Insurance when shipping a 6700

Gary Schulz

I need to send in my 6700 for an RMA and was wondering what folks do for insurance.  Do you try to insure for replacement value?  Is this amount of insurance even feasible when using UPS? I am about to take it to the shipping place but not sure about insurance...

K0FLY

I insured my 6600 when it went back to the hospital.  UPS will ask you if you are using the original manufacturer's box and packing materials. 

I had to ship one of my Target Shotguns to Missouri, the company told me to insure for a high value but less than replacement cost.  They claimed that once you get over 1 or 2 K insured value, UPS is extra careful not to lose it.  Of course there was a firearm involved, I'm sure there are extra security measures involved.  They claim that UPS has never lost one of their shipments.

Gayle K0FLY

Steve K9ZW

Personally I insure shipments to replacement value like you suggested.

I also use the manufacturer's packaging where available, and if I am uncertain that packaging is up to standards I will over-pack with a bigger box padded between the boxes.

If I do not have manufacturer's original shipping packaging, I use a UPS store that I trust to do a "pack and ship" where they also include insuring my shipment.

If you improvise by self-packaging it is difficult to get the insurance coverage to pay out if needed, as you basically will spend much time arguing that your packaging was done right.  

If you use the manufacturer's shipping packaging or have a UPS store package for you things go a lot better if you need the insurance to cover damages.  

All bets are off for international shipments, as UPS paperwork load is offsetting making the Post Office the easy choice in many cases.

In all cases I declare for insurance what it would cost to replace the item I am shipping. 

In international shipments particularly you sometimes get asked to adjust the declared value either down (the other folks want to avoid some local tax issue) or upwards (they are gambling that the package will be stolen and want to make money if there is a problem).  I put the value down exactly as it actually is as there are too many unintended consequences playing games.  

GL and 73

Steve
K9ZW

Ria

I insure for actual value unless I'm using a flex provided shipping label.

N8AUM

I insure for full amount if its something relativity new AND take plenty of pics of the packing process. Ya, it cost A LOT but why chance it with high value items unless you have money to burn which I dont have!    

Gary Schulz

Thanks for the replies. I insured for full value and have plenty of pictures. I also packed it as a box inside another box with enough packing to survive a nuclear holocaust. What could possibly go wrong!?

WK2Y

Do I need to say it, Murphy?  I'll keep my fingers crossed he stays away from you.
73, 
Bob, WK2Y

N8AUM

They have contest on who can destroy the most 

K0FLY

I forgot to say that I paid full value on my 6600.
Gayle

John - K3MA

You need to read the terms of the shipping company.  You might find that what they offer is not really insurance and they call it something else in legalize.  In the end what it might mean is that they will take what you said the value was and take away depreciation based upon how old it was and their own schedule of % loss per year.  Believe me I know because a couple years ago I sold and shipped a IC7800 which the buyer paid $4200 for it plus shipping.  I shipped with FedEx and the value I put on the documents was $4500.  It had a problem in shipping due to the carrier and they needed to pay for it.  Well I ended up getting $2300.  The $4500 I declared minus 6 years of ownership at their depreciation rate.  I argued until I was red in the face that I sold the radio used after 6 years for $4500 and that that is what should be paid.  No change.  I could have gone the legal route but did not but found out the hard way I should have declared it at a value of $10K.
Read carefully and consider your costs and other shipping methods as you will find the terms are not written to favor you should there be a loss.

Gary Schulz

No doubt this is true but it is already on its way. From what I can tell, all major shipping companies have terms that have been drafted to be favorable to them in case of claim/loss. They all have legal departments that we don't so you wind up taking significant risk. I really packed it in such a gross overkill method that the outer box should be able to sustain huge damage before anything could happen to the contents. I will find out in 2 days so keeping my fingers crossed. Does Flex use their own original packaging when it gets shipped back to me?

Manuel - W4SSB

Flex will sell and ship to you original boxes and foam inserts. As I recall the price was very reasonable.

Gary Schulz

That's good to know...

Steve K9ZW

Within reason the 6700 is rather robust. Can a delivery firm drive a truck over one? No. I insure as these delivery folks lose a percentage of packages, especially ones in transit to known high value destinations/origins. I’ve shipped gear recently (not amateur radio) that the manufacturer requested the gear be completely wrapped in aluminum foil prior to the physical packing. Interesting precaution. 73 Steve K9ZW

bahillen

I just shipped and received back my radio for service. I kept original packaging, this is important. It is a 6600 one year old. Could not afford to have a major loss. As I recall it was about $75 of which $45 was insurance. I shipped a large trophy board by UPS to Florida and used the UPS Store for packing that cost $100. I took to main UPS center and paid added$75 for shipping. The value was $600 but only minimal insurance, a few hundred dollars. They dropped it in the corner and damaged it. UPS and UPS Store pointed fingers at each other and no one paid. Too much BS. I know some one that worked at a distribution center and said you would not like to see how some things get handled. I have seldom seen damage and their tracking is awesome. But the workers are still people. I have seen suitcases thrown on and off airplanes from the cargo door to the ground. Ugly. When you get your radio back check the corners and the sides for perforations. You will have to sign for it so take pictures and tell driver even if you think it maybe ok. If you accept it without notice you own it. You can ship next day air and the UPS process and routing is totally different. It kills me to pay the expensive insurance but I fell better that I have a backup. Glad you brought this up to the community. Some of us are in the same boat. 73 Bill W9JJB