Vaughn Warriner's Apple computer gets damaged in transit when he sends it his granddaughter. Now UPS is refusing his $400 claim. Can it do that?

Q: I shipped my old 27” iMac to my granddaughter through the UPS Store. UPS lost it.

I had purchased $400 of declared value coverage and paid $53 for shipping. UPS told me to file a claim directly online which I did.

UPS asked for the serial number, proof of value, and even the original Apple purchase receipt from 2015. I provided all of it.

UPS then asked for the serial number. Then it asked for proof of value. Then it asked me for the original Apple purchase receipt from 2015. Finally, UPS asked me to provide the serial number of the computer. I provided all of it.

Then it asked me to upload everything again. The UPS site is confusing and seems designed to make me give up.

I spent hours on the phone and online chat with UPS and got nowhere. I've tried contacting the UPS executives on your site, but they have not responded. After five months of back and forth, UPS still refused to pay. Can you help me recover my money? — Vaughn Warriner, Irvine, Calif.

A: You bought UPS' “declared value coverage,” which is UPS’ maximum liability if a package is lost or damaged. In theory, it’s supposed to reimburse you for the item’s actual worth, up to the declared value.

In practice, as you discovered, UPS makes the process so bureaucratic that many customers walk away. It demands serial numbers, receipts, invoices, and repeated uploads. 

UPS should have offered a way to file your claim quickly, and only once. I've seen this kind of thing before, and you're absolutely right, the bureaucracy makes it look like they're trying to make you give up. But you didn't.

You did everything right: you saved the box, kept receipts, and even dug up a 10-year-old Apple invoice. Reaching out to a UPS executive should have worked. I list the names, numbers and emails of the UPS executives on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org.

Your case is a reminder of two things. First, if you declare a value, be prepared to prove it with receipts, serial numbers, and documentation. Second, persistence pays. UPS’ claim system may be confusing by design, but if you keep pushing — and bring in a consumer advocate when necessary — you can get what you paid for.

When I contacted UPS, it reviewed your case and agreed to pay $453 — the $400 declared value plus $53 for shipping. 

 Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy (https://elliottadvocacy.org), a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him at https://elliottadvocacy.org/help/