shipping insurance opinions wanted

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MORIMOTOM

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i have a couple concerns regarding purchasing insurance when shipping knives.

i ship almost exclusively usps priority, unless otherwise requested.

a receipt for the item is required to file a claim, correct?

if so, does shipping a knife for which i don't have a receipt require it? for example, a knife i purchased previously on the exchange.

is purchasing the insurance just a waste of money for items of this nature?

i don't mind the extra few dollars, if in fact i can file a claim w/o a receipt or other proof of what was in the lost package.
 
http://www.usps.com/insuranceclaims/welcome.htm

Apparently I've wasted a lot of money on insuring items that I could not have collected for. I suppose you could say it was all wasted anyway, since I've never filed a claim.
I typically insure anything over $50, if it's something I'm selling. They want specifics, apparently...credit card bill, receipt, canceled check. I had never looked beyond proof of value. They want more than that. This amounts to proving ownership, as well as value. If I'm reading this right, I can only think of a couple of items, out of probably a hundred, that I could have successfully filed a claim for.
 
If you have buyers pay via USPS money order, that would be considered proof of value. I have had the unfortunate experiance of filing a claim. They took as long as they could to pay by their rules but each time they did pay. KEEP YOUR RECIEPTS!!!!! Save all your PO paperwork till the package arrives and is acknowledged by the buyer. Write down ALLL the info on a USPS MO before cashing it(MO#,clerk#,date,etc) It also is helpful if the buyer holds onto their MO stub till the item arrives. If you get a problem such as a tore open, empty box, save the box. The PO will insist on needing to see it. One of my customs went missing once and I had not saved the MO info. Tried telling them I was the maker and therefore could verify the value. They weren't buying it(convieniant huh?). I asked them what they would accept and they said it would take a verified dealer to state the value. I Simply called a local friend who is a knife dealer(and a lawyer) and he wrote a quick "it would cost $XXX to replace a knife like that" on his letterhead and I submitted it to the PO. Took something like 60 days to get a check but it did arrive :) Nothing leaves my place without insurance or a saved Email from the buyer accepting responsibility for any loss that may occur.
 
would a paypal transaction be considered "proof of value" and essentially be the equivalent of a m.o. receipt?
 
this is a very interesting question as many of us use paypal and dont have original
receipts for the item we are shipping,i would like to find out.
Marc
 
Call the PO and the local Postmaster should be able to answer you. I was told they just needed proof of payment so if you can show them a print out with a transaction # I don't see how they can deny it.
 
This thread is quite interesting. I had an overnight package recently that took 3 days to get to it's destination. I had it mailed out on time and ready for a Friday delivery, it was missent and took two additional days to reach it's destination.

Long story short, it was returned to sender and a refund was in order. Now I'm getting ready to make a claim for the overnight that never happened. I was told a receipt and perhaps even bringing the darn box would be enough proof to get a refund right on the spot. I hope that's true, I'd hate to wait a month or two before getting a refund for the post office's mess up.

This was the first time that I ever had trouble shipping through the USPS. Hopefully it will be the last, I ship almost exclusively Priority.
 
What the Postal Service wants is proof of value. Any way you can provide that proof is acceptable. If you have documentation, great. If not, get a letter from the dealer, manufacturer or knifemaker that states the replacement value for the knife that was shipped.

A person I know shipped a knife to a maker for repair. The knife was lost in shipment and the original receipt could not be found. The Postal Service accepted a value as given by the maker. The only problem was that the replacement value for the knife was $550.00 and it was only insured for $400.00, so that was all he got. The Postal Service did take a very long time to make its decision.
 
You just need a receipt for the same or higher value to file a claim with the post office.
The post office told me you can print it off a paypal transaction or even get a dealer to verify what the value is.
Actually the item is lost and as long as you have a receipt for a knife of like or higher value than what you insured the lost one for you will get your money.
After all you paid them to insure the package, they lost it I don't think you should have to prove anything as to the value. If you bothered to buy insurance that should IMO be good enough. It's out of your hands once they receive it. For them to think you could make money paying insurance and filing claims on items over insured is ridiculous. They don't lose stuff that often.
 
keith and jill, thx.

that is exactly what i was hoping. i'll continue to insure packages as per usual.
 
jill jackson said:
You just need a receipt for the same or higher value to file a claim with the post office.
The post office told me you can print it off a paypal transaction or even get a dealer to verify what the value is.
Actually the item is lost and as long as you have a receipt for a knife of like or higher value than what you insured the lost one for you will get your money.
After all you paid them to insure the package, they lost it I don't think you should have to prove anything as to the value. If you bothered to buy insurance that should IMO be good enough. It's out of your hands once they receive it. For them to think you could make money paying insurance and filing claims on items over insured is ridiculous. They don't lose stuff that often.
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Thanks. That's what I was hoping, and was coming back to ask.
...and I agree strongly with that last part, too.
 
