Fedex minimum insurance for special handling

I've also found out the hard way that the best way to ship anything of weight and value, is to make sure its palletized and use a freight company. No matter what they say or what you pay, FEdEx, UPS and USPS seem to bounce things, if they can. In addition, their claims process is a nightmare - I've had to threaten lawsuits before they would pay anything for the damage they've caused. I have had good luck with both Yellow Freight and Pilot Air using pallets.

At $5k and over UPS consider a package 'High Value'

It must be signed for at each handover, and once such a package is given to the driver he must return directly to the hub with it, it isn't allowed to sit on the truck the rest of the day.

All high value packages get marked with a V on all sides.

I don't know if UPS takes other special care in addition.

John C.

Just curious. Has anyone taken an item to one of those UPS stores and had the UPS people do the packing with the "guarantee" that they offer (according to the TV ads)? And then, after that, still had problems with damage and denial of claims? Are there weight or insured value limits for that "guarantee"?

Yes, the TV spin, is just that spin. I've shipped stuff via the UPS Store, including their packing of the item, and get one big hassel with claims. The general rule is that you must have the units original packing materials and boxes, and then double box the item. Otherwise, all the peanuts and bubble wrap in the world will not make a difference.

Once shipped an Insured High Value $5,000 component by UPS after their assurances of the extra-care the package would receive. Not only did the package arrive damaged, the driver left it on the front-porch of the buyers house, with no signature to verify delivery!!! Maybe the driver left the package hoping he could avoid blame for the damage, i.e. Damaged by the Recipient. Since that experience I have used FedEx exclusively without a problem of any kind. Then again I pack each item to survive the worst possible disaster and that is really the only remedy to the problem. Overpack the item knowing that it can, and will, be dropped a dozen times enroute and must still arrive in mint condition. Thinking about the process eliminates the theory that one cardboard box is sufficient, or that peanuts will protect the equipment, or that the carrier will exercise ordinary care because the box is marked Fragile.