USPS Insurance Claim Problem

[mrmudcat]

Originally posted by: BigJ
Guys,

Take a look at this thread:
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...hreadid=1750683&enterthread=y&arctab=y

Looks like our friend mrmudcat employed the help of our forums in trying to justify the Insurance Claim of $1000+. This post from Odeen sticks out:

Your own best bet is to itemize the cost of the components in that computer, and try to find reputable-looking sites that haven't been updated in a year and, therefore, are quoting high prices.

This thread was made as both the buyer and I were asking for help in a fair resolution.

Again it was 100%properly done with the post office but thanks for the great comments .

 

[VirginiaDonkey]

Because the value to you at the time you sold it was $390. It just sucks for you if Lukeman is able to get more for the claim because YOU said it was worth more.


besides, he has the check right? This matter should be closed

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: mrmudcat

Originally posted by: BigJ
Guys,

Take a look at this thread:
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...hreadid=1750683&enterthread=y&arctab=y

Looks like our friend mrmudcat employed the help of our forums in trying to justify the Insurance Claim of $1000+. This post from Odeen sticks out:

Your own best bet is to itemize the cost of the components in that computer, and try to find reputable-looking sites that haven't been updated in a year and, therefore, are quoting high prices.

This thread was made as both the buyer and I were asking for help in a fair resolution.

Again it was 100%properly done with the post office but thanks for the great comments .

Post the specs of the system then.

 

[LukeMan]

OK, I'm home from work and can hopefully answer some of you're guys' burning questions. Didn't expect this post to get to be 1 of those extra hot topics.

I posted this before receiving the insurance check. The check just arrived in the mail today.

The check was for ~$1050, and I believe the fairest thing to do with it was for me to take out the original $390 that I'm out and then Larry(seller) and I split the remainder($660). I filed the paperwork and it was my $390 that was up in the air for 5 months. Larry was a big help and filed an appeal after the claim was denied 3-4 months after being filed. I believe Larry did probably ~60% of the work in the communication and filing with the Post Office, so I though him receiving 66% of the remainder was a fair price.

 

[VirginiaDonkey]

hey BigJ.....i'm having fun...you having fun too?

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: VirginiaDonkey
hey BigJ.....i'm having fun...you having fun too?

Absolutely.

 

[mrmudcat]

Originally posted by: BigJ

Originally posted by: mrmudcat

Originally posted by: VirginiaDonkey
If lukeman has the $1050, then isn't the claim resolved?

what's left to get approved or denied IF Lukeman has the check from USPS?

and also, IF Lukeman has the $1050, he is entitled to keep all of it because YOU said the value of the system was $1050...of course, you claiming anything otherwise would constitute fraud. Luke man does owe you the speakers if they were part of the original deal though.

we agreed on a fair settlement between us ,how is he entitled to $610 since he is out $390???

And why are you entitled to an extra $610 since you were willing to sell the system at that $610 loss?

You already have your $390.

Im not and iIhave never claimed I was ,thats why I agreed to a fair 50/50 split..........or actually better .$550 to luke $500 to me and he keeps the speakers....why are some of you on a witchhunt for me when ive been 150% honest .Reputation means nothing here ,im called a bad trader,someone who has committed fraud etc.etc. ...

 

[VirginiaDonkey]

Lukeman, imho...you are being more than fair.

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: LukeMan
OK, I'm home from work and can hopefully answer some of you're guys' burning questions. Didn't expect this post to get to be 1 of those extra hot topics.

I posted this before receiving the insurance check. The check just arrived in the mail today.

The check was for ~$1050, and I believe the fairest thing to do with it was for me to take out the original $390 that I'm out and then Larry(seller) and I split the remainder($660). I filed the paperwork and it was my $390 that was up in the air for 5 months. Larry was a big help and filed an appeal after the claim was denied 3-4 months after being filed. I believe Larry did probably ~60% of the work in the communication and filing with the Post Office, so I though him receiving 66% of the remainder was a fair price.

Can you do us a favor and post specs of this $1050 system that mrmudcat was willing to sell at a $660 loss?

