The Steel Guitar Forum

It seems to me that a carrier should be responsible
for your parcel without having to buy extra insurance.
He has promised to deliver it safely.

Regardless, things DO get damaged. Most shippers automatically cover up to $100. But I wouldn't expect a shipper to cover damage to a $10,000 guitar the same as a $150 one. Homeowners' and car insurance are both partially based on value of the item covered. It's basically (with a bunch of minor exceptions) the same in essence - insurance of an item, whether stationary, under your control or during shipping, is based on replacement cost.

If you expect them to be responsible for all items shipped without optional insurance, the cost of shipping small or inexpensive items will go up exponentially to offset any potential claims. I wouldn't want to pay $40 to ship a small part so someone's guitar can be shipped with "free" insurance.

As a practical matter, for some of the shippers, the extra insurance you purchase will only be used if the item is completely lost. Any damage in shipping is blamed on inadequate packing.

As a practical matter, for some of the shippers, the extra insurance you purchase will only be used if the item is completely lost.

Respectfully David, that statement is untrue and misleading ("only" in you statement means your saying they deny everything due to inadequate packaging,which isn't true). I think I've had claims now with all the major shippers, and while packing is the most common problem with insurance claims, if an item is crushed or seriously damaged I've never had it denied because of "inadequate packing.

I HAVE had shipments come in that I was amazed weren't damaged they were packed so badly.

While I have no way of knowing if others have had claims denied, I have not, not ever.

As I have stated many times in these shipping threads, we ship perhaps 300 to 400 packages / year with UPS approx size 15 x 15 x 15 , I pack securely, I pack well,I am very good at packing our products. I do not want to replace them . OF the 300 or more packages we probably have less than 6 claims per year for damage, I have never at anytime had a claim denied. Value is between $100 and $200 .

Now it is also highly possible that UPS looks at our account activity and sees that we ship several hundred items a year and have for many years and can make a judgement that we are not playing a game for the Insurance money. We have an account history that goes back easily over 5 years.

""THANK YOU DAVID""
TRUER WORDS WERE NEVER SPOKEN

As a former Fedex Ground package handler that spent many hours processing damaged packages, here's a couple of things I learned:

1. There's no such thing as 'fragile' to package handlers. All packages are treated the same based on general size, shape, and weight (if not hazmat).

2. The most common cause of a damaged package is insufficient tape. 1 strip of shipping tape along the closure of a 50 pound box will not suffice. Anything over 20 pounds or so should have multiple strips of tape along each closure, with some cross-taping, too. Use packaging tape, not masking tape, duct tape, or celophane tape.

3. The second leading cause of damage is insufficient package 'stuffing' material to prevent crushing. Something as fragile and heavy as a steel should have paper (preferably not newsprint due to ink staining) to secure the underside parts and anything else that could rattle or shake loose. Do NOT use styrofoam peanuts (I've even seen real popcorn used in packages!) for your steel! Custom-make several layers of corrugated cardboard to fit the guitar case to prevent/minimize puncture damage. On the other hand, peanuts, wadded newspaper, etc, work fine for lighter weight items.

Lastly, at least for Fedex Ground, there's no 'poorly packaged' check mark box. However, box capacity information, original box condition (reused?), and type of tape used to close are all required fields to be entered on the computer when a package cannot be repaired or contents damaged or lost.

With all due respect to Jim, I have to totally agree with David's opinion. I wish I had back all my insurance money that I wasted.

I guess opinions are good to read, and it is also important that we each have one, but does experience not matter ?

Well over 5 years of shipping with UPS , over 300 packages a year, probably 4 or 5 claims for damage in a given year, NEVER a refusal to make good on the claim. Not one of the packages was lost, they were all damaged.

That doesn't count ? Because this is not an opinion, it's the real deal.

sorry..

tp