Originally Posted by
toverly
Describe it as a blanket, not a quilt at the carrier office. Get the insurance and tracking whether you use USPS or UPS.
Note that insurance will only cover if you have receipts for the contents. You could value a quilt at $500 and insure for that, but if it's lost or damaged, you're going to need to produce acceptable documentation proving the value before the insurance will pay. For example, if you purchased the item OR if the recipient is purchasing it from you.
There was a topic on QB here a year or so ago about this, and at best one could get the value of the fabrics used in that particular instance.
ETA - here's the topic
Why Should I Get My Quilt Appraised? - Quiltingboard Forums