How often does first class mail get lost?

So the USPS moves about 146 BILLION PIESES OF MAIL EVERY YEAR, and about 3% of that mail is lost. The loss of mail is usually because the package was missing a proper zip code or the return address was not ledge-able so the letter/package could not be returned to sender.



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A very small fraction of one percent. Of this most is not actually lost, but is either damaged by or becomes trapped in the massive automated machinery used to process the mail. Letter mail gets processed on multiple automated machines, usually before anyone actually even looks at it.

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There also has been an increase in high volume mail theft incidents from mail receptacles nationwide. Last year there were around 38,500 thefts, and this year around 25,000 incidents have been reported.

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One of the biggest differences between the two services is that First Class mail doesn't have a default insurance policy like Priority Mail. So, in cases where a package is lost or damaged during delivery via First Class, the sender isn't covered.

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