Emphasizing insurance when shipping!!!!

[austinp]

I have nothing for sale, but I thought this might be a good place to post this:

A few weeks ago I sold my Super Reef Octopus 5000 on the forum to another member. I packed the skimmer with extra care and completely filled the box with packing supplies to insure safety. I have shipped many of fragile things so this wasn't my first rodeo.

Needless to say the skimmer arrived completely broken, shattered skimmer cup, cracks in body, and not salvageable. Luckily I insured the package in case something like this happend. Luckily this forum has great people and my buyer and I have came to an agreement.

*****Sellers please do insure your packages, it does cost a little more money if your package is expensive but protect both the seller and buyer. These things happen.

 

[Zoacoral]

Which shipping company did you use? I have had problems with UPS, Im strictly Fedex person now. UPS got more strict on there insurance policy, basically if they dont pack it, they wont replace it.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

UPS destroyed a $1200 skimmer that I sold and packed very well. It only had to go like 100 miles south of me as well. I had insurance but they wouldn't pay as they said it was my fault.

 

[returnofsid]

UPS is notorious for denying insurance claims, with the reasoning that the packaging was faulty. USPS is more more willing to honor an insurance claim.

Speaking of insurance, here's my take on it...

I believe that insurance is the responsibilty of the seller, NOT the buyer. Some sellers expect the buyer to pay for the insurance. IMO, insurance is meant to protect the seller, not the buyer. The buyer should be protected by the seller's ethical business practices, IMO. The seller is responsible for deliverying the product, to the buyer, timely and without damage. The buyer has no control over how the product is packaged and should not be out any money due to damages. The seller, alone, has control over how a product is packaged and shipped so any damages are either due to poor packaging or possible shipping damage. The seller takes on that responsibility.

Sellers need to do their research, finding out what the shipping companies require, for insurance purposes. Some of their packaging guidelines are ridiculous but something a seller has to deal with, if they want to be able to take advantage of an insurance claim.

In the event of an insurance claim, the buyer does have some responsibility. The buyer should keep all packaging material and be willing to cooperate with the shipping company, as the insurance claim is investigated. IF the buyer sends the merchandise back to the seller, any and all insurance claims are voided.

 

[returnofsid]

UPS destroyed a $1200 skimmer that I sold and packed very well. It only had to go like 100 miles south of me as well. I had insurance but they wouldn't pay as they said it was my fault.

Did you fight it? Sometimes, fighting their initial decision can be successful.

 

[austinp]

I'll put it this way, the shipping company is not ups and not USPS. Ahaha.

Returnofsid- I agree with you 100% I don't charge my buyers an "insurance cost" that comes out of my pocket. The buyer I am dealing with is not out of money, Ive agreed to return his money in full and will wait and deal with ups' opponent.

The whole process has already been a hassle. My buyer has to leave the item outside and expect the shipping company to pick up the item. Once picked up it could be investigated? Who knows what that means. At some point it will hopefully make its way back to me. The lady last night said the claim takes 5-7 days and shipment from the buyer to me is 5-7 days so I'm looking at 10-14 days before I get it back in possession. I requested to the lady that I would like overnight or 2 day shipping back to me (before they do more damage) but the manager I spoke to had no control of the shipping method. Kind of ironic to me how a manager of one of the top shipping companies can't provide quicker shipping. Hmmmm

 

[kmaintl]

Did you fight it? Sometimes, fighting their initial decision can be successful.

I had the same problem with FedEx Ground. Appealed one damage $500 skimmer 3x and they finally covered it. Appealed another $1000 skimmer 3x and they denied it as my fault... improper packaging. When you first don't succeed, try again.

My experience with UPS in the past is they paid every claim immediately... I haven't used them in a long time though.

 

[Zoacoral]

you should be good with fedex then. As long as there is 2 inch packing around the whole box and you dont have a bunch of items crammed into 1 box.

 

[Zoacoral]

When I have shipped skimmers and lights, stuff thats easier to break, I dont skimp. I pack the package, and I pay fedex to, just to make sure its up to there standards.. Most of the time its only an extra $10.00 for fedex to pack it. Thats money well spent if you ask me.

 

[kmaintl]

I'll put it this way, the shipping company is not ups and not USPS. Ahaha.