Good thread,
I have always used the USPS and have never had a problem, knock on wood.... :):thumbup:

I do put insurance on every knife shipped, and hope never to use it.
One thing I always do is make sure to get a photo of the knife.
Even if I'm not going to list it on the web., just for a record in case???
And like said above, get all the receipts and verification you can.

TA
 
Keith Montgomery said:
I don't see a problem with this as long as you have insured the knife for what it is actually worth.
Click to expand...

Well, I did use a receipt for a different knife when they lost one I didn't have the receipt for once.:o
It was for 100 dollars coverage and the receipt was for 118 and I got paid.
They lost it and even if they'd found it after I claimed I would have just got the knife back instead of paid so........
 
Insurance is really worthless when you stop to think about it. Shipping as a parcel first class with signature confirmation is about the safest way to ship USPS I think. You can only send first class with signature confirmation when its a parcel. With a first class envelope its registered mail and a different ball game. But with the signature confirmation parcel post you just basically know who signed for the package and when unlike delivery confirmation which although often times referred to as tracking is nothing of the sort. Signiture confirmation allows you to actually track the package from point A to point B also by going on line and typing in the number on the reciept. Signature confirmation means you know who signed for what you mailed and delivery confirm just means it confirms it was delivered and not necessarily to the right house! Yes its happened. I typed in the number and it said it was delivered to me. It wasn't. In fact the other guy that sent me the knife thought I was conning him I think but I didn't have the knife. Weeks went by and it ended up being in my neighbors house the next street over at the same numbered address only the wrong street! My neighbor next street over took that long to get around to letting me know he had it and he also had a book I ordered from Amazon.com that I had to file a claim for and of course both packagages were opened!

STR
 
Esav our beloved Moderator I believe worked for the USPS at one point in his distinguished career. Maybe he'll chime in and answer this too. I've shipped packages evey way offered, and like most try to keep my shipping costs down. I got to be friendly with my local clearks at the PO. Now when I go in I have a short conversation on "what's best for this package?" and so far everything has been delivered correctly. I also started using Signature required, as opposed to Del' Confirmation on my parcels shipped and feel more confident in correct delivery.
 
STR said:
Insurance is really worthless when you stop to think about it. Shipping as a parcel first class with signature confirmation is about the safest way to ship USPS I think. You can only send first class with signature confirmation when its a parcel. With a first class envelope its registered mail and a different ball game. But with the signature confirmation parcel post you just basically know who signed for the package and when unlike delivery confirmation which although often times referred to as tracking is nothing of the sort. Signiture confirmation allows you to actually track the package from point A to point B also by going on line and typing in the number on the reciept. Signature confirmation means you know who signed for what you mailed and delivery confirm just means it confirms it was delivered and not necessarily to the right house! Yes its happened. I typed in the number and it said it was delivered to me. It wasn't. In fact the other guy that sent me the knife thought I was conning him I think but I didn't have the knife. Weeks went by and it ended up being in my neighbors house the next street over at the same numbered address only the wrong street! My neighbor next street over took that long to get around to letting me know he had it and he also had a book I ordered from Amazon.com that I had to file a claim for and of course both packagages were opened!

STR
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hey brother,

why do you think insurance is worthless? im unclear from the rest of your post how you conclude this.
 
Insurance was not "worthless" the one time I had a trade with a member here and mine never showed. I got my money that I had paid the extra 2 dollars and change for coverage on the lost package.
Without buying it I'd of had to return the knife I received and been out my knife entirely.
 
Many people have had problems collecting on lost packages and feel that insurance is worthless. It is even worse if the item is destroyed in shipping, as most shipping companies will say that the packaging was insufficient and refuse payment on that basis.

There is another problem that can occur if you insure for a large amount. It lets a potential thief know how much the item in the box is worth.
 
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