Why insure?

UPS got you down? eBay making you cry? Need to rant? Do it here.
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MunkeyPants
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Why insure?

Post by MunkeyPants »

I'm so hopping mad right now I could just spit. Or tear someone's head off.

So, insured poster arrives totally wrecked. I opened the tube in the post office, show the damage to the clerks and they say I can't file the claim. BS. I go home and write a very nice letter to the seller. He freaks out because it was the strongest tube he's ever used. "Stronger than a YM". Time passes. He says he's filed a claim at the post office. I check the automated system - nothing. I finally get a human on the phone. Find out a) the postal employee should have filed a claim on the spot. b) that it takes a month to get a claim from the post office to the processing center. c) it then takes another 30 days to process the claim. d) it takes 4-6 weeks AFTER they process the claim to process a check. Note: if you bought the item on eBay, you can use the automated system to make the first step as fast as 2-3 weeks.

Fudgebar the freaking USPS. Any you know where they can stick their insurance!
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Post by ritedere »

In the end though are you actually getting the money back? I always wondered how that whole system "worked"

Thanks for sharing....
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Re: Why insure?

Post by MunkeyPants »

I honestly don't know. As the process goes along, I will update this thread. The USPS site is very vague about how it works.
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Post by admonkey »

The seller gets the insurance refund. The seller should then, of course, refund the buyer (if not before).

Insurance is designed to help, if only slowly, in the 1% of cases where things go terribly, terribly wrong.

The other 99% of the time, it's there only to give the buyer assurance that sh^t will get taken care of.
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Post by rastapunk »

I had a guitar amp arrive to my home in pieces and it took ups almost 2 moths to send a check.

I did get $1150 for an amp I paid about $600 for.
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Post by circa77 »

rastapunk wrote:I had a guitar amp arrive to my home in pieces and it took ups almost 2 moths to send a check.

I did get $1150 for an amp I paid about $600 for.



When shipping rates go up I'll be sure to send you a "thank you" card. :)
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Re: Why insure?

Post by truthiness »

MunkeyPants wrote:I'm so hopping mad right now I could just spit. Or tear someone's head off.

So, insured poster arrives totally wrecked. I opened the tube in the post office, show the damage to the clerks and they say I can't file the claim. BS. I go home and write a very nice letter to the seller. He freaks out because it was the strongest tube he's ever used. "Stronger than a YM". Time passes. He says he's filed a claim at the post office. I check the automated system - nothing. I finally get a human on the phone. Find out a) the postal employee should have filed a claim on the spot. b) that it takes a month to get a claim from the post office to the processing center. c) it then takes another 30 days to process the claim. d) it takes 4-6 weeks AFTER they process the claim to process a check. Note: if you bought the item on eBay, you can use the automated system to make the first step as fast as 2-3 weeks.

Fudgebar the freaking USPS. Any you know where they can stick their insurance!


If it's under $150 the USPS can issue money on the spot. But you need the insurance form. Tell the seller that if he's going to file a claim, that you want an immediate refund. It's not your problem, it's his problem if he's going to file the claim.

I had the same thing happen and in order for me to have filed the claim on my end, the seller would have needed to send me the insurance stub.
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Re: Why insure?

Post by MunkeyPants »

Seller is saying his claim is void and that I have to file the claim. I'm pretty sure at this point that I'm effed. I'll try to file it, but I have very little hope of ever seeing my money.
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Re: Why insure?

Post by mose »

did you pay with paypal?

If so, file a complaint. Regardless of what is ever said, it is ultimately the seller who is responsible for an 'as-described' article arriving.

If you paid with credit card, file a chargeback, send the print back to the seller(signature confirmation is a must), and enjoy getting your refund.....
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Re: Why insure?

Post by Bonesy »

mose wrote:did you pay with paypal?

If so, file a complaint. Regardless of what is ever said, it is ultimately the seller who is responsible for an 'as-described' article arriving.

If you paid with credit card, file a chargeback, send the print back to the seller(signature confirmation is a must), and enjoy getting your refund.....


Definetly. Thats why I find it funny when sellers try to charge extra for insurance. The insurance is to protect the seller, not the buyer (when using paypal).
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Re: Why insure?

