We do a lot of business on Ebay, usually just small items but this time we sold a guitar for a friend. The guitar is valued at $1000 new but it wasn't brand new so when we shipped it UPS we did insurance for $500 the price paid by the buyer.
Although the guitar was used it was in immaculate condition. Not even a scuff. It was put in a faux fur lined hardshell case (the kind you can hit with a sledgehammer and the guitar will be fine). We put the case in a cardboard box crumpled in some newspaper and taped it to death. We shook it and it was solid so we went to the local UPS shipper and shipped it.
Bad idea. When the guitar arrived it had a crack down the back of it. No problem I told the buyer the item was INSURED. After all thats what insurance is for right? So they placed their claim. UPS took the guitar to look at it and shipped it back to us for some reason. Then nothing. I tried to call UPS and they said they would only talk to the place where I shipped it. So over the course of six months I played phone tag. Finally I get their answer."... We have determined that insufficient packaging was used for this shipment. As a result, UPS is unable to pay a claim for the damaged goods. To help avoid this problem in the future..." then they go on to give me the number for shipping guidelines. As is I would EVER ship with them again.
My husband deals with shipped items everyday and he constantly encounters big companies who make similar claims. UPS reimburses them without blinking. I guess if you have a contract for a few thousand dollars they tend to pay more attention. Too bad for regular people like us.
I implore anyone who reads this never ever to trust insurance. If you send anything in the mail such as say a beanie baby, make sure it is in a steel safe with 18 layers of bubble wrap and a few airbags. Better yet rent an armored car and drive it yourself!
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