How does Insured Mail work in the US?

[Smedley]

I am asking based on a recent exchange with an eBay seller. I was wondering why I paid $X for postage when the envelope said $X-6. She said insurance was part of the cost.

I couldn't find any indication of an insurance sticker on the package. Does one get put on the package, or is it only for the person doing the mailing to know that they have insurance?

 

[TimmyBoston]

It is possible the seller just charges a flat $15 fee for shipping when it only costs $9, (or a similar set of numbers) for packing materials, etc,

Usually with insurance there is a sticker on the package, when the insurance is purchased at the P.O. However I don't know what it would look like if purchased online.

I'm not an attorney, but if she told you your fees were for insurance and something had happened at least she should be liable. I wouldn't worry about it anymore.

 

[ouch]

It works like this-

You pay extra.
They lose your package.
Then you're SOL.

 

[letterk]

It is possible the seller just charges a flat $15 fee for shipping when it only costs $9, (or a similar set of numbers) for packing materials, etc,

Usually with insurance there is a sticker on the package, when the insurance is purchased at the P.O. However I don't know what it would look like if purchased online.

I'm not an attorney, but if she told you your fees were for insurance and something had happened at least she should be liable. I wouldn't worry about it anymore.

If you use Paypal USPS shipping, it says "INSURED" on the label near the top.

 

[jazzman]

It works like this-

You pay extra.
They lose your package.
Then you're SOL.

Wrong, again, Ouch. As LetterK points out, you pay extra, they stamp "insured" on the package they lose your package,

and THEN, you're SOL,

 

[castlecraver]

How does Insured Mail work in the US?

It doesn't. You pay more, you still have decent odds of losing your package, and you have to go through hell and high water to file a claim that they still probably wont honor.

If the package lacks any markings or stickers indicating "Insured Mail," then your eBay seller is simply padding his/her profits. Every insured USPS package I've ever received bears this mark, and it appears to be required upon further investigation: http://pe.usps.gov/Archive/HTML/DMMArchive1209/S913.htm (see sec 2.3). If it were me, I'd not hesitate to "neg" the s.o.b. for charging me 6 bucks for something they didn't deliver and lied about, but that's just me. I have a very low tolerance for (and refuse to buy from) eBay sellers who inflate their S&H fees beyond what is reasonable, much less lie about them.

 

[ouch]

Wrong, again, Ouch. As LetterK points out, you pay extra, they stamp "insured" on the package they lose your package,

and THEN, you're SOL,

I used the abridged version.

And if they lose your package, how do you really know they stamped it, huh?

 

[Smedley]

I used the abridged version.

And if they lose your package, how do you really know they stamped it, huh?

That's very koan-like.

Thanks for the info about the stamp. I don't see "Insured" anywhere on the package, so I will never do business with this eBay seller again.