What is the protocol on receiving insurance money for a damaged comic?

[revat]

I'm not saying it happened here, but the post office might have seen the beat-up comic and decided it wasn't worth it to take it. But we all know that there are plenty of damaged comics with plenty of value, even if they look terrible. that could be the case here, and post office was just like 'that comic is beat to hell, sorry bout that bro, here's some money. Keep that beat up Pre-Robin TEC, both covers are tore up and it looks like my dog peed on it'

[Jay1982]

Well I hope he isn't trying to scam me. I'd be surprised if he was. I live in Canada so I don't know if that has anything to do with why USPS isn't asking for the book back. I sent the seller pictures of the book and the box which he said was forwarded off to USPS.

[comicwiz]

Who paid for the insurance? Was this a case of the seller covering shipping, or did you pay extra for shipping and insurance?

[Jay1982]

I paid 32 dollars for shipping

[Aces]

Well I hope he isn't trying to scam me. I'd be surprised if he was. I live in Canada so I don't know if that has anything to do with why USPS isn't asking for the book back. I sent the seller pictures of the book and the box which he said was forwarded off to USPS.

Well if you get a full refund he isn't scamming you, he's scamming the post office but they can't figure it out.

If he wants the book back make sure he fully refunds you including shipping.

 

[comicwiz]

Were you ever refunded either partially or in whole?

[Jay1982]

Nothing has been refunded or sent yet. He laid out my 2 options stating I can either get a partial refund and keep me book or return the book to him and I will get a refund on my money from the purchase

[bababooey]

Hey,

 

I recently purchased a book off of a boardie which arrived damaged in transit. After contacting the seller they filed for an insurance claim on the book. The verdict came in today with USPS granting the amount stipulated on the insurance forms.

 

The seller asked me what to do from here stating that it could take 30 days to receive the money and asked me what I would like to do from here. I stated that I had no problem waiting the 30 days if that is what it took and that when he got the money he could send it to me.

 

He replied saying that I can either have half the insurance claim and keep the book or that I should return the book so that he can sell it on ebay and he would send me the money from the insurance.

 

Is this typical? I'm confused because under normal circumstances I am the one who paid for insurance so I should be getting the money coming from insurance. What I do afterwards with the book is my own business. I feel like the seller is trying to make a quick buck by keeping half the money, or he is trying to sell the same book twice.

 

Some input would be appreciated.

There are a couple unknowns, when you say he would send you all the insurance money if you return the book then I am guessing the claim covered full value of the book.

If the insurance coverage only partially covered damage to the book then you should receive the full amount OR be given the opportunity for a full refund when you return the damaged book. This appears to be on the table.

 

If the insurance coverage was for the total book value then you may have a problem or disagreement. See if this seller had said to you from day 1 "return the book, I'll file a claim" then he would have been providing good service to you AND he would have fully benefited from the claim. If he offered to take it back prior to filing the claim then I think he has a say in the split because you chose to keep the book and await an outcome from the insurance company.

 

Generally speaking you may have paid the shipper to purchase insurance on your behalf with you paying for it but HE is the customer of USPS and he is reimbursed even though you paid for the coverage, you did it through him. The shipper controls this when he files, if you had filed locally in Canada you would be the claimant with greater control over the split.

 

Someone is going to benefit here if full value was paid & there is still some value tied to the damaged book.

 

A compromise doesn't seem that far fetched to me since both parties agreed that you could keep the book pending insurance decision - so I can't call it unless I understand what was agreed to when the book was discovered damaged & the claim was filed.

 

I hope it works for all parties.

 

 

 

 

[Aces]

Nothing has been refunded or sent yet. He laid out my 2 options stating I can either get a partial refund and keep me book or return the book to him and I will get a refund on my money from the purchase

Let him know that since he's getting the book back and keeping the insurance claim he's got enough "extra money" in the deal to also refund your $32 shipping plus whatever the return shipping cost is.

 

Dang $32 shipping.

I take it this was a bigger dollar book?

 

 

[comicwiz]

Nothing has been refunded or sent yet. He laid out my 2 options stating I can either get a partial refund and keep me book or return the book to him and I will get a refund on my money from the purchase

 

The only thing off here is that USPS didn't claim the book.

 

IMHO, the settlement should be yours. I also don't know how much time/effort/headaches went into getting the claim settlement from USPS, but I think it's your call whether you want to return the book or not.

 

Keeping the book along with the settlement money might come off seeming a little selfish to the seller, whereas returning it to the seller might come off as an expression of gratitude for helping getting the claim money.

[Jay1982]

There are a couple unknowns, when you say he would send you all the insurance money if you return the book then I am guessing the claim covered full value of the book.

If the insurance coverage only partially covered damage to the book then you should receive the full amount OR be given the opportunity for a full refund when you return the damaged book. This appears to be on the table.

 

If the insurance coverage was for the total book value then you may have a problem or disagreement. See if this seller had said to you from day 1 "return the book, I'll file a claim" then he would have been providing good service to you AND he would have fully benefited from the claim. If he offered to take it back prior to filing the claim then I think he has a say in the split because you chose to keep the book and await an outcome from the insurance company.

 

Generally speaking you may have paid the shipper to purchase insurance on your behalf with you paying for it but HE is the customer of USPS and he is reimbursed even though you paid for the coverage, you did it through him. The shipper controls this when he files, if you had filed locally in Canada you would be the claimant with greater control over the split.

 

Someone is going to benefit here if full value was paid & there is still some value tied to the damaged book.

 

A compromise doesn't seem that far fetched to me since both parties agreed that you could keep the book pending insurance decision - so I can't call it unless I understand what was agreed to when the book was discovered damaged & the claim was filed.

 

I hope it works for all parties.