Post by MunkeyPants »

I have filed a claim with PayPal. Now, the waiting commences. This just sucks.
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Re: Why insure?

Post by MunkeyPants »

This sucks even worse. Buyer Beware

You have chosen to escalate your dispute to a PayPal claim. By ending
communication with the seller, you are asking PayPal to investigate the
case and decide the outcome. As part of our investigation, PayPal reviewed
any communication you may have had in the Resolution Center.

Our investigation into your claim is complete. As stated in our User
Agreement, the claims process only applies to the shipment of goods. It
does not apply to complaints about the attributes or quality of goods
received. Therefore, we are unable to reverse this transaction or issue a
refund.
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Re: Why insure?

Post by admonkey »

mose wrote:If you paid with credit card, file a chargeback, send the print back to the seller(signature confirmation is a must), and enjoy getting your refund.....
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Re: Why insure?

Post by MunkeyPants »

It was from my bank, not a CC. Lesson learned on internet transactions.
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Re: Why insure?

Post by MunkeyPants »

I'll be dipped in oil and fried like at Turkey.

The SOB finally came through and gave the post office the info to get me a reimbursement. I must have earned some good karma somewhere. I was about to give up. Got the check in the mail today from USPS.
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Post by admonkey »

And it only took two months. Sweet.
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Re: Why insure?

Post by cybernigel »

MunkeyPants wrote:I'll be dipped in oil and fried like at Turkey.

The SOB finally came through and gave the post office the info to get me a reimbursement. I must have earned some good karma somewhere. I was about to give up. Got the check in the mail today from USPS.


Glad to hear that worked out for you. Nothing like a happy ending.
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Post by guyute73 »

USPS insurance claims over $50 have to be investigated, so 2 months sounds about right.
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Re: Why insure?

Post by analogtrash »

Ok so I think I fit into this thread. I bought a middle 96 on ebay and the seller used fedex against my instruction, insured the thing for $1200. Fedex employee sold him a flimsy tube and said it would be solid for a print insured for $1200. Arrives slightly damaged, but instead of being near mint, it now has light creasing all the way down the middle. My seller already spent my cash so I'm filing the claim with a signed letter from him that basically hands me all rights. Fedex is picking the tube up with the print in it from my house tomorrow. Two questions:
A) Do you think that I will get $1200(i.e. does a partially damaged print command a full payout of the insurance and who makes the call)
B) Will I get to keep the damaged print plus whatever they decide to pay me?

Please, for the sake of good old fashioned rambling, speculate.
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Post by admonkey »

If they're picking up the tube and print, it sounds like you won't be keeping it.

If, at some point, they push back on the value or the pay-out, you'll need to explain how condition affects value to them or take your lumps.

If you are forced to take your lumps and they only give you a partial pay-out, insist on their returning the print to you, explaining to them how you'll have to try to sell the damaged print in order to recoup the difference between what you paid and what they're paying on the claim.

In the end, though, if they take the print I suspect you'll get the full value of the claim and you'll never see the print again.
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Post by MunkeyPants »

I know USPS takes it away. I doubt you'll see the print again.

Post a pic. There are archivists/restorers that can probably repair the damage. Waiting lists are long, but results are unbelievable. Probably not worth it on a $400 print, but definitely on $1200.
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Post by analogtrash »

Thanks to the two monkeys...Of course I was hoping to cash in for $1200 and keep a slightly damaged 96 print, but that did sound too good to be true. At this point I'd just like the cash. What do you guys think that a company like FedEx actually does with high dollar damaged goods? Do they have a resale department? That would be an interesting part of their business model if it were so. I can't imagine that they just throw things away.
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Post by lepublicnme »

analogtrash wrote:I can't imagine that they just throw things away.


I'm sure they do this !

XXXX
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Post by analogtrash »

lepublicnme wrote:
analogtrash wrote:I can't imagine that they just throw things away.


I'm sure they do this !

XXXX

Well if that is the case I will let you all know, at which point we can assume there is one less of the original run of middle in the world, courtesy of FedEx, and my lame seller.
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Post by MunkeyPants »

As an aside, I just returned from the UPS store and they do not allow insuring of Paper. However, she accepted my plausible 'artwork' statement and insured a poster I just shipped. I have my doubts that UPS will pay for any damage but I tried to CMA.
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