Shipping and insurance when you have a seperate policy

[kelpie]

So I am living in Africa. I finally got my damaged rings to a very trusted friend in the states so he can help me get them repaired and hand carry them back to me next time he visits. How should he send it to the jeweler (on the opposite coast) for repair? The rings are insured through jeweler's mutual and I'm wondering if I need to purchase insurance during shipping as well. I don't recall any exclusions in the policy regarding loss by a common carrier. However their representatives have told me they won't cover losses overseas either (despite explicit wording in the T&Cs that they do) so I'm concerned if their agents think some losses should be excluded from the coverage that I would have difficulty in collecting a claim regardless what the contract really says. I'm not planning on filing a claim for the damage as the cost to repair shouldn't be much I just want to be covered from total loss. In the past I have chosen to do registered mail and I really hate sweating bullets waiting for things to arrive so I now prefer to use Fedex. Thanks!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Yes, you need to have them insured during shipping. I last used registered mail to send a diamond to BG at the end of March and it took two days. But even if it takes longer, it is still the safest way!

 

[Haven]

Yes, you need to have them insured during shipping. I last used registered mail to send a diamond to BG at the end of March and it took two days. But even if it takes longer, it is still the safest way!

I agree with DS. The last time I sent a small package via registered mail it took ten full days to get from LA to Chicago, but it was definitely the safest way to send it. It costs around $65 to send a package under 1 lb, I believe.

I did a lot of digging around to see if I should use FedEx or UPS instead, and it seems that those services are typically considered to be a bit less secure than USPS registered mail. USPS registered mail has to be signed for at each location, which is why it takes so long, but I still think it's the best way to go. (Despite the agony caused by the long wait!)

That being said, I hope some tradespeople will chime in with their thoughts. I know some jewelers use FedEx, so perhaps they're safer than I think. I just read a lot of different forums about shipping and safety, and that's how I decided to always use registered mail.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

The insurance part is based on value. I can't remember my total but it was a good bit less than that...maybe $35-40? So Kelpie's would cost more than mine because of what she is sending.