More newbie q's

There is little if any home delivery of mail - there are some multi-box stations on the roadside in a few locations in the country - most people use a US Post Office Box or a private mail box service. I would guess some condos have a mail room type place in their office but really do not know about condos.
Liability Auto Insurance is required for each car to be registered - easy to get ? - yes - price? starting at about $260 a year Where? all insurance agencies

So, pardon the silly question, what happens if someone was to mail something to my "home address"? Would it be returned to sender? Would it just sit at the post office until I decide to come by and ask for it?

Not a silly Question - If it was addressed to something like John Doe
13-22 Estate Humbug

St Croix USVI
---------- it would probably sit around for awhile in one of the Post Offices and then be returned to sender by the slowest possible route -if ever - maybe just put in an undelivered box somewhere?? - [ why not ask at the PO - see the postmaster and ask.]
When I 1st moved here I used General Delivery at the Main Post Office.

The PO held my packages for over a month once I think that was more due to neglect than policy though. Two weeks is probably more realistic

Get a mail box or PO box. I don't know which island you're talking about but if STT, if you live right in Charlotte Amalie you could get mail delivered but don't trust that you'll get mail just sent to a post office. I've had things mistakenly sent to my physical address when I've had to list both physical & mail addresses on forms & I've never gotten them.

It's hard enough for mail to make it to my PO box; I shudder to think what would happen if any of those places got my physical address instead....

I keep a stateside mailing address for a few reasons (including to have a mainland credit card billing address -- some places won't ship here if you don't have one). EarthClass Mail scans and passes on my mail for me for $14/mo. I also have a PO box here locally for $44/year. God forbid I have to receive UPS or FedEx here, but I gladly pay the $3 "by the piece" rate at Connections (STJ private mailbox service) for that.

I do plan on a PO box but, at least according to USPS online system, there is a waiting list in all STT post offices for all but largest/most expensive mailboxes. So, i probably won't be able to get one by the time I need my boxes shipped.

I think I'll just try "general delivery" and hope for the best.

And, auto insurance is not hard to get, just a different process from stateside. Here you go into an insurance company's office, fill out their forms, and they give you a quote. If you don't like it, you go to another insurance office, rinse and repeat. The costs are not outrageous IMHO (unless you're under 30 and male), but you also won't necessarily get the kind of coverage you can get stateside.

And, auto insurance is not hard to get, just a different process from stateside. Here you go into an insurance company's office, fill out their forms, and they give you a quote. If you don't like it, you go to another insurance office, rinse and repeat. The costs are not outrageous IMHO (unless you're under 30 and male), but you also won't necessarily get the kind of coverage you can get stateside.

Well, I am male, but over 30 and married (and cheaper insurance is pretty much the only benefit of that 🙂 ). Sounds like a fairly quick process. Just trying to see if I can minimize rental car time.

LOL, br1K, if you wife reads that last post, you may not be married long!

I would be concerned about shipping boxes to general delivery. What part of the island will you be living on? If east end, Red Hook Mail Services will accept packages for you, if you make arrangements in advance. There are other mail services on other parts of the island that will probably do the same. I live on STX. We have a mail service here that accepts packages for $5.00 each. Don't know what the charge is at the ones on STT.

If you do send general delivery, be sure to send someway that is trackable. (Good idea, either way.)

Juanita, What is the mail service that accepts packages for $5.00 each? Where on STX? I'll be there in less than 2 weeks. 🙂

We live in Northstar STT and have no trouble getting our mail. When we first were moving in we happened to meet up with the mail carrier at the mailboxes, asked how to get one and she immediately said "Oh, I can take care of that ". Literally within 1 minute we had a box and key, mailing address and our name written on the inside of the door....Not bad! We have had several boxes delivered to the box on time ( I tracked their delivery) and in relatively good shape. A few times we have had incorrectly sorted mail delivered to our box, but then again that happened ALL the time in the states!

Cheryl

The mailboxes that 'cheryl96s' are describing are what I meant by the 'multi-box' stations on the road in the country- hers is at the bottom of North Star Village road in STT - there are a few neighborhoods that have this rural type service -- I do not know how to find out where they are located though. Have you beeen to one of the Post Offices in the VI to try and help you solve these questions?? or only online?? A lot more of things here are done in person as Cheryl described.

Rather than sending yourself boxes general delivery, you might want to consider having someone mail them to you after you've procured a box here. Mail has a habit of getting lost on the way here, and general delivery increases that risk.

Edward,
On STX, the mail service I sometimes use is: Mail Boxes and More (formerly Mailboxes, Etc.).

You simply address the package to yourself @...

6002 Diamond Ruby
Suite # 3
Christiansted, VI 00802

Good idea to call ahead and let them know to expect something for you, and give them a phone number. Not totally necessary, though. If you know about when it will arrive, just go in and ask. The phone number is 340-719-5131. Also, if the box is really large, it may be more.

Insure your boxes for at least a dollar and they will usually get here fine and on time.

There is a new one in Red Hook- The Mail Hub - Red Hook Mail Services is, I believe, up to $10 per piece if you don't have a box there.

But just ask any mailman/person you see and they will be happy to tell where there are vacant boxes in the multi type boxes on the side of the road. You still have to go to the PO for packages but you will get notices for the packages.

There is a mail service in Crown Bay, one in Yacht Haven .. they are everywhere. What part of town will you be spending most of your getting mail time? I get mine at Red Hook although i don't live near there but pass by at least three times a week on business.

For getting a box in a mail service - two photo ids and something showing your local residence.

Pamela

Thanks to all for the replies! This is useful info and clearly there are a few options - now I just have to use one 🙂

In response to auto insurance... a number of companies only offer the minimum liability, 10/20/10. I wanted a greater amount of coverage since people aren't exactly shy about suing down here. Marshall & Sterling offer higher combined single limits. If anyone else knows of companies that offer policies above 10/20/10 limits please let me know so I can compare their offers.

Thanks for the reference!
I would agree that 10/20/10 is not a useful policy except for formal compliance, it is trivial to get hit with a much bigger judgment even on a minor accident.

In response to auto insurance... a number of companies only offer the minimum liability, 10/20/10. I wanted a greater amount of coverage since people aren't exactly shy about suing down here. Marshall & Sterling offer higher combined single limits. If anyone else knows of companies that offer policies above 10/20/10 limits please let me know so I can compare their offers.