USPS Claims Center

Have you ever been asked when mailing a package through the United States Postal System if you would like to insure the package?
My advice, DON’T Bother! (or at least understand what you are paying for.)
Also DO NOT mark any package FRAGILE.
Here is the explanation for my warning.
In 2008 I mailed many (50+) Priority Mail Flat Rate packages across the country. Heavy boxes full of papers and light weight packages filled with clothes arrived with no damage. Every package that I innocently marked FRAGILE looked like it took a beating. I counted my damaged items as a valuable lesson. The problem is I didn’t bother to educate anyone else as to the hazards of using Priority Shipping for fragile items or valuables.
Several years later some dear friends decided to surprise me and send me a collection of sentimental Hummel figurines. Instead of using their normal shipper (UPS) they decided it would be safer to send them USPS Priority mail. Each figurine was double wrapped in bubble wrap. Additional bubble wrap lined the entire box. Big red labels marked the package FRAGILE. The package was insured for $ 500. and sent on its way.
PROBLEM — The package arrived crushed and torn. I immediately drove to my local Post Office to open it and inspect the contents in front of the clerk. The clerk gave me claims forms to file via the internet. I spent countless hours filing, provided all requested documentation, estimates of damage and was finally instructed via mail to return the entire shipment in the original box to my local Post Office for inspection. Fortunately, I called before I went to find out if the Post Master was going to be in. At that point I was told on the phone that if I brought the package in I would have to surrender all of it to collect the $ 500. insurance for the package. All contents become property of the Post Office and get sold at auction in Atlanta. Needless to say I decided to live with the loss of one figurine, value $ 489., and the damage to several others in order to keep the additional seven myself.
My family heirlooms are more important than the USPS $.