How to File Domestic Insurance Claims  
Here’s how you can recover the value of your lost or damaged mail.
If your insured mailing, whether purchased online or at a Post Office, has been lost or damaged in transit you can recover the value of your articles by filing an insurance claim at any Post Office™.
 
Have a claim to file?
Domestic Insurance claims can now be filed online.

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When to File
For Damage or Partial Loss of Contents: File immediately, but no later than 60 days from the date of mailing.
For a Complete Loss: File within the time limits in the chart below.

Domestic Time Limits
Type of Service (Number of days after date of mailing)
Earliest Date     Latest Date
Insured Mail 21 days 180 days
Collect on Delivery (COD) 45 days 180 days
Registered Mail™ 15 days 180 days
Registered COD 45 days 180 days
Express Mail® (including insured) 7 days 90 days
Express Mail COD 45 days 90 days
APO/FPO Insured (First-Class Mail®, Space Available Mail (SAM) or Parcel Airlift (PAL)) 45 days 1 year
APO/FPO Insured (Surface Mail) 75 days 1 year

Where to File
  • Online at www.usps.com/insuranceclaims/online for all articles with USPS domestic insurance. Claims for Registered Mail™ and Collect on Delivery (COD) cannot be filed online.
  • By mail directly to Accounting Services. Download and complete the PS Form 1000, Domestic or International Claim.
  • At any Post Office. Download and complete the PS Form 1000, Domestic or International Claim or request a copy and complete it at the Post Office.

Locate a Post Office - Find the Post Office nearest you!
What You’ll Need

Claims Form
Download and complete the customer portion of PS Form 1000, Domestic or International Claim and take to any Post Office, or request a copy and complete it at the Post Office. Not needed for domestic insurance claims filed online.

Evidence of Insurance
You must retain Evidence of Insurance for your claim. This includes evidence that Insured Mail, Collect on Delivery (COD), Registered Mail™, or Express Mail® was purchased for the mailed package.

  • For insurance purchased at a Post Office or through a rural carrier, you will need the original mailing receipt that you were given at the time of mailing. This can be a sales receipt or a postmarked Insured Mail, Registered Mail, or COD receipt.

  • For insurance purchased online you will need a computer printout from the web-based application where the label was printed and insurance was purchased. The printout must clearly identify all of the following information:

  • Electronic Label Number
    		•
  • Insurance Fee Paid
    		•
  • Total Postage Paid
    		•
  • Declared Mailing Date
    		•
  • Origin ZIP Code™
    		•
  • Delivery ZIP Code
    		•
  • Declared Value
    		•

  • For a detailed list of acceptable evidence check the General Filing Instructions in the Domestic Mail Manual.

Evidence of Value
Submit evidence - such as a sales receipt or invoice - showing the value of the article when it was mailed. For a detailed list of acceptable evidence check the General Filing Instructions in the Domestic Mail Manual.

For Internet transactions conducted through a Web-based payment network, provide a computer printout of the online transaction identifying the purchaser and seller, price paid, date of transaction, description of item purchased, and assurance that the transaction status is completed. The printout must clearly identify the Web-based payment network provider through which the Internet transaction was conducted.

Proof of Damage or Partial Loss of Contents
You must retain the damaged item(s), packaging and all contents until the claim is resolved. If you receive notification from the USPS, you will be required to bring the item(s), packaging and all contents to the Post Office.

When to Expect Payment

A properly completed and supported claim is usually paid within 30 days.
Additional Information

 FAQs about claims
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