I've had stuff disappear on me then turn up a week later on the tracking as 'held'. Glad it turned up, though.
Parcelforce.....simply no! I've had too many problems with them over the years and they are notorious for stonewalling on insurance for musical instruments. Incidentally, I'm not sure the shipping broker pays out on insurance; isn't that handled by the courier you eventually choose?
I've had one major purchase and major sale go missing for weeks, but they eventually turned up. And there was another big purchase from Europe that disappeared whilst still in the country of origin. It never turned up inside of one month and the seller wanted me to wait until the insurance claim was settled before refunding me. Had to get evilbay involved on that one.
Recently, I sent a bass to Germany, and after a week had passed it was still showing as being in the Edinburgh depot. However, the courier that picked up up had not signed the 'shipper's copy' and the broker initially refused to open a claim as there was no proof that the instrument had been picked up, irrespective of the courier company's tracking showing that it had!