Postal insurance.....learn from my problems guys!!
I haven't had a lot go wrong due to shipping. Lately I have had TWO items damaged in shipping. This is no big deal.....right....(since I insure the items I ship.) WRONG!
I ship using USPS and the two items were BOTH long guns an BOTH have had the "toe" broken on the stock. One was a VERY expensive fox shotgun...and the other was a takedown 22. The fox was shipped in a hard case....and I know I padded the takedown well enough to be shipped.
My guess is that both of these boxes were either thrown or dropped very hard on their ends. This is something that cannot be prepared for....and no amount of packing can prevent damage if the package is handled in a harsh mannor. MY PROBLEMS have been trying to claim the insurance.
I have filed the claims. They are slow to process. The more expensive gun had already been sent to be repaired....but pictures taken of the damage. This is supposed to "void" my claim....but the recipient of the package does not have the guidelines to know what is and what is not acceptable to file the claim. I have already come to realize that I will be denied my $3500.00 claim. I will be filing an appeal...that will go to the "higher ups" in the post office where I also believe will be denied....and THEN I will file a third appeal (this is the one I think will matter) The third appeal on a claim goes to something like the Consumer Protection agency (not the post office) where I believe I will prevail in my claim and will at least recieve the $500 I have refunded my customer.
The other claim is more along what the "norm" and you would think would be easy to deal with. ALSO NOOOO! The little firearm in question was recieved at the transfer dealer....they have held onto it rather than doing the 4473 and giving it to the customer. I filed the claim....it is also taking FOREVER and after calling I have been told that the hold up is that I need to provide "proof of the value of the item shipped." This is NOT something that was needed when I filed the claim. I have a copy of the auction....they want a copy of the payment....but that is something I don't have. (since it was a small amount I didn't make a copy of the check)
All of this has led me to this......from now on I will print out something and put it on the box...."Please inspect this package. I have insured this item and if damaged in any way we will file a claim. If damaged please keep the BOX and call me immediately!!! If not willing to wait for the claim to be filed please send this back to me where I can deal with this."
I don't think there is an easy way to deal with this. Just trying to help you guys learn what can happen so you may can prepare for these things.....or at least know what happens.
I ship using USPS and the two items were BOTH long guns an BOTH have had the "toe" broken on the stock. One was a VERY expensive fox shotgun...and the other was a takedown 22. The fox was shipped in a hard case....and I know I padded the takedown well enough to be shipped.
My guess is that both of these boxes were either thrown or dropped very hard on their ends. This is something that cannot be prepared for....and no amount of packing can prevent damage if the package is handled in a harsh mannor. MY PROBLEMS have been trying to claim the insurance.
I have filed the claims. They are slow to process. The more expensive gun had already been sent to be repaired....but pictures taken of the damage. This is supposed to "void" my claim....but the recipient of the package does not have the guidelines to know what is and what is not acceptable to file the claim. I have already come to realize that I will be denied my $3500.00 claim. I will be filing an appeal...that will go to the "higher ups" in the post office where I also believe will be denied....and THEN I will file a third appeal (this is the one I think will matter) The third appeal on a claim goes to something like the Consumer Protection agency (not the post office) where I believe I will prevail in my claim and will at least recieve the $500 I have refunded my customer.
The other claim is more along what the "norm" and you would think would be easy to deal with. ALSO NOOOO! The little firearm in question was recieved at the transfer dealer....they have held onto it rather than doing the 4473 and giving it to the customer. I filed the claim....it is also taking FOREVER and after calling I have been told that the hold up is that I need to provide "proof of the value of the item shipped." This is NOT something that was needed when I filed the claim. I have a copy of the auction....they want a copy of the payment....but that is something I don't have. (since it was a small amount I didn't make a copy of the check)
All of this has led me to this......from now on I will print out something and put it on the box...."Please inspect this package. I have insured this item and if damaged in any way we will file a claim. If damaged please keep the BOX and call me immediately!!! If not willing to wait for the claim to be filed please send this back to me where I can deal with this."
I don't think there is an easy way to deal with this. Just trying to help you guys learn what can happen so you may can prepare for these things.....or at least know what happens.
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You're a GOOD EGG, LF - sorry to hear of your problems. 0 -
Good advice, thanks. 0 -
Good luck on your claims, LF. Here's hoping that the post office does right by you. I think they will, but it is truly a pain in the you know what.
I agree with LF that rough handling like throwing a package has damaged many of the best packed items. Here's some tips that might come in handy when you package a long gun if you do not have experience with filing postal claims, or want to do everything possible to prevent such an occasion:
1 - If it is a takedown, separate it. (I have on occasion removed the stock.)
2 - If shipped in a hardcase, make sure that the foam is of sufficient thickness that when the lid is locked down that the piece, in your opinion, is not likely to shift enough to break the stock at the toe, or the wrist, if dropped.
