Discussions > General Discussion
Shipping insurance
Bob Ellis:
I think this may have been discussed previously, but I can't find it, so here goes...
I've agreed to buy a melodeon (what another one!) from somebody in the United States. However, delivery to the UK is proving difficult because the shippers won't insure it for its full value. Priority Mail International will only insure up to $200 and Priority Mail Express to a maximum of $650, whereas the purchase price is $820. UPS charge a whopping $300+ for shipping, so we haven't even asked them about insurance. The seller is currently approaching FedEx, but I haven't heard back from him yet.
I know some of you have bought boxes from the USA and had them shipped to England, so can anyone recommend a reasonably priced shipper who will insure the melodeon for its full value of $820?
Theo:
Plenty of experience shipping too US but none the other way. I think it’s more important to choose a reliable courier and to pack well than it is to buy insurance. That is a personal decision and I don’t expect others to agree.
rees:
--- Quote from: Theo on May 15, 2019, 10:12:17 PM ---Plenty of experience shipping too US but none the other way. I think it’s more important to choose a reliable courier and to pack well than it is to buy insurance. That is a personal decision and I don’t expect others to agree.
--- End quote ---
I agree .........
Steve C.:
I did not use to agree, but have changed. Paying $30 in shipping and $70 in insurance will do it.
I do not know anyone who has either 1) filed a claim or 2) successfully had a claim paid for anywhere approaching the cost of the insurance itself. Never have heard of a box totally lost/disappearing. (could be I just have not heard....)
So I have fallen/changed to the Theo/Rees school of pack it really well, ship registered/trackable with the best available carrier.
One caveat about shipping in/out of the States: customs, especially at NY can be a black hole and scary. Carriers that use a customs broker are expensive but avoid this to some extent (UPS/FDX). Post Office/RoyalMail is near guaranteed to sit in the purgatory, but always seems to pop out sooner or later.
Another is avoid shipping between late November and early January, if possible.
Some folks have told me to be wary of rare woods/banned materials.
Jesse Smith:
US Customs seems to work on a random check basis, at least inbound. I've had many things shipped from the UK (books, CDs, old coins, bicycle parts, and one melodeon) and I have never had anything held up in customs or had to pay a duty fee. I don't know whether outgoing it is stricter.
I'm sure endangered woods or ivory buttons on concertinas could be a problem, but to my knowledge I've never even had a box opened, so you would have to be unlucky in that regard first. Still, if you know that might be an issue it's probably best to get some kind of letter of exemption ahead of time.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
Go to full version