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Insured courier?


machinehead
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I thought there was a pinned topic on couries - good and bad. I've looked and can't find it though. Apologies if it's here somewhere.

So... can anyone advise me of a courier who is willing to insure musical instruments?

Parcel Force and Senditnow exclude music instruments in the small print. I need to post a bass from N. Ireland to Scotland and would need insurance for £1000.

I don't want to post uninsured.

Help please. :(

Frank.

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[quote name='machinehead' timestamp='1465326511' post='3067238']
I thought there was a pinned topic on couries - good and bad. I've looked and can't find it though. Apologies if it's here somewhere.[/quote]

It's at the top of the Basses For Sale forum. I've just made use of it for advice on shipping my MIM P. As already said, the consensus of opinion is UPS via Interparcel.

Thing about their insurance though, they a little misleading quote 2%. In fact it applies in steps, £5 for £250, £10 for £500. And there's VAT on top.
So for my £300 bass I had to pay £12 i.e. 4%

. . . and their tracking information leaves a bit to be desired too.

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  • 3 months later...

Only found this thread after lots of form filling on different courier sites only to be frustrated by the lack of insureance cover offered. I thought at least they might insure for loss if not breakage! But not a chance.

Anyway as recommended above, I went to UPS via Interparcel and got it. No exclusions in small print for musical instruments. For a bass & case weighing 9Kilo, value £440.00, it cost me £11.22 plus £12.00 for insurance cover, all inclusive of VAT.

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I found Direct Courier Solutions who specifically 'do' musical instrument shipping with Insurance. I've used them and had no complaints but I know they are less known so didn't find any reviews online.

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[color=#ff0000]Update - pretty much everything seems to be excluded... [/color]

Been doing some looking around - parcelmonkey appear to charge £10 for £600 cover.. I'm looking at shipping an amp though..

I'll dig through their T's and C's and see what they say about instruments..

Edited by markstuk
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[quote name='dood' timestamp='1475510019' post='3146497']
I found Direct Courier Solutions who specifically 'do' musical instrument shipping with Insurance. I've used them and had no complaints but I know they are less known so didn't find any reviews online.
[/quote]I. Used to use them until they smashed a bass up I sold it was in a case then a box and they would not pay out when I claimed as they said the case was not correct packaging wtf. Oh and if your unlucky enough to deal with a lady called Amy she is one rude bitch

Edited by Thunderbird
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[quote name='Thunderbird' timestamp='1475512312' post='3146520']
I. Used to use them until they smashed a bass up I sold it was in a case then a box and they would not pay out when I claimed as they said the case was not correct packaging wtf. Oh and if your unlucky enough to deal with a lady called Amy she is one rude bitch
[/quote]

Oh dear! That doesn't sound good at all! Slightly worrying as they request instruments sent in cases and I too also use shipping cartons where possible.

It seems the couriers that do care are in a severe minority?

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[quote name='dood' timestamp='1475517728' post='3146570']
Oh dear! That doesn't sound good at all! Slightly worrying as they request instruments sent in cases and I too also use shipping cartons where possible.

It seems the couriers that do care are in a severe minority?
[/quote] I had used them lots and even recommended them to people they were fine until they smashed my gear up then they did not want to know so obviously I do not use them or recommend any more I now use parcel force 48 they are probably no better if something happens but at least they are a few quid cheaper

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[quote name='Thunderbird' timestamp='1475517958' post='3146572']
I had used them lots and even recommended them to people they were fine until they smashed my gear up then they did not want to know so obviously I do not use them or recommend any more I now use parcel force 48 they are probably no better if something happens but at least they are a few quid cheaper
[/quote]

I can't risk sending kit worth as much as a bass guitar if I know the insurance is worthless - hell, I don't know why we have to pay insurance ON TOP OF the cost to send parcels anyway. Talk about advertising incompetence.

