Complaint Review: Federal Express

I'm not an experienced shipper. I recently shipped a package with FedEx valued at $1000, but failed to fill in that amount in the 'Total Declared Value' field of the airbill. When the FedEx pickup agent arrived, he was noticeably upset with me for not having an airbill and not having it completed. Unfortunately, I let him intimidate me into completing the airbill without taking the time to understand all the fine print. Well of course FedEx lost my package which weighed 125 pounds and measured 5 ft. x 2 ft. x 2 ft. Must have slipped into a crack somewhere. Anyway, they claimed their liability was only $100 as stated on the airbill if no value is declared. From the trace agent assigned to locate my package (who never returned a call) to the claims agent who questioned my intelligence and literacy, about everyone I spoke to at FedEx was rude and arrogant. By grovelling during the claims appeals process, I received an additional $400 compensation. I had proof of the value of the item, but FedEx wasn't even interested in seeing it. What's really surprising and a bit scary for potential shippers is a statement by a trace manager I spoke to, "You'd be surprised at how many big packages end up without an airbill attached."