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Thread: Sending watches to EU/International with insurance

  1. #1
    Grand Master Onelasttime's Avatar
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    Sending watches to EU/International with insurance

    Apologies if this has been covered a million times but I can't find anything definitive.

    I sent my Stowa Ikarus out to Germany yesterday by my usual method of Parcel Force Global Priority tracked, signed-for and insured to the full value of the watch, except… it isn't insured.

    For the first time ever, after sending countless watches via this method from the same Post Office to all over the globe, and paying the enhanced fee to cover the compensation for loss, the guy behind the counter asked me if I knew that watches weren't covered under the compensation rules

    WTF? I find out like this?



    So my question is, what method/company/insurance can I now use to compensate me in case of postal mishaps?

  2. #2
    Master
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    The only courier company in the UK who will insure watches are DHL. Although they are pricey.

    The only other alternative is to use Royal Mail and then insure the parcel through a 3rd Party Parcel Insurance such as Parcel Pro.

  3. #3
    Grand Master Onelasttime's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by steppy View Post
    The only courier company in the UK who will insure watches are DHL. Although they are pricey.

    The only other alternative is to use Royal Mail and then insure the parcel through a 3rd Party Parcel Insurance such as Parcel Pro.
    Cheers. I've heard of Parcel Pro but looking at the website it seems to be for business owners only. I'm only a lowly WIS who buys and sells some watches sometimes

  4. #4
    Master
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    I presume RMSD still covers watches? (upto, but not above £2.5k etc etc)

  5. #5
    Master
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    Royal Mail only covers upto £250 when posting internationally.


    ParcelPro still accept single (non business customers), just explain this when initially enquiring and completing the application forms

  6. #6
    Craftsman
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    Sending abroad I use mailboxesetc
    mbe.co.uk
    They photograph and wrap / box the watch and insure under their own policy that WILL pay out. I bet trying to claim many £ from some parcel companies is difficult.
    Also you choose the courier but UPS is best bet - definately not parcelfarce.
    Down side is the cost but if you want to have meaningful insurance you have to pay for it.

  7. #7
    Master flugzeit's Avatar
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    Have you seen this thread? Not specific to the OP's situation, but heaps of very useful info and links:
    http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...-%A32-5K-in-SC

    -flugzeit

  8. #8
    Grand Master Onelasttime's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by flugzeit View Post
    Have you seen this thread? Not specific to the OP's situation, but heaps of very useful info and links:
    http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...-%A32-5K-in-SC

    -flugzeit
    That is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you

  9. #9
    Grand Master markrlondon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Onelasttime View Post
    That is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you
    I keep on saying this but I will get around to fully updating that thread with up to date information on Royal Mail, Parcelforce, DHL, and others.


    Quote Originally Posted by Onelasttime View Post
    For the first time ever, after sending countless watches via this method from the same Post Office to all over the globe, and paying the enhanced fee to cover the compensation for loss, the guy behind the counter asked me if I knew that watches weren't covered under the compensation rules
    I expect they've just had some training. ;-) In my own experience I have noticed that Post Office staff often seemed to be unaware that watches and other 'valuables' are not covered by Parcelforce's compensation.
    Last edited by markrlondon; 18th January 2015 at 10:55.

  10. #10
    Master flugzeit's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by markrlondon View Post
    I expect they've just had some training. ;-) In my own experience I have noticed that Post Office staff often seemed to be unaware that watches and other 'valuables' are not covered by Parcelforce's compensation.
    Yes, and in the case of the postal services in Germany, at least, the fine print which describes what can be shipped, insured and so on changes very regularly. So not only are postal staff not always aware of the latest information but the sender (you and me) need to keep up to date with the details.

    -flugzeit

    EDIT: my own experience is such that for any watch worth more than EUR 500 I will now only use a courier company and independent insurer.
    Last edited by flugzeit; 18th January 2015 at 11:14.

  11. #11
    Craftsman
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    Who says you need to tell for every idiot who asks that you are shipping a watch?????????
    I label mine as "Used mechanical measuring instrument" in case I have to put something for content....

    -OD

  12. #12
    Master
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    Thats fine but if its lost/stolen/damaged during transit the insurance would never be covered and you wouldn't get a pay out as you lied on the original application

  13. #13
    Craftsman geek0's Avatar
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    Same here in Germany... Only few companies allow watches... DHL in NOT one of them...

  14. #14
    Grand Master markrlondon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by geek0 View Post
    Same here in Germany... Only few companies allow watches... DHL in NOT one of them...
    That's interesting. When shipping from the UK, DHL does allow watches. See this: http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...=1#post3376998 which leads to http://parcel.dhl.co.uk/what-you-can-and-cant-send.

  15. #15
    Craftsman henrik's Avatar
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    Posting from Denmark to the UK I found that only DHL would fully insure my watch. Buying from the UK I've received watches insured by ParcelPro but I don't recall who the carrier where.
    Just this week I responded to an ad but didn't the watch because of the hassles of international shipping. Can't blame the seller, it is a hassle to insure international shipment. It's just bad luck for me living in a country where there's not much of a watch scene.

  16. #16
    Master flugzeit's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by markrlondon View Post
    That's interesting. When shipping from the UK, DHL does allow watches. See this: http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...=1#post3376998 which leads to http://coady

    parcel.dhl.co.uk/what-you-can-and-cant-send.
    As I understand it, watches are specifically permitted by DHL Germany (both Packet and Express options). On national deliveries there is a limit on value at EUR 500, while an international delivery allows up to a value of EUR 5,000. However, only the first 500 euros is automatically insured (both national and international). On international deliveries you need to pay for each additional 1,000 euros of coverage up to 5,000. This suggests that additional insurance coverage (>500 nationally, and >5,000 internationally) can only be secured with a separate insurer. I use ParcelPro and they will only insure DHL Express deliveries (and, of course, other courier firms such as FedEx and UPS), but not the regular packet delivery despite it having a tracking number.

    -flugzeit

  17. #17
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    i never would had imagined that parcels with watches cannot be insured by the courier.
    why is this? what makes a watch different from any other valuables in a parcel?
    Last edited by captain_hx; 18th January 2015 at 22:44.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by captain_hx View Post
    i never would had imagined that parcels with watches are not insured.
    why is this? what makes a watch different from any other valuables in a parcel?
    Maybe the potential to damage it in transit?

  19. #19
    Grand Master markrlondon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by captain_hx View Post
    i never would had imagined that parcels with watches cannot be insured by the courier.
    why is this? what makes a watch different from any other valuables in a parcel?
    In some cases any type of 'valuable' is not covered by compensation! Watches are just one type of 'valuable'. An example of this is Parcelforce: All 'valuables' (e.g. precious metals, jewellery, all watches) are excluded from all Parcelforce compensation, on both domestic and international services.

    I can only presume that they fear the risk of loss or theft (which doesn't say much for their confidence in their own parcel tracking ability, to my mind)!

    I guess, as Ares says, that services that specifically exclude watches and not other types of valuables do indeed fear the risk of damage. I know in some cases computer monitors and tvs are excluded from compensation for this very reason.

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