Effective December 6, 2010, the Postal Service™ will revise the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) 503.1.1.6, 503.4.2, 503.4.3.5, 503.11.1.2, 601.9.3.4 and 609.4. to permanently increase the purchase limit for domestic Click-N-Ship® online insurance coverage up to $5,000.00.
In November 2009, a test was implemented to determine the feasibility of increasing online insurance indemnity coverage for domestic Express Mail® and Priority Mail® items from $500.00 to $5,000.00 when purchased through Click-N-Ship service. The test provided customers with the same insurance indemnity coverage for online purchases that is currently offered at a Post Office™ retail location.
There is no indication that the online insurance range of $500.00 to $5,000.00 will result in an increase in the claims paid ratio, and the Postal Service has implemented important fraud mitigation tools to minimize any risks associated with this increased insurance coverage.
Based upon the analyses of the test, the Postal Service has permanently increased the Click-N-Ship domestic insurance indemnity limit to $5,000.00, beginning November 14, 2010,
The Postal Service also replaces “rifled” and “rifling” terminology references throughout the DMM with the term “missing contents”. The term “missing contents” is more intuitive for our customers who submit a claim for loss or damage. It more accurately conveys the message that there are many situations where contents may be missing from a mailpiece.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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500 Additional Mailing Services
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503 Extra Services
1.0 Extra Services for Express Mail
1.1 Available Services
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1.1.6 Insurance and Indemnity
[Revise the introductory text of item 1.1.6 as follows:]
Express Mail is insured against loss, damage, or missing contents, subject to these standards:
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[Revise text of item 1.1.6c as follows:]
c. Merchandise insurance coverage is provided against loss, damage, or missing contents and is limited to a maximum liability of $100. (Additional insurance under 1.1.7 may be purchased up to a maximum coverage of $5,000.00.) Nonnegotiable documents are insured against loss, damage, or missing contents, up to $100 per piece, subject to the maximum limit per occurrence as defined in 609, Filing Indemnity Claims for Loss or Damage.
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4.0 Insured Mail
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4.2 Basic Information
4.2.1 Description
Insured Mail provides the following features:
[Revise text of item 4.2.1a and b as follows:]
Insured mail purchased at a retail Post Office location or online through Click-N-Ship provides up to $5,000.00 indemnity coverage for articles that are lost, damaged, or have missing contents, subject to the standards for the service and payment of the applicable fees.
Insured mail purchased at an Automated Postal Center (APC) or on eBay provides up to $500.00 indemnity coverage for articles that are lost, damaged, or have missing contents, subject to the standards for the service and payment of the applicable fees.
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4.2.3 Ineligible Matter
The following types of mail may not be insured:
[Revise the last sentence of item 4.2.3a as follows:]
a. ***If such matter is mailed, payment is not made for loss, damage, or have missing contents.
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503.4.3 Mailing
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503.4.3.5 Integrated Barcodes
The following options are available for mailers who print their own labels:
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[Revise the first sentence of items 4.3.5c2 and 4.3.5c3 as follows:]
2. Mailers may purchase insurance online for indemnity coverage of more than $200.00, up to $500.00, with electronic option Delivery Confirmation service.***
3. Mailers may purchase insurance online for up to $500.00 indemnity coverage and include the electronic option Signature Confirmation service.***
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11.0 Collect on Delivery
11.1 Collect on Delivery Fees
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11.1.2 Fee and Postage
[Revise the third sentence of item 11.1.2 as follows:]
***The fees for COD service include insurance against articles that are lost, damaged, or have missing contents, or failure to receive a postal money order or the recipient’s check. Postal liability for failure to receive the recipient’s check or a postal money order is limited to items that are lost in transit.
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600 Basic Standards for All Mailing Services
601 Mailability
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9.0 Perishables
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9.3 Live Animals
9.3.4 Adult Fowl
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[Revise item 9.3.4c as follows:]
c. Indemnity may be paid only for articles that are lost, damaged, or missing contents, and not for death of the birds in transit if there is no visible damage to the mailing container.
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609 Filing Indemnity Claims for Loss or Damage
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4.0 Claims
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4.2 Payable Express Mail Claim
In addition to the payable claims in 4.1, Payable Claim, the following are payable for Express Mail:
[Revise the first sentence of items 4.2a and b as follows:]
a. For Express Mail insurance, nonnegotiable documents are insured against articles that are lost, damaged, or have missing contents while in transit.***
b. Merchandise insurance coverage is provided against articles that are lost, damaged, or has missing contents, and is limited to $100.***
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4.3 Nonpayable Claims
Indemnity is not paid for insured mail, Registered Mail, COD, or Express Mail in these situations:
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[Revise item 4.3b as follows:]
b. Loss, damage, or have missing contents, that occurred after delivery by the USPS.
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700 Special Standards
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709 Experimental and Temporary Classifications
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[Delete 4.0, Click-N-Ship Indemnity Increase for Express Mail and Priority, in its entirety, as this temporary program now becomes a permanent option.]
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We will incorporate these revisions into the next printed version of the DMM and into the monthly update of the online DMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at http://pe.usps.com.
— Mailing Standards,
Pricing, 12-2-10
