UPS Insurance Claims
Did you know that every package shipped within the UPS system is covered by up to $100.00 of insurance protection AT NO COST (with very few exclusions such as documents or perishables)? What happens when your packages does not arrive at its destination or arrives damaged?
If you ship with The UPS Store, you contact the store and the staff will file the claim on your behalf. If you ship at a customer counter or authorized shipping outlet, you will likely have to file the claim yourself. Phone 1-800-PICK-UPS (1-800-742-5877) and speak with a representative to file the claim. Have the following information handy when you call the 800 number or you local The UPS Store (if you shipped with the store):
UPS may decide to visit the recipient and inspect the shipment for proper packaging materials and outer carton. If the inspection reveals that the items were not packaged correctly or an unapproved shipping carton was used, the claim will be denied. Keep in mind that ALL items packed by The UPS Store locations are assumed to have been packed correctly. The few dollars you might save by packaging something yourself might turn into a denied insurance claim if you did not pack sufficiently to meet UPS standards.
So, the safest way to protect your valuables in the shipping process is to have them packed at your local The UPS Store location. Let the packaging experts carefully pack your items to ensure that you will be fully covered in the event there is an insurance claim for the shipment.
If you ship with The UPS Store, you contact the store and the staff will file the claim on your behalf. If you ship at a customer counter or authorized shipping outlet, you will likely have to file the claim yourself. Phone 1-800-PICK-UPS (1-800-742-5877) and speak with a representative to file the claim. Have the following information handy when you call the 800 number or you local The UPS Store (if you shipped with the store):
- tracking number (most UPS tracking number start with the number "1" and the letter "Z" and are 18 characters long)
- whether the contents are missing or damaged
- condition of the damaged items (i.e., shattered, dented, nicked, bent, etc.)
- whether or not the damaged items are repairable or replaceable
- the value of the damaged or missing items
- the telephone number of the recipient
UPS may decide to visit the recipient and inspect the shipment for proper packaging materials and outer carton. If the inspection reveals that the items were not packaged correctly or an unapproved shipping carton was used, the claim will be denied. Keep in mind that ALL items packed by The UPS Store locations are assumed to have been packed correctly. The few dollars you might save by packaging something yourself might turn into a denied insurance claim if you did not pack sufficiently to meet UPS standards.
So, the safest way to protect your valuables in the shipping process is to have them packed at your local The UPS Store location. Let the packaging experts carefully pack your items to ensure that you will be fully covered in the event there is an insurance claim for the shipment.
posted by Shipping Information at 8:40 AM
13 Comments:
Your article clearly explains this to your readers.
I'm familiar since I visit the UPS Store in EHT often and have had the pleasure of meeting you and asking many questions.
thanks for another informative article.
hi, this is a nice post, but what it fails to mention is that if you do have a claim, UPS will tell you absolutely NOTHING about it, you have to get all your information from the UPS store. in my personal experience, the UPS store isn't exactly forthcoming with information, and UPS/claims won't tell you anything because 'you're not the shipper,' so you're sitting in an information void, out an item and with questionable insurance coverage. (frankly, i'm still a bit unclear on this. if i insure my package with UPS at the UPS store, why won't UPS deal with ME for MY package they didn't deliver? but they won't. IF the claim is accepted, they will only pay the store, and i have to hope those guys pay me.)
i realize all UPS stores are independently owned and operated, and some are likely more responsive than the one i'm currently dealing with, but i feel it's my responsibility to let people know:
if for some reason you'd prefer to deal with UPS directly in case of problems, you should not use a ups store. even if the store is willing to 'release the claim' to UPS so you can deal with UPS directly, the contract between UPS and the UPS store will not allow it. just fyi.
Karen,
When using The UPS Store for shipping: The UPS Store is acting as a forwarding agent on your behalf. Additionally: In the event that your parcel is valued over $100, and you pay for additional coverage, you are paying The UPS Store to cover your package.
In the unfortunate event that your package becomes lost or is damaged in transit: You can contact UPS directly to initiate a claim. If for some reason you don't feel that you are being treated fairly by the store owner, you can always contact MBE/The UPS Store's corporate office at: (858) 455-8800and ask to speak with Customer Relations.
Each store is individually owned and opperated. The majority of store owners' care more about their customers than the shipping companies that they use. These store owners will go out of their way in order to ensure that their customers are taken care of.
UPS is the absolute worst shipper on the planet they destroy more products than anyone else so if it has to be there undestroyed use FED EX or the Post Office!! Much Better shippers by far and less expensive!!! you SUCK UPS
I tried to ship something I had packed myself at a UPS store today, using one of their boxes. They tried to get me to sign something saying I gave up my insurance rights on the package. Just seemed like a red flag to me. Took it to a competitor and did not have to jump through those hoops and maintained my insurance.
