Insuring a MKII Watch for International Shipment?

[dbro]

I'm working with a MKII seller who is having trouble finding a carrier that will insure the watch for its value. He tells me that UPS will only insure a watch for up to $500 USD. This sounds incorrect as I've never been questioned about the contents when requesting insurance on a domestic package. Has anyone else experienced problems insuring a MKII watch for international shipment?

Thanks,
Derek

[jeffc67]

First, I'd be really careful using UPS. UPS or FedEx packages can arrive with an extra $100+ bill attached for customs brokerage. But it would be helpful to know where the watch is originating and where it's going.

I do know that the US Postal Service has strict guidelines on insurance for watches, at least with parcel post. However, that's a country-specific issue. I send watches from Canada to the US regularly by Canada Post, the most significant was about $600, and Canada Post was happy to insure it for full value.

International EMS will also, I believe, insure watches.

You can always call it a "used horological instrument" if you want to get tricky.


Cheers - Jeff C

[Drop of a Hat]

I just sent a watch to Brazil. Under a hundred bucks but still worried about customs fees. USPS said they would do it up to 5,000 USD.

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[Dragoon]

Customs fees are the responsibility of the party receiving the watch. So, unless you sent the watch to yourself (you home is in Brazil) then the custom fees would be paid by the recipient.

USPS will insure watches to most countries but as another poster stated it is country specific by their tables at the PO.

Some folks recommend using generic boxes to ship in with hand written address labels to make it less conspicuous. Others state to use "fashion accessories" as opposed to watches in item description. As long as you list the item value correctly I doubt there would be any issues. The item description of "accessories" just helps to keep other hands off the shipment in transit.

And, there is always UPICS and Shipsurance which will insure packages to most countries. They do have some countries they will not insure to. I have not filed a claim with them butt have used them a number of times for international parcels.

I always use USPS Priority International or Express.

I just sent a watch to Brazil. Under a hundred bucks but still worried about customs fees. USPS said they would do it up to 5,000 USD.

Sent Via Tapatalk

[Deano482]

Be very careful with the value you insure your goods for, you could be in for a nasty surprise with customs fee's in your particular country when it arrives.

Deano

[Arthur]

Be very careful with the value you insure your goods for, you could be in for a nasty surprise with customs fee's in your particular country when it arrives.

Deano

The biggest problem with declaring for less than the real value,the USPS will not sell you insurance for more than the declared value on the customs declaration form. So if you send a 2k watch with a valuation of 250 USD to save the customer duty taxes, you can only insure for 250USD.Ii have sold a few watches overseas, used USPS International Express mail with no problems, but I always was very clear in the sales thread that I would not declare the watch for less than the sale price.
If you are selling, unless you are a dealer and can absorb the loss of a watch, you would be taking a real chance declaring for less. If the watch is lost or stolen, the buyer expects either a watch or his money back. you would have to refund his money, and now you are out the funds as well as the watch. I'm sympathetic toward folks whose home country charges terribly onerous duty on import items, but I still know that if something happens, it's going to be my loss.