When mailing a package with USPS, it’s always a good idea to have insurance. Not because USPS is unreliable (quite the opposite actually), but because having insurance is the only way you can file a claim if your package is lost, damaged, broken, or missing pieces.
When filing a claim, you’ll be asked to provide proof of insurance, proof of the item’s value, and proof of damage.
Afterwards, you can file a claim online or by mail. Some claims are accepted, but some are denied. If your claim was denied, check out our article for tips on what to do next!
USPS Insurance Claim Denied In [currentyear]
USPS customers can appeal denied insurance claims twice. Appeals must be submitted within 30 days of the date of the original denial letter (first appeals) and within 30 days of the first appeal denial letter (second appeals). Additionally, customers must submit their appeals in the same format as they used when submitting their initial claim (either online or by mail).
If you’d like to know why your insurance claim was denied, as well as how to submit an appeal, then keep reading.
Why Would USPS Deny My Insurance Claim?
Once you get over the initial frustration about having your claim denied, your next instinct is probably to figure out why your claim was rejected.
Wondering why your claim was denied is a valid question and one without an easy answer. In fact, the USPS website has a list of 39 reasons why insurance claims are denied.
For the sake of brevity, this article won’t list all of the potential reasons, but it will provide several of the more common reasons for a denial.
Your USPS insurance claim may have been denied for one of the following reasons:
- No evidence of insurance coverage is provided.
- The mail does not have complete names and addresses of the mailer and addressee, or is undeliverable as addressed to either the addressee or the mailer.
- Damage occurred because the article was not properly wrapped for protection.
- The fragile nature of the article prevented its safe carriage in the mail, regardless of packaging.
- The claim is for a nonmailable, prohibited or restricted item that was not prepared and mailed according to postal standards.
- The requested replacement value exceeds the actual value at the time and place of mailing.
- The claim contains lottery tickets, sweepstakes tickets, contest entries, gift cards or event tickets.
If your claim was denied and your situation doesn’t fit into any of those categories, then check out the USPS website for additional information about why your claim might have been denied.
Can I File An Appeal After USPS Denied My Insurance Claim?
You may appeal a USPS decision about a denied claim (or a partially denied claim) within 30 calendar days from the date of the original decision letter.
When filing your appeal, focus on the reason why the Postal Service denied your claim. You may also include additional documentation with your appeal to support your claim.
Appeals must be submitted in the same manner in which you submitted your original claim— either online or by mail.
To file an appeal online, follow these steps:
- Sign in to your USPS account
- Go to Claim History
- Select the claim to appeal (if there is more than one)
- Click Submit an Appeal
To file an appeal by mail, include a copy of the denial letter with your appeal and mail to the following address:
DOMESTIC CLAIMS APPEALS
US POSTAL SERVICE
ACCOUNTING SERVICES
PO BOX 80141
ST. LOUIS MO 63180-0141
How Many Times Can You Appeal A Denied USPS Insurance Claim?
Following your initial claim request, you have two chances to appeal a denied USPS insurance claim.
If USPS denies your first appeal and you have additional evidence to support your denied claim, you can file a second appeal to the Consumer Advocate at USPS Headquarters within 30 days from the date of the first appeal denial letter.
Your second appeal should focus on the reasons why the postal service denied your first appeal. Just like with the first appeal, you can also include additional documentation to support your claim.
Likewise, you must submit your second appeal in the same manner as you submitted your first appeal—either online or by mail.
To file online, follow the steps listed above.
To file by mail, address a copy of the first appeal denial letter and any supporting documentation to the Consumer Advocate at the following address:
CONSUMER ADVOCATE
US POSTAL SERVICE
CLAIMS APPEALS
475 L’ENFANT PLZ SW
WASHINGTON DC 20260-2200
How Long Does A USPS Insurance Claim Appeal Take?
You should receive news about your claim within 5-10 business days.
To know more about USPS services, you can also see our posts on whether or not USPS requires a signature, if you can track a USPS package without a tracking number, and if USPS scans packages.
Conclusion
If your USPS insurance claim was denied, there’s no need to panic just yet. USPS allows customers to file two appeals if their claims are denied. Appeals can be made online or by mail and you should have a decision about your claim in 5-10 business days.