@Rick56, do you have any statistics to support your inaccurate assessment of UPS shipping-related damaged packages? Do some research before you spout off and make inflammatory comments on my blog.
Jyiiga, when you ship at a The UPS Store location, you are being well taken care of by the associate. They are inspecting your box and advising you that if it is not an approved shipping box (see my article regarding reusing a shipping box) and damage occurs to your item(s) you will not be covered by UPS for the damage. We also have customers initial a waiver to put a little more teeth behind the terms and conditions of UPS shipping that nullify a claim in the event the item is incorrectly packed.
Shipping Information --
The UPS Store owners do not necessarily take care of their customers.
I just tried to ship an amplifier using The UPS Store. When I took it in it was in the "factory" box. It was MOST obvious that it was an amplifier and it was in the "original" box.
The first thing they asked me is if I want additional insurance. [I understand now that it is not insurance but instead is a declared value.] That however - does not negate the fact that they asked if I wanted additional "insurance."
NEVER - did they tell me that this item would not be covered since it was in the original box and that boxes must be new and not "used."
Not only that -- once the damage had occurred I discovered that I am not a customer of UPS but instead a customer of The UPS Store. To my dismay - the owner at The UPS Store gave me a toll free number at UPS to call about my claim being denied.
What a farce. He knew before he gave me the number that UPS would NOT talk with me!
I soon discovered from reading online that Mail Boxes Etc [MBE] franchises The UPS Stores. So - I I called MBE and asked to talk with customer relations. I told the woman my story and she could have cared LESS.
HERE's the Deal...
The UPS Store knew up front that I would not be paid should damage occur because they knew I was using an "old" box.
The UPS Store also makes the insurance I purchased look like it will pay in the event of.
NOTHING could have been further from the truth and they knew it.
Even when I asked the store owner if he would ship the package the way it looks now after UPS destroyed it he told me NO!
Shipper Beware!
I will NEVER use UPS again... PERIOD!!
@Sam, it's unfortunate that you had a bad experience with one The UPS Store location. Most owners take pride in servicing the customer even when there is a claim. First, since your amplifier was in the original box does not mean it was ready for the small package (under 150 lbs) shipping world. A box should be stamped with a certification seal on the bottom flap to indicate that it is acceptable for shipping. Most factory products are packaged for FREIGHT shipment, where many of the items are stacked together on a pallet and strapped together for delivery to the store, where there is very little handling of the box. In the small parcel shipping world, the box is handled at least 4 to 7 times before it gets to the destination, going through many conveyor belts to sort the packages, riding on many different trucks, etc. Always look for the certification seal before shipping, and the store should have done that for you and offered packaging service if there was no seal on your box.
You are correct about declared value. It is insurance-like coverage but the packaging guidelines in UPS' terms and conditions of service must be followed for that protection to remain in effect. There is nothing wrong with using an "old" box as you say, as long as it is certified for shipping and does not have any obvious damage to the exterior of the box, and it is taped well.
The UPS Store owner should be handling your appeal, but there must be a basis for the appeal. If the box had no certificate, and the employee did not mention packaging service to you, then I would ask the owner to pay for the damaged item. I make my customers whole in the event of an employee error like that.
Ups not only did not deliver my package on time (I paid for overnight so I could use my equipment at a gig) but when it finally did arrive after my gig was over, it was broken in several different places. Ups will not reburse my shipping. I can't even get a claims person to look at it!! Thy have canceled and rescheduled 4 times without even calling to let me know. When I call to see why no one showed, they just keep telling me it was rescheduled but will not give me a reason. I threatened ups with legal action and she referred me to the ups store. The ups store referred me back to corporate. It makes no sense. We are losing work and money because we can't use the piece ups broke during transit and can't buy a new one until we have the $4,000 we insuranced the package for. I'm canceling my business account with ups and using FedEx.
I ship on average 20 shipments a month. I've spent 20 plus years in the industry sorting and delivering packages and moving families. i.e. I have decades of experience packing & shipping items. Following them from beginning to end, seeing first hand what works and what doesn't. During the last month I used UPS they destroyed 50% of the packages they shipped and the Fedex shipments all arrived damage free. Yes I can back up the UPS destroyed shipments with tracking numbers. The UPS Store owner just shakes his head because we've looked at and discussed my packing techniques before.
I appreciate everything you have added to my knowledge base.Admiring the time and effort you put into your blog and detailed information you offer.Thanks. Buy for me service
Here i found nice environment to get new ideas and views and the i have read the comments of this blog Panama Claim Adjusters and these are really nice and it is glad to comment here.
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