an automobile where you can get a deal and insure it for the true value.

You can get a deal and have it desolve away by the folks at the USPS.

The replacement value I wanted on the package was the typical price one would pay for the flywheel at a discount from list ($1,000US). For an unknown reason the guy who shipped the package only put the value that I paid for the item ($500US).

What I received from the claim was the cost of shipping and the full insurance value placed on the item, but not the cost of the insurance. That makes sense.

All shippers MO’s are the same; they will take your money with a smile and try to dispute your claim with an attitude.

After this experience, I always over pack my shipments. I also document everything, conversations, date, time, who I spoke with, brief write up of the conversation.

One needs to be their own lawyer these days. I hope I don’t get sued by the Girls Scout who sold me the cookies. Maybe a back injury from the two boxes I bought?

Pack well and cross your fingers...

Keith