The intent of this policy is to establish a uniform procedure for processing claims for residents for mailbox damages that allegedly resulted from municipal snow removal operations performed by the Town.
The Highway Division is responsible to ensure that Town roadways are kept free of snow and ice during the winter season. It is understood that most mailboxes are located inside the public right of way, and therefore, damage to a mailbox is often unavoidable for various reasons.
During the winter, Town plow trucks occasionally damage mailboxes while clearing the streets of snow and ice. While Town crews do their best to avoid hitting mailboxes, sometimes, a mailbox can be struck by accident. If a Town or Town Contracted plow/truck damages a mailbox through direct contact, and evidence shows that the actual plow blade hit the mailbox, a reimbursement may be made to the owner of the mailbox in accordance with the terms of the policy. Mailboxes or posts damaged by the weight of the plow windrow (snow exiting the end of the plow) are not included or covered under this policy.
In the event a mailbox is struck directly by a plow or truck during the Highway Department's snow removal operations, it is the responsibility of the property owner to complete a Mailbox Damage Report and file it with the Town Administrator's Office. Such requests must be submitted within 72-hours of the damage occurring, so it can be assessed and verified for any claim. Please include photos of the damage with your claim. To verify the claim, the damaged post and mailbox must be available for inspection by the Highway Department. Mailboxes/posts will not be repaired if they are in a deteriorated condition. The Town may authorize reimbursement to the owner of the damaged or destroyed mailbox up to a maximum of fifty dollars ($50.00). This amount is intended to provide an equitable share of the cost of replacing the damaged mailbox, post and/or brackets with the homeowner. No reimbursement in excess of $50.00 shall be provided, regardless of the location, size, original cost or elaborateness of the mailbox post. The Town does not provide replacement mailboxes and will not perform any repairs to mailboxes.
Only one claim per household will be accepted per fiscal year for compensation.
The US Postal Service requires customers maintain mailboxes in a manner that enables the carrier to deliver and collect mail. The customer is required to keep the approach to and the exit from the mailbox sufficiently cleared of snow for the carrier and it not responsibility of the Highway Department nor is plow subcontractors. All homeowners are urged to inspect their posts and mailboxes every year and replace rotted or insecure post installations. For additional information regarding residential mailboxes, please refer to the USPS at: https://www.usps.com/manage/mailboxes.htm
Mailbox Damage on State Highways
If you live on a State Highway road and have mailbox damage, you may contact District 5 of MassDOT at (508) 824-6633. They are located at 1000 County Street, Taunton, MA 02780.