For many years I have been sending valuable items overseas using the Royal MAil International Signed for service with additional payment for compensation for up to £500. If a packet was lost in the past they have always paid up, sometimes with a little conflict but it has always been settled. The latest packet I sent to Germany went missing for a few months so we raised a claim and have been through all the appeal proceedures. In the final appeal it is interesting they changed their defence which has created a very interesting situation. They stated that the signed for service is not an insured service, indeed that the Royal Mail does not offer any international Insured service at all. According to the UPU and the German Postal authority Germany does not accept valuable itens including Cash , coins, Jewellery etc, etc) except in the Insured post. (Germany has 2 services a GLS which is like our recorded - non insured service, and DHL which is their Insured Service). The Royal Mail states that the International Signed for service does not offer insurance but only compensation in the case of loss or damage. (I personnally do not see a difference but they do). I have now also received an email from David Gee (Chairman and Chief Executive Office) confirming that their legal department has concluded that the International Signed for service is not an insured service. The point here is that any International signed for postal item sent to Germany (And presumably other countries) is not Insured so is transferred to the German GLS service which is equivalent to our recorded service. The Germans say the item is not insured so any valuable items are prohibited. The Royal Mail say that the valuable items are prohibited by the UPU/German postal service so they refuse to investigate or pay compensation. My feeling is that this is mass mis-selling of the service, as anyone using the signed for service is going to be sending valuable items which by the post office definition will be prohibited by the German Postal service and the Royal Mail can and does reject claims on this basis. Even the Royal Mail website states that cash and valubles should be sent by the International signed for service. They do exclude some countries but not Germany. I feel this is mis-selling and everyone who has used this service should be due a full refund from Royal Mail. What do you think? Mis-sold mail