international delivery - again!

[LydiaNiz]

Royal Mail seems to have adjusted their cover again down to £250 for their standard insured international delivery. For up to £500 it is now £62. Yikes. Anyone recommend a service they have used to ship to the U S? Looking for tried and tested please!

[camalidesign]

WOW! That's massive! I'm afraid I dont' have an alternative, most of my parcels are still within the £250 mark... But I would be interested to know of an alternative too, I reckon using something like Fedex is probably going to cheaper than that!

[metalsmith]

And getting anything out of them is blood out of a stone anyway

[ajda]

As far as I remember, if you do claim on the insurance for something you made, they reckon not on the retail price but only the basic material cost with no accounting for your time and work. Unless it had a very much higher material value, I'd insure up to £250 and hope for the best...
Alan

[LydiaNiz]

the stone alone is going to be £400 :-(

[Tabby66]

I have no idea on costs Lydia, but have you checked out UPS?? They are very good internationally.

When I'm sending something (UK) I use Parcel Monkey to compare prices, terms, etc., it my be helpful....

[Wallace]

As far as I remember, if you do claim on the insurance for something you made, they reckon not on the retail price but only the basic material cost with no accounting for your time and work. Unless it had a very much higher material value, I'd insure up to £250 and hope for the best...
Alan

that is incorrect. It would mean that no one is covered for manufacturing time, if that were true. It is a myth that has come about for whatever reason.

this link is for International signed for - http://www.royalmail.com/personal/he...national-items. It clearly states there under items requiring proof "Evidence of the item’s value for loss, part loss & damage claims (This evidence must show what it cost the claimant to acquire, purchase or manufacture the original item (or repair in the case of damage)"

for standard domestic, via special delivery there is also a similar statement

"Your Posting receipt obtained from the Post Office, copy of docket book or Online Postage print out stamped by the Post Office (digital images must be clear and of the original documentation)
• Proof of the items value which must show what it cost the claimant to acquire, purchase or manufacture the original item (or repair in the case of damage)" - the link for this is: http://www.royalmail.com/personal/he...r-inland-items

these terms were changed in August 2015

[ajda]

Thanks for the correction/clarification, Wallace.
Alan

[ps_bond]

that is incorrect. It would mean that no one is covered for manufacturing time, if that were true. It is a myth that has come about for whatever reason.

I know a knifemaker who hit up against that myth and had to fight tooth and nail to get more than just the materials costs about a year ago. Prior to the change of terms, of course.

[pearlescence]

You aren't covered for time or profit. Only cost of materials. And they fight that. One of the reasons I don't use special delivery any more. The last time I claimed (two items lost SD in two weeks) I eventually sent them copies of invoices written in manderin, after which they did pay up - materials only though. I did at the same time argue that insurance means I had to be put in the same position as before the loss, which meant they would have to fly me to Hong Kong to replace the lost pearls since replacement was not possible from any UK source (except me, but I didn't say that!)
Read that term of the contract. You will continue not to be compensated for your time which they consider not to be a cost of manufacture. It is worded so you think it covers time and profit, but a lawyer would say a-ha. I do wonder what a judge would say though. It could come down to how a judge would construe the contract