I also think that Viggen is way off base on this one. If FedEx paid on anything damaged no matter how it was packaged, they would either soon be out of business or insurance would be very, very expensive.
People would go into business just shipping stuff to be damaged to collect on insurance. Let's see how we can make some money.
1. Go to antique stores and buy damaged porcelain at a low price. Put it in a box with a very heavy item with no padding and insure it for the value of perfect piece. When it arrives in small fragments, collect!
2. Buy TV sets that don't work and then put them in flimsy boxes with the picture tube facing down. When it arrives with the tube broken, collect!
Don't think that wouldn't happen. People rip off insurance companies for millions of dollars annually in false claims. This would just be too easy to pass up.
However, Mchd1 makes a very valid point. They sell this coverage as insurance but it is not insurance in the usual sense of the word. Most people consider insurance as something that covers losses no matter what. Even if the car wreck is your fault, your insurance company has to pay. They may cancel you later, but they have to pay. The shippers should do a better job of explaining what they are selling.
I prefer to use UPS because they offer a packing service for about $20. They put it in a heavy box and surround the component with that expanding foam in plastic. The beauty is, they cannot deny a claim for improper packing because they did it. Maybe $20 is a lot for insurance, but if you need a box and packing anyway, it is really pretty cheap.
People would go into business just shipping stuff to be damaged to collect on insurance. Let's see how we can make some money.
1. Go to antique stores and buy damaged porcelain at a low price. Put it in a box with a very heavy item with no padding and insure it for the value of perfect piece. When it arrives in small fragments, collect!
2. Buy TV sets that don't work and then put them in flimsy boxes with the picture tube facing down. When it arrives with the tube broken, collect!
Don't think that wouldn't happen. People rip off insurance companies for millions of dollars annually in false claims. This would just be too easy to pass up.
However, Mchd1 makes a very valid point. They sell this coverage as insurance but it is not insurance in the usual sense of the word. Most people consider insurance as something that covers losses no matter what. Even if the car wreck is your fault, your insurance company has to pay. They may cancel you later, but they have to pay. The shippers should do a better job of explaining what they are selling.
I prefer to use UPS because they offer a packing service for about $20. They put it in a heavy box and surround the component with that expanding foam in plastic. The beauty is, they cannot deny a claim for improper packing because they did it. Maybe $20 is a lot for insurance, but if you need a box and packing anyway, it is really pretty cheap.