Insurance and shipping

[DavidTheDavid]

I've insured my comics, and I'm curious about shipping comics via USPS and the risk of doing so.

 

We all know that the USPS will ship our belongings but with little accountability on their part. If it's lost, too bad for us, even though they did it. But we can buy insurance for shipping items.

 

Generally, I skip insurance until a book is over $1000. For high dollar books, I'll use registered mail.

 

However, I have an insurance policy for comics via Collectibles Insurance. And yes, I should re-read the policy, but can anyone here speak from experience about shipping comics, a loss incurred during the shipping, and the need for insurance?

 

Did your comics insurance cover it? If someone bought a book and sent me the money but the book was damaged in transit, then who has ownership? The new owner has not taken possession of the book so will my insurance cover it?

 

I wonder in part because I will mail large dollar books via registered mail and it's insurance. Can I save the money and instead just use signature confirmation?

 

 

Thanks for any insights.

[Ghost Town]

I use CIS too. I've only made one claim ever and it was a pretty painless experience.

 

A FedEx Ground package I sent to a boardie disappeared (was stolen?) from one of their facilities. I sent CIS the PayPal receipt and they sent me the full price of the books. I had already given the buyer a refund when it was confirmed the package was probably lost.

 

I don't know how it works with ownership for damage or any other claims. But I'm sure CIS would tell you if give them a call. For me, I just wanted the buyer to get the refund ASAP.

 

My CIS policy outlines the shipping limits and specific carriers as listed below. And I just follow it what it says to do. Signature confirmation is the way to go for any package worth more than $200.

 

CIS Shipment Limits

$60,000 Class 1 - Signature Required Shipment Sublimit (Registered Mail, Express Mail, FedEx and other carriers except UPS)

$2500 Class 2 - Signature Required Shipment Sublimit (USPS Insured, Certified and Signature Confirmation Mail and UPS)

$200 Class 3 - No Signature Required Shipment Sublimit (USPS First Class, Priority Mail, Air Mail, Global Priority Mail, Parcel Post, Bound Printed Matter, Media Mail (Book Rate)

[AnkurJ]

I use CIS as well and thankfully never had to make a claim. But when I ship, I do so with signature confirmation. I rarely use USPS insurance.

[Spidey-fan73]

I need to find an alternate to USPS. I sent 11 books registered priority, they ended up going to the wrong destination in FL, but fortunately, they made it to where they needed to go.

Said books were put in the mail 8/25 and the USPS site indicated I was to have them 8/27; however, 8/27 came and went, my books did not. They actually departed Tampa on 8/27, but the site said I'd still have them that day.

Calling the 800# is pointless as you can't get a human/customer service. I decided to go to my local PO hopefully for some answers. I came out of there knowing slightly more than when I went in; when CGC mailed them, they paid $17.70 to ship my 11 slabs, no weight was listed and NO VALUE was declared? What the deuce?

 

Now today the site shows delivery as being delayed with my slabs sitting in Atlanta as of 8/28. USPS has been extremely frustrating the last couple of times I've used the registered service.

 

[Junkdrawer]

I need to find an alternate to USPS. I sent 11 books registered priority, they ended up going to the wrong destination in FL, but fortunately, they made it to where they needed to go.

Said books were put in the mail 8/25 and the USPS site indicated I was to have them 8/27; however, 8/27 came and went, my books did not. They actually departed Tampa on 8/27, but the site said I'd still have them that day.

Calling the 800# is pointless as you can't get a human/customer service. I decided to go to my local PO hopefully for some answers. I came out of there knowing slightly more than when I went in; when CGC mailed them, they paid $17.70 to ship my 11 slabs, no weight was listed and NO VALUE was declared? What the deuce?

 

Now today the site shows delivery as being delayed with my slabs sitting in Atlanta as of 8/28. USPS has been extremely frustrating the last couple of times I've used the registered service.

You can always fly down and pick them up.

[Hero Restoration]

I've insured my comics, and I'm curious about shipping comics via USPS and the risk of doing so.

 

We all know that the USPS will ship our belongings but with little accountability on their part. If it's lost, too bad for us, even though they did it. But we can buy insurance for shipping items.

 

Generally, I skip insurance until a book is over $1000. For high dollar books, I'll use registered mail.

 

However, I have an insurance policy for comics via Collectibles Insurance. And yes, I should re-read the policy, but can anyone here speak from experience about shipping comics, a loss incurred during the shipping, and the need for insurance?

 

Did your comics insurance cover it? If someone bought a book and sent me the money but the book was damaged in transit, then who has ownership? The new owner has not taken possession of the book so will my insurance cover it?

 

I wonder in part because I will mail large dollar books via registered mail and it's insurance. Can I save the money and instead just use signature confirmation?

 

 

Thanks for any insights.

 

I have tried to do as much research as I reasonable could on both USPS, and CIS insurance. Seems like USPS insurance is useless most of the time. I have heard nothing but smooth sailing for every claim at CIS. You still get $50 free for priority, and $100 for express from USPS. I have a deductible, so I would still try to claim that.

 

I use to prefer registered, but tracking that many packages that can take up to 12 days was too stressful. I switched to express which carries the same limits from CIS, and gets there in 1 to 2 days.

 

 

 

 

[PhoKing]

I use stamps.com for insurance coverage.

 

All stamps.com needs is an email from buyer they received damaged or never received. It's a 3rd party carrier so you don't have to deal with USPS.

[nearmint]

I need to find an alternate to USPS. I sent 11 books registered priority, they ended up going to the wrong destination in FL, but fortunately, they made it to where they needed to go.

Said books were put in the mail 8/25 and the USPS site indicated I was to have them 8/27; however, 8/27 came and went, my books did not. They actually departed Tampa on 8/27, but the site said I'd still have them that day.

Calling the 800# is pointless as you can't get a human/customer service. I decided to go to my local PO hopefully for some answers. I came out of there knowing slightly more than when I went in; when CGC mailed them, they paid $17.70 to ship my 11 slabs, no weight was listed and NO VALUE was declared? What the deuce?

 

Now today the site shows delivery as being delayed with my slabs sitting in Atlanta as of 8/28. USPS has been extremely frustrating the last couple of times I've used the registered service.

 

This always happens with Registered Priority. They really need to stop calling it priority, because it's not, and they have to stop giving an estimated delivery date that would only be correct for a non-registered priority package.