The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Guys

I have purchased a watch and the seller is finding it difficult to post it, Royal mail will only insure it up to £2500 but this leaves us with a £550 shortfall if it were to get damaged or go missing. I know a few of you on here have sent watches over £3k so any advise is welcomed.

Cheers

Martin

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"It's not how it's written it's how it's read"

I've only been the recipient of watches from the UK, but I believe that there are companies who will sell additional insurance to make up the difference.

Inciodentally, I thought Royal Mail's limit was GBP500.

they have an inc limit of 2.5k but yeah does pose an issue!!

extra insurance isnt cheap

...from experience.... Royal Air Mail will only insure WATCHES AND JEWELERY for 500 pounds, if shipped overseas. I do believe that within Europe you can get more. The seller for the Phantom I bought, had a heck of a time but finally got a private insurance company to cover it for the entire appraised value. You must declare that it is a watch and the value or if it is lost your screwed. The insurance from Royal Mail wont mean anything.

Are you in Europe as well?

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Breitling Steelfish(black)
Breitling Steelfish(silver)
Panerai PAM 312
Bell & Ross BR03-92 Phantom
Steinhart BreitlingSource LE #5/15

I am in the UK and have sent many watches but they were all either £2500 or under. This one is £3050

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"It's not how it's written it's how it's read"

I'm pretty sure that with Royal Mail Special Delivery you can pay extra for higher insurance cover. Standard service £11.50 gives you £2500 cover. But of course this is for UK guaranteed next day only, not International. Couriers e.g Fedex, UPS etc, will insure for whatever you require - at a price.

You can get extra "incidental" cover over and above the £2500, but in my experience it tends to be up to whether the Post Office guy is prepared to bend the rules a little to help you out. As I understand it, incidental cover (up to £10K) is only supposed to be available on things like legal documents whereby if they went missing you'd be either lose money or be liable for the sum insured. I've sent a lot of watches via Royal Mail, and have seen both situations : times when I'm have to send £4000 watches only insured for £2500 when the Post Office straight refuses to insure it for more, and other times when they've been prepared to give better cover.

It seems to be luck of the draw really. Good ol' Britain. Not like the States where there are 3rd party companies that will provide separate insurance for mail......

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Driver8

Site Moderator

I've never managed to get Royal Mail to insure abiove the £2.5k limit! Must the grumpy un-cooperative sorts who run PO's in Scotland.

As a personal point of view, the watch in question isn't a huge amount over the RM's £2.5k limit ...£250 loss for both seller and buyer if it's split in the event of disaster. I'd risk it on the ,basis that I've never had one go missing with RM over 15 years or so.

I have used a commercial insurance Co in the past for top-up insurance to foreign lands. When I say commercial the insurance is for those in the trade...art dealer, jewellery etc. However the guy who runs it is a decent chap who'll keep you right at a very reasonable cost. Fairly sure it cost me around £20.00 to top-up Airsures £500.00 limit on a £3k value watch to Sweden a couple of years ago.

Worth a call and will provide you and the seller with the security you need

http://www.transit2insure.com

David

What about Fedex, UPS or DHL?

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You can use third-party insurance through parcel pro.

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BreitlingSource Admin
http://www.breitlingsource.com - http://blog.breitlingsource.com

That was my point when I said there's nothing like this (to my knowledge) in the good ol' backward UK.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Try TNT, I use them for Business on a regular basis. They are cheaper than DHL and offer a very reliable service in both the UK, Europe and Worldwide.

I have no experience of sending watches, but call them, you can actually speak to a person not a machine! They can advise on insurance and are usually very helpful. You don't need an account you can pay by debit or credit card the contact details are on their website www.tnt.co.uk

hope this helps......!

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STAFFWOLF - NAVITIMER

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4090

I know I wasn't the OP on this thread, but this is very good info for me too! Thanks Staffwolf!

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Driver8

Site Moderator

I called a few of the above who were happy to do the extra cover until I told them it was a watch! They all they would not cover Jewellery?

I am willing to take the chance of Royal Mail but the seller is not, so I would lose £550 not £225 if it gets lost. We have agreed now to drive half way and do a F2F deal (as long as I pay his diesal costs) so not too bad.

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"It's not how it's written it's how it's read"

Seems your doing all the "moving" here...prepared to take a minimal risk on RM losing the package, but he's not. Pay his fuel costs too?! Guy must be a pretty unbending seller - or you're desperate to get the watch

Must be something nice - care to share; a clue even ?

David