Need advice for a friend, USPS insurance claim

[Vertefae]

Hey gals, I'm looking for some advice and I know most of us deal with usps insurance pretty often.

I had who friend sold a vintage doll. Apparently the buyer is claiming it was damaged during delivery. She did send pictures, showing some damage. The seller refunded the buyer her money ($650) and opened an insurance claim with the post office in order to be reimbursed. Since the damage looks repairable, she's asked the buyer to return the doll.  So far the buyer is refusing stating that it is fraud to return the item since the post office now owns the dolls due to an open insurance claim.  The seller has asked her post master what to do. He even stated the doll should be returned to the seller. That they will probably settled the claim over the photos and even if they don't, without possession to turn over the doll to the post office the claim will be denied.

It seems to me and the seller that the buyer wants her money and the doll as well. It's like she's holding the doll hostage. She's been very hostile, sending nasty messages accusing my friend of scamming and breaking the law by asking for the doll back. It was bought through a Facebook doll page, not ebay. The refund cleared through paypal and is not pending.  Any advice?

[Thunderwing]

She never should have refunded before getting the doll back!  Ouch.  Afraid I don't have any concrete advice, but shouldn't she have to give the doll to USPS in order for the insurance to be processed?

[Vertefae]

At this point. Her post master says no. Without having possession of the doll, she's out of luck too when they ask for it.

[Eternia]

Yeah that was stupid to just refund the money like that...if the doll was shipped with insurance,  then the buyer should have held onto her and filed the claim. If she didn't want too keep the doll, she should have returned to the seller and the  got a refund. Seller then goes to po and files a claim.

Post Merge: February 16, 2015, 08:50:23 AM

Also, no the po does not own an item that insurance is claimed on. In my experience,  they want proof of damage,  then send a check.

[Vertefae]

Thank you!

[LittleSpiffy]

Oh, this makes me sad.  I hope your friend gets the doll back!

[Vertefae]

She did finally convince them to send the doll. The postage claim is still pending. She's trying to have the damage repaired. Guess we will see what happens

[Ringlets]

I'm glad that she is getting the doll back   - what an awful situation though!    l hope she can get some money back from the postage claim as well

[kellyponyfeathers]

I've been fighting with the USPS over an insurance claim for about 5 months now.  Local postmasters have very little to no power over insurance claims; it's all handled on a national level, and they can be VERY difficult to contact.  I can maybe hook your friend up with this if she needs to talk to them.

Also, if you file a claim for the full insured item value, then the item must be surrendered to the USPS through the local post office, and it will be DESTROYED.  Then, maybe, if you're lucky, they'll send you your claim check.  Anyway, the point is, don't claim the full value if you don't want to surrender the item to be thrown away.  Just file a partial claim.

Hopefully your friend will get the doll back.  Tell her to open a claim at usps.com because that's the starting point.