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[quote name='dood' timestamp='1475518387' post='3146580']
I can't risk sending kit worth as much as a bass guitar if I know the insurance is worthless - hell, I don't know why we have to pay insurance ON TOP OF the cost to send parcels anyway. Talk about advertising incompetence.
[/quote]

indeed,
and its getting worse,
have you seen the list of things that are not insured by some couriers ?
for example my hermes (not that you would ever use them for sending anything over £50. )
here is their list....[list]
[*]Antiques (objects over 100 years old)
[*]Any dangerous, hazardous or prohibited goods (as detailed in our Prohibited Goods section)
[*]Articles made largely or wholly of gold, silver or other precious metals
[*]Items made of or containing glass
[*]Ceramic or composite items of any description including without limitation glass, mirrored items, crystal, ceramics, porcelain, plaster, marble, china, stone, slate, resin, granite, concrete (or any item containing these materials)
[*]Items which have been strapped together
[*]Diamonds and other precious stones with a value in excess of £250
[*]Eggs
[*]TV's & Monitors
[*]Liquid food items or items contained in glass or ceramics - (all liquids are prohibited)
[*]Any foods solid or liquid contained in glass or ceramics - (all liquids are prohibited)
[*]Frozen food
[*]Chilled food
[*]Perishable food
[*]Fire Extinguishers
[*]Fossils, Stones, Stoneware
[*]Furniture (Unless flat packed)
[*]Flat packed furniture with sharp metal edges
[*]Human and animal remains including, without limitation, ashes
[*]Jewellery with a value over £250 or antique items
[*]Marble or any stone derivative
[*]Bankers' drafts
[*]Current bank notes
[*]Currency notes or coins
[*]Credit cards / debit cards
[*]Uncrossed postal orders which do not state to whom they are to be paid
[*]Cheques or dividend warrants which are uncrossed and made payable to the bearer
[*]Bearer securities including share warrants
[*]Scripts or subscription certificates
[*]Bonds or relative coupons un-franked postage or revenue stamps (except a revenue stamp embossed or impressed on an instrument which has been executed)
[*]Coupons, Vouchers, Tokens, Stamps
[*]Lottery tickets, scratch cards or similar
[*]Items which can be exchanged by themselves or with any other item for money or goods or services
[*]National insurance stamps
[*]All tickets including travel and events
[*]Musical instrument hard cases and suitcases when used as external packaging
[*]Musical instruments
[*]Negotiable documents
[*]Perishable goods
[*]Plants, seeds, flowers, and plant derivatives
[*]Real fur
[*]Resin items, amber and composites
[*]SIM cards
[*]Watches over £250 or antique items
[*]Tobacco and Tobacco products.
[/list]

did you notice sub sections in there also..
"Items which have been strapped together"
"prohibited goods" Which is another list
and..
"Musical instrument hard cases and suitcases when used as external packaging"

so a flight case is not insured which is the best packing you can get?

Edited by funkgod
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[quote name='Thunderbird' timestamp='1475517958' post='3146572']
I had used them lots and even recommended them to people they were fine until they smashed my gear up then they did not want to know so obviously I do not use them or recommend any more I now use parcel force 48 they are probably no better if something happens but at least they are a few quid cheaper
[/quote]

Be careful. Parcelforce 48 exclude musical instruments from their insurance. I found this out after I paid for the insurance at my local post office. They didn't offer me a refund either, but said that the person who sold me the useless insurance would be retrained!!

Frank.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I am sending my Wal back for a service and need a courier who can insure to full value if anyone has any recommendations. I did try UPS who claim to insure packages up to £5K but the small print excludes guitars which can only be insured up to a maximum of £1K.

Thanks

John

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I posted a bass this week via Interparcel but with ParcelForce. I called Interparcel to be sure about the insurance. The answer was that ParcelForce exclude musical instruments but Interparcel do not. So hopefully, my bass, which is on its way from Belfast to Sussex is fully insured with Interparcel.

Hope this helps a little.

Frank.

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[quote name='funkgod' timestamp='1475576914' post='3146993']
and..
"Musical instrument hard cases and suitcases when used as external packaging"

so a flight case is not insured which is the best packing you can get?
[/quote]

What they are not insuring is any damage to the flightcase if it is the outer layer of the packaging.

All you need to do is wrap the case in cardboard and you are good.

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