Returnofsid- I agree with you 100% I don't charge my buyers an "insurance cost" that comes out of my pocket. The buyer I am dealing with is not out of money, Ive agreed to return his money in full and will wait and deal with ups' opponent.

The whole process has already been a hassle. My buyer has to leave the item outside and expect the shipping company to pick up the item. Once picked up it could be investigated? Who knows what that means. At some point it will hopefully make its way back to me. The lady last night said the claim takes 5-7 days and shipment from the buyer to me is 5-7 days so I'm looking at 10-14 days before I get it back in possession. I requested to the lady that I would like overnight or 2 day shipping back to me (before they do more damage) but the manager I spoke to had no control of the shipping method. Kind of ironic to me how a manager of one of the top shipping companies can't provide quicker shipping. Hmmmm

The last damaged package I had with FedEx Ground was a $500 skimmer. I had 5" molded foam around the entire skimmer (came from factory that way). It was denied twice. On the 3rd appeal, they asked me to ship a sample of the skimmer and shipping materials to their packaging department and I did. They did the drop test and whatever else and then shipped it back to me and put "pass" on the inspection report and the skimmer should have have been damaged. Whoever handled the last skimmer threw and kicked it around like a football. The stronger part of the shipping box, which was the corner edge... broke a hole in a double wall box with 5" of foam. Sometimes the shipping companies are good and agreeable and other times they are not. I had 2 challeges with FedEx Ground, one favorable and the other not. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR CLAIM.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Did you fight it? Sometimes, fighting their initial decision can be successful.

Yes several ways. They even had an "insurance agent" come out and look at it. The owner of the local UPS store told me that when you buy insurance the company that actually insures it is not UPS. This pretty much sums up why a lot of claims get denied. They don't care to tell you no.

 

[90greefman]

Yep, costs a whole $3 to insure my 6095's I shipped today. Never had any issues and I hope I never do.

 

[landlord]

It's not just UPS. I sold an entire Precision Marine system (Sump, CaRX, Skimmer, Waste Collector) I packed it like a champ. It was even packed on the inside so there were absolutely no voids. Sold it to a fellow R2R user. It got there and this is what it looked like

Yes indeed I did stuff the entire thing with Fiberglass insulation. It was a super packing material but it is murder on my dishpan hands. Kudos to Kevin the recipient of this box of junk. He has so far been very patient and it is appreciated.

Kurt

 

[austinp]

Be Prepared to have your heart broken.......



Before shipment:

after shipping:

 

[austinp]

Well the shipping company has been a major P.I.A. so i no longer care about stating their name.

FEDEX was nice enough to pick the package up from the buyer and return it to me (the shipper). When they finally got it back to me 13 days later, it was little more broken than it was when the buyer received it.

 

[reefkoi]

That is nuts they really destroyed that one. Insurance claims are tough especially when it comes to packing approval by them.

 

[Zoacoral]

I hate shipping stuff, but when I do, I pay for fed ex to ship, It doesnt cost much, and then you know for a fact, your 100% covered.

 

[hermesfansf]

Believe or not, i have received 3 damaged package in 2 weeks..delivery companies have been super careless....totally speechless after seeing these pics.

 

[landlord]

9/14 update - It took multiple calls sorting through a bunch of run around, followed by some threats of legal action but I was told that I would be getting a check in the mail. I took it further and demanded that I get the check# being sent so that I could have some assurances that I would waste another 2 weeks for something not coming in the mail. We'll see how it goes.

So it seems that claim denial is always the first course of action. Take pictures of everything you ship, I even took photos of the packaging job that I did while doing it. Normally I would not do this but I was trying to explain to a buddy of mine how guilty I was feeluing using the packaging material (insulation) I chose so I was taking pic during the process. I am glas I did. Make sure you have receipts for your items, make sure the receiver takes photos of the damage, as many as possible!. In my case the buyer of my product opened the product in front of the FedEX guy I believe, and then started taking photos of the damage.

Do not back down to these companies when your products are damaged especially if you PAID extra for insurance. If they aren't going to back it then they need to offer a packing service so that they are ultimately responsible or stop gladly excepting our money for it.

 

[austinp]

It took close to 4 weeks to receive my claim check from Fedex, but stay on them, call every day. If you paid for the insurance & packed the box well, you'll get your money back. The site has great people on it, my buyer understood the situation and worked with me. Thanks again buddy.