I posted (Australia Post) an item today, photos, lots of them - interstate - a box on the borderline of a one person OH&S lift 
of course it was a long queue … and the box got heavier. Luckily the scales at the counter didn’t know that.
I asked for insurance. “Can you prove the value of the items inside” was the question. I said they are irreplaceable in some ways, could be reprinted from negatives, thousands of them - easily 1000$ worth to redo. “but can you show receipts for what is inside” was the question … wedding photos from 20 years ago, family photos some from 50+ years ago, hundreds of individual developed films. “No of course I don’t have hundreds of receipts for all that, but I can show how much it would cost to re-develop” - apparently no - you need to show receipts for what is in the box, or a valuation. So perhaps I have a receipt at home for 1000$ worth of jewellery - maybe that’s what was in the box, not photos, and if it goes missing there you are. “can you prove it was in the box” - well, of course not. “then they probably wont pay”. Who is “they” - some detached part of Australia Post? So I ask whats the point of insurance? “Exactly” was the essence of the reply.
Not that the lady behind the counter wasn’t helpful - she was - she has a fine line to tread between upholding the image of her company and trying to be real to me - while I found her responses unhelpful in one sense (superficially), she was actually very helpful as I read between the lines - she saved me money on a product that would not be of use to me if needed. Australia Post gets a bad report card a lot of the time, I feel some sympathy for the good people who work there who try to do the right thing. This lady was one of them.
So here’s how it seems. You need receipts or valuations to prove the value of what was in the box - but the slippery catch is, you also need to be able to prove that the box you posted and insured actually contained the valuables you insured. Effectively unless you have an independent witness prepared to see you package and maintain visual/custody until posted and sign a stat-dec to the effect, you’re screwed. Even then, maybe you’re screwed.
I tried a quick look on the Australia Post site - https://auspost.com.au/parcels-mail/sending-in-australia/domestic-parcels/optional-extras-domestic as a starting point. They aren’t forthcoming with details or fine print, I know it will be there somewhere, but it’s not obvious, and certainly wasn’t obvious at the counter …
I hope they arrive …
