I am about to sell some items of kit. On the basis of achieving a selling price of about £500 for each item, I am looking at insurance costs offered by courier companies and these seem an excessive additional cost. Does anyone have experience with posting expensive items, either good or bad? Do they take out the insurance option? Do they pass this cost on to the buyer? I will be offering buyers the chance to collect of course or even organize their own courier.
Hi.
I always use Parcel Monkey as their insurance is one of the cheapest. I always use DHL and have never had an issue.
As regards to passing the cost on to the buyer, I dont think many would be happy to have to pay additionally unless its an item of very high value.
£15 for an amplifier sized box with insurance is fairly achievable via Parcel Monkey (I have no affiliation with either companies mentioned above, but have used them several times).
Brown Owl, I’ve made a small edit to ensure your post complies with forum rules.
As far as insuring kit sent by courier, I have rarely if ever bothered (usually self insured), as I find that the premium rates are ridiculous (I used to be in insurance) and if you did have to make a claim then best of luck with that.
Just be sure it’s well packed and send it by the best and the fastest service available - next day delivery if possible. I find that problems increase exponentially with how long an item is in the system waiting to be delivered.
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Following a dispute where I sold a CD player, which the courier later try to charge extra because apparently they said the box was 2meters long. Eventually they gave me the refund as a good will gesture. I tried to say that I didn’t want a good will gesture, just an honest refund for their mistake - but didn’t get anywhere.
Anyway, good tip, I always photograph the final box whilst sitting on scales - just in case.
Can someone tell me what these costs are in UK? I read frequent references to “excessive” and similar, but never a number. I’m wondering because it’s negligible here in Germany, DHL insures up to 500 for the basic parcel price, which is 16.49 euros for up to 31 kg within Germany. Additional insurance is 6 euros up to 2500 value and 18 up to 25000 value.
(EU-wide it is more, 45 for a 31 kg parcel incl 500 value, but insurance is limited to up to 5K@70eur)
And as for modalities, on eBay at least it’s normal to add it to the shipment costs upfront, usually payable by the buyer. For higher costs I offer with and without insurance (you can select more than one in the item settings) and it’s then up to the buyer which one he chooses.
Anywhere more personal and without auctions there is usually more mutual agreement anyway.
Look at Royal Mails website… Not excessive, IMO…
Eg. 10 kg, £1000 value, £27-75 by Royal Mail Special Delivery - Guaranteed by 1pm®*
On the RM what I find is an upper limit of 2500 insurance for 44 pounds, for a 20 kg parcel (the max) domestically. Certainly more expensive and very limited.
Edit: Thanks for your example, is similar. 10 kg with 1000 value would be 14.4 euros with DHL domestically in Germany. (The insurance coverage for this price would be up to 2.500, there is no lower option except the 500 included in the basic 8.5 euro). It wouldn’t be next day but 2-3 days, but who cares. (Next day until noon would be approx 30 extra)
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Maybe this is how Hermes - a German (?) company - survive in the UK…?
You may need to switch to ParcelForce, if you top out on RoyalMail…
Yeah, the RM website told me to go to Parcelforce for > 20 kg, but there it gets more complicated with postcodes and the like. I was just interested in principle, thanks for the info
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Its a stupid set up - RMail & PFarce. They were once the same business… And you can use either from a Post Office. Generally, for small stuff RM is fine. Sometimes with big/valuable stuff PF may be cheaper. It depends…
Personally… I would rather not post big Naim boxes… 
I will drive them to Class A in Sheffield - and pick them up, when they are ready. Pre Covid, this could be same day. Now - its taking longer…
(I have a Lingo at Class A currently…)
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When I sold my CDX2 I seem to remember postal insurance was around £100 for ParcelForce.
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When I sold my CD3.5 on fleabay the courier (Hermes) managed to “lose” it. I successfully claimed off Hermes for the full amount. 
Well done.
I would probably use a different courier.
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Hermes is not a courier I would ever use… Very poor.
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I use my car… 
Could be costly if the buyer lives 300miles away?
I would collect my own purchases if possible but sometimes it’s just too far.
I have hardly ever bought any HiFi which has been posted to me. Maybe my Rega Ear was - its small… lols. But all the big stuff I have collected - from Cymbiosis or TomTom.
For servicing, I drive my items to Class A, in Sheffield.
My nDAC came from Robert Ritchie in Montrose and I’m in Manchester.
Class A/Moorgate is 50 miles away so that’s fine especially on a limited mileage policy.
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