Insurance and parcel force?

[Nigella Bryant]

I came across this post on astro adds and is quite worrying if people buy high end valued items like done in the past and will do in the future. Thought's anyone.

Hope this doesn't go against any posting rules. 

WARNING! For people using PARCELFORCE INSURANCE to COVER items sold on Astro buy sell.
It’s come to my attention that when using Parcel force to send items sold on Astro buy sell. When they do lose your item the insurance dose not cover your item. After a ridiculously drawn out claims process they have informed me that the PayPal payment is not ample proof of the items value. And need an invoice or eBay item number etc etc for proof of value. It seems to me that royal mail and it’s subsidiaries have really gone to pot in recent years since it has been privatised. I have used DPD on several occasions now with perfect results. Even when my atik camera went missing. They assigned someone to track it down and find it. I hope this is seen as a service and good piece of advice to Astro buy sell users and not taken down. Thanks for reading.

[johninderby]

These people may be able to help.

https://www.resolver.co.uk/companies/parcelforce-worldwide-complaints

[Rob Sellent]

21 minutes ago, Nigella Bryant said:

And need an invoice

A little off topic - sorry - but not all courier services will cover optics and many insurance companies will demand proof of purchase in terms of legitimate invoices and receipts in case of accident or robbery.

[Alan White]

I had the very same issue with them over a destroyed Vixen tripod bought via AB&S.
Same lines for payout used.
Wanted two quotes to repair.
Never got paid out.
The original post on AB&S got my attention earlier as well, so thanks Nigella for posting.

[WanderingEye]

Well I have to say as much as they are slated and renowned for being the worst courier, I have used Hermes on many many occasions and had items get lost and go missing, and have always been paid out and within 4 weeks, but yes, I have had to show a receipt even if it was just a copy of the eBay listing, that was suffice...

Once I posted an 8” skywatcher Newtonian with Hermes, and it got delivered to the wrong house, 15 miles away from where it should have been, and after many phone calls between myself, the buyer and the person it got delivered too, my buyer went and collected, from the person who had got it, and so I gave a £50 refund to them for there trouble, and then Hermes gave me a full refund for the item, (what the buyer paid) including the postage cost for my trouble....so I can’t say fairer than that...so I can’t fault them to be honest...(I always take full insurance cover with any courier) but I know there are some horror stories about them. but I guess there is about them all, the only one I would 100% trust with expensive optics would be UPS... 😀

Edited October 18, 2019 by WanderingEye

[Alfian]

It really is worth reading the small print as to what courier insurance covers and indeed whether they will deal with optical equipment in the first place. When I came to sell and ship a scope a while back I came to realise that for most of the couriers I got a quote from the insurance was worthless and the one that seemed ok would have been prohibitively expensive. As to the couriers mentioned after unfortunate experiences I would never use them.

 

[Nigella Bryant]

I must say I've never had anything lost or damaged that I'd bought or sold but there's always a first time. I don't normally read the fine print, usually just ask for insurance up to the price of anything I'm sending and thought no more about it. Thought I was always covered but guess I wasn't and fortunately been OK so far. Makes me think now who I should trust, particularly with expensive items. 

Edited October 18, 2019 by Nigella Bryant

[Paz]

I've only ever bought so far but I need to do some selling at some point. I've never had an astronomy item damaged or lost on its way to me but I have received some very beaten up packages.

The items are still ok  because at least in my experience astronomers selling things tend to significantly over engineer the packaging for which I am always grateful. 

Edited October 19, 2019 by Paz

[kev]

i have nightmares with posting IT kit and paperwork.  some of it is legal stuff. even when i do it special delivery i worry.