 

 

After I originally communicated to him that the book was damaged he said that he would normally ask for the book back, but said because I was in Canada and shipping was expensive that I was to keep the book.

 

when you say he would send you all the insurance money if you return the book then I am guessing the claim covered full value of the book.

This is what I was told, yes.

[Muaythai607]

tHe seller already got the "money", since you already paid for the book.. why should he get any of the insurance money.. Trying to make a quick one?? I think so.. CHeck where the money is going too first.. and hope it arrives at your house the check...

[bababooey]

There are a couple unknowns, when you say he would send you all the insurance money if you return the book then I am guessing the claim covered full value of the book.

If the insurance coverage only partially covered damage to the book then you should receive the full amount OR be given the opportunity for a full refund when you return the damaged book. This appears to be on the table.

 

If the insurance coverage was for the total book value then you may have a problem or disagreement. See if this seller had said to you from day 1 "return the book, I'll file a claim" then he would have been providing good service to you AND he would have fully benefited from the claim. If he offered to take it back prior to filing the claim then I think he has a say in the split because you chose to keep the book and await an outcome from the insurance company.

 

Generally speaking you may have paid the shipper to purchase insurance on your behalf with you paying for it but HE is the customer of USPS and he is reimbursed even though you paid for the coverage, you did it through him. The shipper controls this when he files, if you had filed locally in Canada you would be the claimant with greater control over the split.

 

Someone is going to benefit here if full value was paid & there is still some value tied to the damaged book.

 

A compromise doesn't seem that far fetched to me since both parties agreed that you could keep the book pending insurance decision - so I can't call it unless I understand what was agreed to when the book was discovered damaged & the claim was filed.

 

I hope it works for all parties.

 

 

After I originally communicated to him that the book was damaged he said that he would normally ask for the book back, but said because I was in Canada and shipping was expensive that I was to keep the book.

 

when you say he would send you all the insurance money if you return the book then I am guessing the claim covered full value of the book.

This is what I was told, yes.

I'd say in that case both parties work working with each other as equal partners trying to save money/headaches. You shouldn't have to split the entire claim though - I think offering to allow him to share in a 50/50 split based on the diminished value (of the book you want to keep) would be a fair compromise.

 

Hypothetical numbers - $300 dollar book goes through USPS machine & becomes a $100 dollar damaged book.

Outcome - $300 claim; he sends you $250 & keeps $50

[Jay1982]

Aces; it was a hardcover book compendium/omnibus.

 

Comicwiz; that's the thing. I'd hate to seem selfish from the seller's perspective and I was quite patient throughout the process (this has been ongoing for quite some time) but I feel as though I'm in my right to claim the cash. I appreciate the fact that he did the phoning to get this done. But at the same time I don't see how he should get any of the cash since I paid for insurance; the point of paying for it is that should something happen it falls onto me or else what is the point of me getting insurance in the first place if he gets the book back and keeps the money from the claim?

 

If he paid for the insurance himself I would say he's within his right to keep the money since I wouldn't have paid for it. But at this point I'm paying for a service I didn't need. That in itself is another bag of worms.

[Muaythai607]

 

IF

You paid for the comic book in full, it is your comic.

IF

You paid full boat for the insurance, it is your settlement.

IF

Your dealer is wanting cash, ask for a full refund on the book,

plus half the settlement. Mail the book back after the full

refund and half the settlement.

 

Awesome;

And yes, I paid for insurance but he had to claim it since he sent it.

 

Your proposal is an excellent one.

 

Thanks!

 

ITS ALL HIS, why shoudl the guy get anything.. Just make sure you keep all documentation so u can get the insurance money.. Him asking for more is pure greed..

[bababooey]

Aces; it was a hardcover book compendium/omnibus.

 

Comicwiz; that's the thing. I'd hate to seem selfish from the seller's perspective and I was quite patient throughout the process (this has been ongoing for quite some time) but I feel as though I'm in my right to claim the cash. I appreciate the fact that he did the phoning to get this done. But at the same time I don't see how he should get any of the cash since I paid for insurance; the point of paying for it is that should something happen it falls onto me or else what is the point of me getting insurance if he gets the book back and keeps the money from the claim? If he paid for the insurance himself I would say he's within his right since I didn't pay for it.

Unless it's travelling under a separate collector's policy, the shipper is always the customer of USPS paying USPS for the service. The extension of this is who is the claimant/beneficiary - so far he's customer, claimant & now beneficiary.

 

Insurance might have been an option on this sale or it may be something you insisted on (another factor to consider in any compromise) but I would say 100% of the insurance costs are factored into the selling price/shipping costs when anything is sold on an 'insured basis' - it's either as a hidden cost or an additional cost added on at the buyer's discretion - neither variation changes who USPS' customer is.

 

EVERY buyer is paying for the insurance, it just may not be a choice or line item to choose when buying. A dollar is a dollar is a dollar - whatever is included in facilitating the sale is always paid by the buyer.

 

 

[ChrisInBaltimore]

Aces; it was a hardcover book compendium/omnibus.

 

It was a compendium/omnibus? Why not just ship it back and get the full refund then? I thought maybe we were talking about a silver age comic that was irreplaceable. Unless it is a really rare omnibus, personally, I would ship it back and find it someone else.

[lizards2]

this thread makes no sense. If an insurance claim is made, the USPS owns the book. They auction all the damaged stuff off at USPS auctions. Sender probably did not insure, and is just making stuff up :shrug:

[comicdonna]

Wouldn't the buyer know if the package was insured or not? I thought the USPS attached the insurance reciept to the package.

[lizards2]

Wouldn't the buyer know if the package was insured or not? I thought the USPS attached the insurance reciept to the package.

:think: I'm betting it is 'self-insured' from the sounds of things.