Public Law 72–287

That section 3926 of the Revised Statutes of the United States as amended by the Act of February 27, 1897 (ch. 340, 29 Stat. L. 599), providing limited indemnity for loss of registered mail matter, and by the Act of March 3, 1903 (32 Stat. L. 1174), fixing such indemnity at not exceeding $100, and that portion of the Act of March 4, 1911 (36 Stat. L. 1337), making appropriations for the service of the Post Office Department for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1912, and for other purposes, and providing indemnity for the loss of third and fourth class domestic registered matter, which laws were jointly

Vol. 45, p. 469, amended.

U. S. C., Supp. V, p. 587.

amended by section 3 of the Act of May 1, 1928 (45 Stat. L. 469; U. S. C., Supp. V, title 39, sec. 381a), are hereby further amended to read as follows:

Uniform system of registration.

“For the greater security of valuable mail matter the Postmaster General may establish a uniform system of registration, and as a part of such system he may provide rules under which the senders or owners of any registered matter shall be indemnified for loss, rifling,

Amount of indemnity.

or damage thereof in the mails, the indemnity to be paid out of the postal revenues, but in no case to exceed $1,000 for any one registered piece, or the actual value thereof when that is less than $1,000, and for which no other compensation or reimbursement to the loser

Provisos.

Actual value payments.

has been made: Provided, That the Postmaster General may in his discretion provide for the payment of indemnity for the actual value of registered mail or insured mail treated as registered mail in excess of $1,000, but not in excess of $10,000, when such mail is not insured with any commercial insurance company or other insuring agency and may fix the fees chargeable for the risks assumed ratably

Fees therefor.

at the rates fixed up to $1,000: Provided further. That the Postmaster

Reinsurance of risks, etc., permitted.

General in his discretion may cause to be underwritten or reinsured in whole or in part with any commercial insurance companies any liability or risk assumed by the Post Office Department in connection with the mailing of any particular registered article or articles.

“Sec. 2.

The full value of all registered mail or insured mail

Declaration of full value.

treated as registered mail shall be declared by the mailer at the time of mailing unless otherwise prescribed by the Postmaster General, and any claim for indemnity in any amount involving such mail,

Failure to invalidate claim for indemnity.

when the full value knowingly and willfully was not stated at the time of mailing, shall be invalid. All claims for indemnity involving

Pro rata adjustment of indemnity claims on reinsured matter.

registered mail, or insured mail treated as registered mail, or other insured mail, or collect-on-delivery mail, which is also insured with commercial insurance companies or other insuring agencies, shall be adjusted by the Post Office Department on a pro rata basis as a coinsurer with the commercial insurance companies or other insuring agencies.”

#

Sec. 2.

Section 3927 of the Revised Statutes of the United States,

R. S., sec. 3927, p. 763;

U. S. C., p. 1259.

Vol. 43, p. 1068; Vol. 45, p. 469, amended.

U. S. C., Supp. V, p. 588.

as amended by section 209 of the Act of February 28, 1925 (43 Stat. L. 1068), and by the first section of the Act of May 1, 1928 (45 Stat. L. 469; U. S. C., Supp. V, title 39, sec. 384), be, and the same is hereby, amended further to read as follows:

“Mail matter shall be registered on the application of the party

Schedule of registry fees and limits of indemnity revised.

posting the same. The registry fees, which are in addition to the regular postage, and the limits of indemnity therefor within the maximum indemnity provided by law shall be as follows:

“For registry indemnity not exceeding $5, 15 cents; “For registry indemnity exceeding $5 but not exceeding $25, 18 cents; “For registry indemnity exceeding $25 but not exceeding $50, 20 cents; “For registry indemnity exceeding $50 but not exceeding $75, 25 cents; “For registry indemnity exceeding $75 but not exceeding $100, 30 cents; “For registry indemnity exceeding $100 but not exceeding $200, 40 cents; “For registry indemnity exceeding $200 but not exceeding $300, 50 cents; “For registry indemnity exceeding $300 but not exceeding $400, 60 cents; “For registry indemnity exceeding $400 but not exceeding $500, 70 cents; “For registry indemnity exceeding $500 but not exceeding $600, 80 cents; “For registry indemnity exceeding $600 but not exceeding $700, 85 cents; “For registry indemnity exceeding $700 but not exceeding $800, 90 cents; “For registry indemnity exceeding $800 but not exceeding $900, 95 cents; and “For registry indemnity exceeding $900 but not exceeding $1,000, $1:

“Provided, That for registered mail or insured mail treated as

Additional, for matter in excess of maximum indemnity covered by fee paid.

registered mail having a declared value in excess of the maximum indemnity covered by the registry fee paid there shall be charged additional fees as follows: When the declared value exceeds the

Rates.

maximum indemnity covered by the registry fee paid by not more than $50, 1 cent; by more than $50 but not more than $100, 2 cents; by more than $100 but not more than $200, 3 cents; by more than $200 but not more than $400, 4 cents; by more than $400 but not more than $600, 5 cents; by more than $600 but not more than $800, 6 cents; by more than $800 but less than $1,000, 7 cents; and if the excess of the declared value over the maximum indemnity covered by the registry fee paid is $1,000 or more, the additional fees for each $1,000 or part of $1,000 on articles destined to points within the several zones applicable to fourth-class matter shall be as follows:

“For local delivery or for delivery within the first zone, 8 cents; “For delivery within the second zone, 9 cents; “For delivery within the third zone, 10 cents; “For delivery within the fourth zone, 11 cents; “For delivery within the fifth or sixth zones, 12 cents; “For delivery within the seventh or eighth zones, 13 cents.

Accounting.

“All such fees shall be accounted for in such manner as the Postmaster

Registered official mail.

General shall direct. Mail matter upon the official business of the Post Office Department which requires registering shall be registered free of charge, and pass through the mails free of charge.”

Sec. 3.

The Postmaster General may make such rules and regulations in accordance with this Act as he may consider necessary or advisable.

Effective date.

This Act shall become effective July 1, 1932.