3 - If shipped in a cardboard box, roll the piece in large bubble wrap and tape it down, do the same with any excess wrap on each end. The more room you have at each end the better, since an additional rolled up and taped piece of bubble wrap can be added there which might prevent a sharp, hard blow from breaking the stock at its toe or wrist.
4 - If the piece is scoped, remove the scope and roll in bubble wrap.
Other precautions one might take when shipping expensive pieces is to ship it via Registered Mail. It is much more expensive, it has a longer transit time, too, but registered mail pieces are not likely to be damaged in the least due to the nature of handling and/or storage at each point of transfer. Pictures of the piece before and after packaging might come in handy as well, to include, pictures of any damage to the exterior part of the package that indicates such which can be included as proof with any calim.0 -
This is sooooooooo true. I had a damaged item, with insurance. Said the other party had to file the claim,,,but I AM the one shipping and paid the insurance on the item I sold....on and on...........Good luck!![|)][xx(] They are real dics to deal with..nambu 0 -
I smell a possible money making opportunity here.
Legal gun running..
Small van.
$35.00 per gun. Pick 25 or 30 guns at a time from a couple of FFL holders down south and deliver them to a few FFL holders up north. Return a few back down South.
Heck who would not pay an extra $5 or $10 to have a private carrier do the transporting of a valuable firearm? Especially one that can examine the goods on both ends of the route.0 -
Locust,
It may not be as convenient to you but I only ship through UPS or Fedex for this exact reason. Their insurance claim process is much better. They may be a few dollars more expensive but it is worth it (less frustration). Just my two cents worth.0 -
Hey Les - wouldn't that be "Gunrunning"???
You might have to have an FFL, but those are for a fixed place of business, aren't they??0 -
" I have insured this item and if damaged in any way we will file a claim. If damaged please keep the BOX "... WHAT IS IT WITH YOU AND BOXES???[}:)] 0 -
I ship only UPS. I buy brand new boxes and use ALOT of new bubble wrap. On a long gun I spend between $10 and $15 in just packing materials. I spend a good deal of time packing it and I always insure it. I've recieved guns in poor condition that quite obviously the shipper didn't spend 30 seconds and/or 50cents packing it. I don't have the time or the stomach for broken sights, broken butt plates, dinged barrels, etc. I just try to neutralize Bubba at the loading dock!
USPS takes a long time to pay a claim!
Good luck,
Ed0 -
The post office sucks, I have seen them throw my packages that I was shipping right in front of me. 0 -
LesWVa I smell a possible money making opportunity here.
Legal gun running..
Small van.
HandLoad said "Hey Les - wouldn't that be "Gunrunning"???"
I thought there was a FFL classification to do that legally. I do know there is a classification in Ca for a middle man to buy large amounts of alcohol from dristributers and dristribute it to retail Liquor licensees.0 -
quote:Originally posted by garanch
Locust,
It may not be as convenient to you but I only ship through UPS or Fedex for this exact reason. Their insurance claim process is much better. They may be a few dollars more expensive but it is worth it (less frustration). Just my two cents worth.
My experience has been quite the opposite. I have much better luck with usps. UPS has screwed me one too many times..0 -
Same exact thing happened to us LF . I shipped a beautiful Model 12 to FLorida USPS and the toe was broken in the shipment . I knocked 100 bucks off the gun for a guy to it fixed. To collect insurance we would of had to get the gun back and turn it in to USPS. I only ship USPS because ts convient for us here . We have no UPS or FEDEX outlets anywhere near by. We had a UPS satellite location here but they told us they couldnt ship guns anymore. 0 -
I only use Fedex. Have never had a problem with their customer service and their counter people are very nice. I had one stock broken, had a check in my hand in 6 days. 0 -
I had a very rare Football card shreaded by the sorter somewhere between California and Ohio... Came to me in a ziplok bag with instructions on how to file a claim if it happened to be insured..... which it was!!! It was a PITA. I had to notify dealer and he had to file a claim and recover the klinkies. I was lucky... the dealer after a couple of weeks sent me a check about a month later an email saying that he finally got the settlement In full...
Ok even steven right... I should be happy right...well I ain't... a very rare item destroyed and it was unique it can never be replaced. And worse yet it has happened three freaking times now!! Although No.2 and No.3 were replaceable items...0 -
LF why would you submit a claim for $3500. when the gun only sustained $500. damage? Thats what it cost you for the damage and all you should have submitted for a claim and been paid. And why should you be paid a claim for a gun that was delivered undamaged to the adressee? The gun was delivered to the FFL you said so why do you expect the insurance to pay you for it? 0 -
quote:Originally posted by 41 nut
LF why would you submit a claim for $3500. when the gun only sustained $500. damage? Thats what it cost you for the damage and all you should have submitted for a claim and been paid. And why should you be paid a claim for a gun that was delivered undamaged to the adressee? The gun was delivered to the FFL you said so why do you expect the insurance to pay you for it?
