I got $0 compensation after USPS lost my package full of gifts — what’s fair to expect?

When USPS loses a package and you get $0 compensation, it’s usually because your shipment wasn’t insured or eligible for covered value under the service you chose.

USPS only pays for insured value or included coverage, not the full content value by default.

USPS has a claims process where you must file for a refund or insurance claim with proof of value, and if the item wasn’t insured or declared, they often aren’t liable beyond a basic refund of postage in specific cases.

For lost contents like gifts, your fair expectation is compensation up to the insured/declared value and possibly a refund of shipping fees if the service had a money-back guarantee.

You can also appeal a denied claim with additional documentation if you think it was wrongly evaluated.