ReeV0 Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 (edited) Hi all, Does anyone have any insured courier recommendations for posting a bass within the UK? I purchased one off ebay and the seller has asked for close to £100. Thanks Edited January 19, 2023 by ReeV0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 I'd think virtually any quote would be way cheaper than that, Royal mail parcel force or whatever its called now do insurance up to quite a high value I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrixn1 Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 There was a recent thread about this with some good suggestions: https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/472167-courier-with-insurance-dec-2022-any-suggestions-please/ The cost depends on the value of the bass. I recently sent a bass insured for £1000 which cost £49 with Overland Express (carrier was Parcelforce). Fortunately I didn't need to make a claim so can't give any feedback on that aspect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokalo Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 helpful? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReeV0 Posted January 19, 2023 Author Share Posted January 19, 2023 12 minutes ago, jrixn1 said: There was a recent thread about this with some good suggestions: https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/472167-courier-with-insurance-dec-2022-any-suggestions-please/ The cost depends on the value of the bass. I recently sent a bass insured for £1000 which cost £49 with Overland Express (carrier was Parcelforce). Fortunately I didn't need to make a claim so can't give any feedback on that aspect. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 7 minutes ago, Waddo Soqable said: I'd think virtually any quote would be way cheaper than that, Royal mail parcel force or whatever its called now do insurance up to quite a high value I believe. @Waddo Soqable Parcel Force do NOT insure instruments against damage even if you pay for extra insurance. It’s in their terms. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 4 minutes ago, fretmeister said: @Waddo Soqable Parcel Force do NOT insure instruments against damage even if you pay for extra insurance. It’s in their terms. Really? So they won't insure musical instruments of any kind?. News to me but well worth knowing 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 You wouldnt know unless you read their small print. Oh, they'll let you fill in the form and add the insurance. Very clever. But if it goes awol or gets damaged they'll invoke their small print. IIRC, the most they'll pay out on a bass is 100 quids 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 16 hours ago, Waddo Soqable said: Really? So they won't insure musical instruments of any kind?. News to me but well worth knowing 👍 Yup. Many people have been caught out by it. Claims for losses are limited to a stupidly low sum no matter how much you pay for the extra insurance for any musical instrument. For smaller items like Class D heads, pedals etc, Royal Mail Special Delivery is a much better choice with better coverage options. Or use an uninsured courier and buy a separate policy from Secursus. Although be aware they won't insure anything bought / sold via Ebay or reverb. Forums are fine though. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 I thought i had read on here that someone had contacted Securus about the Ebay thing and got a reply that Ebay purchases are no problem. I had a search but failed to find it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReeV0 Posted January 20, 2023 Author Share Posted January 20, 2023 I'm struggling with who to use. Royal Mail won't take it because it's too big, and Parcelforce won't insure it. Who else can I use? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokalo Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 I would use SendMyBag - the carrier is ParcelForce, but it’s insured through SMB. It’s very clear that you’re sending a guitar and there’s no mention of eBay or anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReeV0 Posted January 20, 2023 Author Share Posted January 20, 2023 9 minutes ago, Tokalo said: I would use SendMyBag - the carrier is ParcelForce, but it’s insured through SMB. It’s very clear that you’re sending a guitar and there’s no mention of eBay or anything. That only seems to cover £125 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokalo Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 11 minutes ago, ReeV0 said: That only seems to cover £125 I think that’s included with any package. There are optional upgrades available - £500 cover was an additional £6 in November, for example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 5 hours ago, fleabag said: I thought i had read on here that someone had contacted Securus about the Ebay thing and got a reply that Ebay purchases are no problem. I had a search but failed to find it it was me. And it was a big fat “NO” about eBay. Ive got the emails from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CookPassBabtridge Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 As someone else mentioned, Overland Express. They were the only viable option I could find for shipping a £2k bass recently. Their insurance covers guitars but it needs to be in a hard case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReeV0 Posted January 20, 2023 Author Share Posted January 20, 2023 So I haven't really found a viable option yet either here or in the link mention previously, for posting a £700 bass (in a soft case & cardboard box) within the UK, fully insured. Pretty crazy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 I've noticed a lot of ebay sellers of basses have switched to "collection only" possibly one of the reasons, also factoring in the bad name couriers of all kinds have (usually deservedly) been getting 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CookPassBabtridge Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 10 hours ago, ReeV0 said: So I haven't really found a viable option yet either here or in the link mention previously, for posting a £700 bass (in a soft case & cardboard box) within the UK, fully insured. Pretty crazy I’ve researched this extensively and yes, unfortunately you’re not going to find anyone who will insure a bass in a soft case. So if you do use a courier you’ll have to invest in a hard case so you’re covered, or take your chances without insuring it. For the latter option, if you paid more for 24hr delivery there’s theoretically less chance of it getting bashed up because there’s a shorter amount of potential time for it to be chucked around a depot etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 (edited) 8 minutes ago, CookPassBabtridge said: I’ve researched this extensively and yes, unfortunately you’re not going to find anyone who will insure a bass in a soft case. So if you do use a courier you’ll have to invest in a hard case so you’re covered, or take your chances without insuring it. For the latter option, if you paid more for 24hr delivery there’s theoretically less chance of it getting bashed up because there’s a shorter amount of potential time for it to be chucked around a depot etc. So despite being say, double boxed and secured in the manner a manufacturer might despatch it, they won't insure it? How about if a bass is for instance sent "neck off" effectively disassembled, it's then "musical instrument parts" , and their collective value is surely what it is.. ? Edited January 21, 2023 by Waddo Soqable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CookPassBabtridge Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 1 hour ago, Waddo Soqable said: So despite being say, double boxed and secured in the manner a manufacturer might despatch it, they won't insure it? How about if a bass is for instance sent "neck off" effectively disassembled, it's then "musical instrument parts" , and their collective value is surely what it is.. ? In my experience, nope they still won’t insure it. If sending in a hard case just isn’t a possibility then my suggestion would be to pack the instrument within an inch of its life (decent soft case, plenty of bubble wrap/newspaper so it can’t move around much), and a very sturdy box. That way even if it does take a battering by a careless courier it should arrive in one piece. I have often wondered how the manufacturers and shops are covered when sending their stuff through the post though. I guess they must have some kind of special arrangement/contract with their courier of choice that covers them, because of the volume of items they send and the amount of business they bring. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunderwonder Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 What's wrong the seperate insurance offering someone linked for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunderwonder Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 Shipping neck off allows a much more compact package that is every which way harder to damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 1 hour ago, Downunderwonder said: Shipping neck off allows a much more compact package that is every which way harder to damage. It's also a cheaper base courier price, when on odd occasions I've sent one, a full size bass especially in a hard case seems to exceed a certain set of dimensions that push it into expensive territory to start with. And as mentioned it's way less fragile if dismantled and wrapped well in a stout double box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrixn1 Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 On 20/01/2023 at 22:43, ReeV0 said: So I haven't really found a viable option yet either here or in the link mention previously, for posting a £700 bass (in a soft case & cardboard box) within the UK, fully insured. Pretty crazy A Gear4music foam case is £45 - you can always sell it on afterwards. Although they're actually pretty good - I bought one initially for exactly this postal insurance reason, but ended up keeping it for many years. (Or buy a few and set up a side hustle bass case rental service for other people in your situation...) BTW get the seller to take photos of the bass as they pack it - see these T&C, "We will request these photos if your package is lost or damaged": 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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