Ummm..I usually don't take Lf's side But you can't repair that snake back into a $3500 Python0 -
Good luck Locust Fork! 0 -
you must package all packages that can withstand a drop from 6 feet, because it will be several times
i would invest in a few 20 dollar hard cases, then wrap them inside a package0 -
[?]
With how you pack stuff?
SHEESH!
just kidding! [:D][:D]0 -
tobefree shes not talking about the Python. In the post she says the toe was broken on an expensive shotgun. Then she goes on to say that it has been sent in for repair and that she refunded the pruchaser $500. Therefore the only loss she has suffered is $500. which is what the claim should be for. "The third appeal on a claim goes to something like the Consumer Protection agency (not the post office) where I believe I will prevail in my claim and will at least recieve the $500 I have refunded my customer." 0 -
41....I don't know what you are asking. I have purchased insurance on a pkg and I have filed a claim. I know the claim will be denied by the post office and I plan to appeal the denial. The second appeal is when I expect to get to deal with this problem in a way where the entire tale will be heard by someone who has the authority to "mediate" between me and the postal claim dept.
I think that the appeal will be awarded by the mediator because how "screwy" the postal insurance rules are. The person that purchases insurance cannot control what the recipient does with the pkg. The recipient has nothing telling them what they can and cannot do with a pkg when it is damaged. The fact that they sell insurance means they should be prepared to pay if an item is damaged. I don't think it will be a problem getting this delt with....eventually. I think they make this so long and drawn out in order to prevent claims from being followed through.0 -
Guess ive beem lucky, Ive shipped alot of stuff through the post office with no problems, same goes for UPS!!!![:D] 0 -
Dunno why you as the shipper are dealing with this, if someone buys something from me its there choice weather or not to buy insurance. If the post office breaks it and they chose not to buy insurance to bad, if its because I packaged it badly "which I have almost never done" then sure I will give a refund but otherwise once it hits the post office its out of my hands.
A guy bought a saw from me one time and the post office dropped it several times breaking the table off, I gave him all the payment information from the insurance and he was able to file a claim and receive money from the post office.0 -
quote:Originally posted by redice
Dunno why you as the shipper are dealing with this, if someone buys something from me its there choice weather or not to buy insurance. If the post office breaks it and they chose not to buy insurance to bad, if its because I packaged it badly "which I have almost never done" then sure I will give a refund but otherwise once it hits the post office its out of my hands.
[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]0 -
quote:Originally posted by kimi
quote:Originally posted by redice
Dunno why you as the shipper are dealing with this, if someone buys something from me its there choice weather or not to buy insurance. If the post office breaks it and they chose not to buy insurance to bad, if its because I packaged it badly "which I have almost never done" then sure I will give a refund but otherwise once it hits the post office its out of my hands.
[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]
The funniest part is it was that saw, I mislabeled the package to which side I wanted up, had the table side down and after being dropped a few times it snapped. However if it wouldn't have been dropped it wouldn't have broken. "you could see the crush marks on the box" he sent me pics of it and the box and I told him to take the insurance info to the post office and ask to be reimbursed he did and apparently was.
That was the first and only time I have screwed up packaging something, funny it would be the 1 time the post office decided to toss it around eh?
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[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D] 0 -
I am the SELLER of an item....until my customer gets his purchase as I sold it to him or her....I am responsible. Whatever anyone decides is how this is or isn't supposed to go. If my customer did not get what they paid for then I will be the one to handle things......not my customer.
I have only had two pkgs ever get damaged (and both are recent items.) In the one case I have given a refund to one of my customers and I will be getting my insurance to pay me back. The second customer has decided to wait for the post office to pay our claim....where if they pay the full amount he will have a FREE GUN.
My only suggestion to everyone is that if you ship expensive items...speak to the recipient about what will happen if there is any damage in shipping. Let them know you cannot file a claim without their help.0 -
Well stated LF. [8D][;)] 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Locust Fork
I am the SELLER of an item....until my customer gets his purchase as I sold it to him or her....I am responsible. Whatever anyone decides is how this is or isn't supposed to go. If my customer did not get what they paid for then I will be the one to handle things......not my customer.
I have only had two pkgs ever get damaged (and both are recent items.) In the one case I have given a refund to one of my customers and I will be getting my insurance to pay me back. The second customer has decided to wait for the post office to pay our claim....where if they pay the full amount he will have a FREE GUN.
My only suggestion to everyone is that if you ship expensive items...speak to the recipient about what will happen if there is any damage in shipping. Let them know you cannot file a claim without their help.
I understand your point and I guess since I have never had much of a problem I haven't had to change my view on it. But then again I could not afford to cover a loss like you are able to so that's part of the reason I think the way that I do.
At this point I still feel that if the post office destroyed an item I shipped its not my problem, yes the customer may be upset however I didn't take the item out and smash it the post office did the only thing they should be upset at is the shipping service.
I guess if I had insurance that would cover shipping mishaps like yours does I would think a bit differently. But I'm not yet in business and everything I have ever shipped has been personal I never had the need for the type of insurance your talking about.0
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