 

[LukeMan]

Originally posted by: BigJ
Post the specs of the system then.

it was a pentium 4, 120gb hdd, 512mb? pc3200 low latency gaming memory, radeon 9800pro, ultra x-connect 500? watt psu, custom painted heavy duty case sorta like a chieftec dragon but more heavy, 2 cd/dvd drives I think(been a little while since I seen it), lots of extra cooling equipment on video card/cpu/case(about $200 worth of thermaltake cooling fans and heatsinks), I forget the mobo brand, also an audio graphic equalizer display on the front in a 5.25 drive bay.

 

[mrmudcat]

Again why am I being slammed by some of you and treated the way I am,what exactly have I done wrong but be !00%honest.Ive been insulted called a bad trader ,a fraud etc etc. thanks for all the wonderful comments by some of you guys.

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: LukeMan

Originally posted by: BigJ
Post the specs of the system then.

it was a pentium 4, 120gb hdd, 512mb? pc3200 memory, radeon 9800pro, ultra x-connect 500? watt psu, custom painted heavy duty case sorta like a chieftec dragon but more heavy, 2 cd/dvd drives I think(been a little while since I seen it), lots of extra cooling equipment on video card/cpu/case, I forget the mobo brand, also an audio graphic equalizer display on the front in a 5.25 drive bay.

Figure prices as of November. All of these are VERY lenient estimates:

Pentium 4 - Can't guage accurately
512mb PC3200 - $80
120gb HD - $70
Radeon 9800 Pro - $80
Ultra X-Connect 500 - $70
Case - A VERY generous $125
2 CD/DVD Drives - $70 total
EQ - $30
Misc Cooling Equipment - $100
Motherboard - $100

So that's a total of about $725, + a Pentium 4 CPU. Depending on how old it was and what speed, it's probably a maximum of $300. So that's $1025, not taking into account the fact that all the stuff is used and probably beyond warranty.

Looks like it was an OK, but slightly exagerrated claim. I'm probably cushioning those estimates by at least a good 15-20%.

 

[ian1969uk]

Well, seems you are now accepting of his estimated value, and now the situation is resolved, some of you should be thinking twice about being so quick to judge others.

As another frequenter of Futuremarks' forums, all I can say is that there's hundreds of us over there that would trust mrmudcat implicitly. He has never done a bad trade and has helped out other users countless times with no gain to himself.

All in all, an extremely good guy, and if more traders were like him, it would be much safer to trade on internet forums.

 

[batmanuel]

Originally posted by: mrmudcat

Again this simply is wrong.I provided all reciepts of the value of the parts .I did not include it being a custom painted case etc.I did the claim as I was instructed by my postmaster and or the person handling claims.It was honored after apealing since my postmaster wrote a letter that he helped me pack it properly with post office materials.

Even if you submitted your purchase receipts, the parts aren't worth close to their original value due to the rapid depreciation that occurs with computers and their components. Even if you only had the machine for a few months, value of the parts depreciated by a decent amount. The retail price of the parts doesn't matter, as they are now used. The prices they are fetching on eBay are closer to the fair market value.

To bring up the car analogy, it is pretty common for insurance companies to only give you what the car's worth when they total them out, and not the amount that you paid. You may have paid $20k for the car, but if you drive it off the lot and it immediately gets totalled State Farm could legally assess the car as being worth a mere $18k because it is now "used". That's why the car dealers sell "gap insurance," so you don't get screwed by the rapid depreciation that occurs right after purchase.

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: ian1969uk
Well, seems you are now accepting of his estimated value, and now the situation is resolved, some of you should be thinking twice about being so quick to judge others.

Don't go putting words into my mouth.

The price I quoted is more than likely cushioned by a good 15-20%, hinges on the fact it was an expensive P4, AND doesn't take into account that the parts were all used, so they are substantially devalued. By at least 20%.

Some used prices would be more like:

Pentium 4 2.4ghz 533 - $90
512mb PC3200 - $50
120gb HD - $50
Radeon 9800 Pro - $70
Ultra X-Connect 500 - $50
Case - A VERY generous $75 MAXIMUM due to it being a custom job
2 CD/DVD Drives - $60 total
EQ - $20
Misc Cooling Equipment - $75
Motherboard - $75

Which looks more like $615-$700. So essentially he took USPS for a $350 ride.

 

[LukeMan]

Originally posted by: DaiShan
Now, what should have happened is: You have the buyer take pictures of the damaged case etc. and provide you with a written statement as to the damages.

I took pictures of the box and computer to show the damage and then sent them to Larry. I no longer have these pictures or I would post them.