It always kinds of scares me when the post office clerk asks "do you want to insure this?"

my immediate thought is "Why, were you intending to mishandle it?"

Seriously, it is worth the extra cost of insuring it.

I'm not sure how much one can recover for a quilt without an appraisal beyond "reasonable" cost for the materials.

I received a piece of antique Croesus glass that was broken - all the other pieces in the box arrived intact - and the postmaster wouldn't accept my word or the seller's word on the value. I had to provide a couple of sources - with pictures - of approximate value.

I had to bring in the item, the box and packing materials, the insurance thing that showed insurance had been purchased - neat trick when the seller had it and was several states away - "proof" that the item was worth what I said it was
Also, the clerk at one post office branch said I had to return the whole shipment to get anything done - then I went to the post office immediately over that one and was told I only had to submit the pieces from the one item.

Check into the post office insurance carefully before assuming that they will honor any $ amount one may assign to an item.

I think they should, but I don't know if they would.

Eventually, the claim was honored, but it took several months.

Wouldn't a quilt sent that had to be signed for with delivery confirmation that never was delivered be easier to claim insurance then the quilt arriving damaged?

So is the purpose of insuring not only to hopefully be recompensed, at least for materials if a quilt is lost or is the assumption that they'll take more care NOT to lose insured packages than uninsured ones?

As I understand it (for quilts) you have to have either a certified appraisal to prove the value, or have your receipts for the components- and you'd only get your materials and labor you paid for (such as your machine quilter), not your labor.

I worked for a jewelry store for 10 years. When we needed to send a customers jewelry some where else we mailed it (USPS) Registered mail, return receipt requested. It costs a little more but everyone who touches that package has to sign for it so there is a direct trail. In 10 years I never had a single item lost.
I try not to mail anything with sentimental value (all my quilts for example) but if necessary that's the way to go in my humble opinion.
Jo

I use first class mail anbd track and confirm. I used to get this it never came...for 80 cent i can track the package every night. The post office takes a lot of blame for lost packages. The 80 cents is worth it :D

But what if it ends up on an island with Tom Hanks. :lol: