International shipping insurance

[Dark Angel]

I've been looking online and I can't find the answer and since today is Sunday I can't go ask either. It's not a dire emergency, I just thought that if someone knew off-hand, they could help. If not I'll go ask at the post office tomorrow.

Anyway, my question is: If I am sending a USPS Priority Mail box to a different country, does that include insurance? Maybe up to $500 or something? Or do I have to purchase insurance separately?

Thanks!

[SetsunaKou]

I've been looking online and I can't find the answer and since today is Sunday I can't go ask either. It's not a dire emergency, I just thought that if someone knew off-hand, they could help. If not I'll go ask at the post office tomorrow.

Anyway, my question is: If I am sending a USPS Priority Mail box to a different country, does that include insurance? Maybe up to $500 or something? Or do I have to purchase insurance separately?

Thanks!

Hi Dark Angel-san!

Yes, Priority Mail boxes, international, includes up to $200 USD insurance. (Whatever you value the customs form at, up to $200 USD. Of course, what you value the package at, you must have a receipt or proof of value if you do have to file a claim. The USPS will only pay what you have a receipt or proof of value for, even if you say it's worth $200. Your buyer had to have actually paid you $200 for you to claim that much.)

If you need $500 insurance, you'll need to purchase it additionally. I think $500 insurance, overseas, is something around $9-10 extra.

Hope it helps!

[Dark Angel]

Thank you so much SetsunaKou!!!

So, to clarify: she would pay me $400 and I would insure it for $400. That would be good enough proof? (She would pay through paypal)

[SetsunaKou]

Thank you so much SetsunaKou!!!

So, to clarify: she would pay me $400 and I would insure it for $400. That would be good enough proof? (She would pay through paypal)

Yes, that's right. Just be sure to keep your Paypal? Payment? receipt to submit to USPS if a damage/loss claim happens.

However, you might want to clarify with your buyer that you will be insuring the parcel for $400 USD and she/he will most definitely be paying customs duty on such a high value package. Overseas buyers know to expect to get hit with customs fees when the package is valued at over $75 USD but often the seller is blamed when they have to pay tax/duty to receive their package from their local post office.
Tell this to your buyer beforehand so she/he won't try to hold you responsible for customs duties.

It's all not fair to you, of course, but buyers do get upset when they have to pay upwards of 20-40% to their post office to receive their package. I know a few buyers wanted ME to pay for the customs duties levied by their government and I had to explain that I didn't receive the fee, but their postal system/government collected it and it had nothing to do with (the seller). They still weren't happy, so I think it's always best to talk about it beforehand so they aren't upset with you when they end up having to pay this tax.

I.E. - If your buyer is in Europe and you insure/value this package for $400, they will pay their post office anywhere between $75 - $200 tax just to receive this package. 0_o Make sure they know this now. (Just some advice) Last year, I sent a package to France that I valued at $150 and the buyer had to pay $80 USD in customs tax to receive the parcel.
Needless to say, the buyer was quite upset and asked why I had claimed/valued so much on the package which caused them to pay so much tax.

But it's safety for yourself to insure it at full value! If you do as the buyer requests and only write $50 value. Then if it's lost/broken/stolen, you can only get back $50. So, of course, you need to insure it for what it's valued at but make your buyer aware that you will be doing so and inform them that they might (actually, most likely) have tax on the package when they pick it up/receive it.

[Dark Angel]

*hugs* Thank you so much for all your help! I'll definitely remind her about customs.