Who should demand insurance?

[steve B]

When I was selling, I would do insurance if the buyer wanted it. I didn't charge anything beyond the cost of the USPS insurance. Most of the stuff I was selling was really inexpensive, so buying insurance was pointless.

I did insure a few expensive packages. Stuff like a plate I sold for a bit over 600, the buyer was surprised when my first email said I'd pick up the insurance. At the time most ebay sellers were charging a lot for insurance. That only cost me maybe $2 at the time.

A friend of mine had a cylinder phonograph damaged in shipping, and the insurance was awkward. Basically he had to take it to one of the bigger post offices, and show them how it was packed. Then he had to take it to someone who did phonograph repairs, and get a written estimate. Then the seller had to take the written estimate plus some paperwork from the PO here, to their local office to make the claim as they'd only pay the person who paid for the insurance. On the plus side, once the running around and paperwork were done it was paid in full in well under a month. I think a week to the seller, and a week for the sellers check to get to my friend.
All that relies on a cooperative seller though, so it may go differently for someone else.

[Edwolf1963]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1909-1911-T...c&LH_Auction=1

Here is one of those insurance is on/option of the buyer seller‘s note along with the not refunding anything that’s lost or damaged if insurance isn’t taken. I thought eBay put a stop to this. .. I know they won’t hesitate to refund if it is lost, stolen, damaged regardless of what the seller claims here, insurance or not.

BTW, the write up and value claims are comical. What is “SCD“ value???

[Kenny Cole]

I sue insurance companies for a living. Insurance is just legalized gambling, but the house makes the rules as they go. You can certainly buy it, and I do for my mandatory auto, my health, and my homeowners, but the latter two are probably somewhere around 50-50 if I have a big claim. For a lot of carriers it seems like the breaking point is the premium paid versus the amount of the claim. I have three trials between now and January against BCBS on awful health insurance denials, the worst of which the judge has already ruled was covered and should have been paid. But the claims haven't been paid and keep getting denied. I'm sure the Federal Judge I'm in front of will be very pleased with getting the finger from the defendant.

As Peter said, most things get there eventually. I would probably buy it for real expensive things that I didn't want to eat the cost of, in hopes that the claim might be paid, but I wouldn't on stuff I could afford to eat. In my estimation that's just throwing money away.

[Leon]

That's got to be fun sometimes.

Originally Posted by Kenny Cole

I sue insurance companies for a living. Insurance is just legalized gambling, but the house makes the rules as they go. You can certainly buy it, and I do for my mandatory auto, my health, and my homeowners, but the latter two are probably somewhere around 50-50 if I have a big claim. For a lot of carriers it seems like the breaking point is the premium paid versus the amount of the claim. I have three trials between now and January against BCBS on awful health insurance denials, the worst of which the judge has already ruled was covered and should have been paid. But the claims haven't been paid and keep getting denied. I'm sure the Federal Judge I'm in front of will be very pleased with getting the finger from the defendant.

As Peter said, most things get there eventually. I would probably buy it for real expensive things that I didn't want to eat the cost of, in hopes that the claim might be paid, but I wouldn't on stuff I could afford to eat. In my estimation that's just throwing money away.

[Tabe]

As a buyer, I don't request insurance. My reason is simple - if there's a problem, I get my money from the seller, not the seller's insurance. So why would I care if there's insurance? Insurance is there to reimburse the seller after they refund the buyer. Period.

[ALR-bishop]

My experience is it is all very clear cut....until stuff happens

[swarmee]

Originally Posted by Edwolf1963

What is “SCD“ value???

Used to be a price guide.

[itslarry]

Originally Posted by Edwolf1963

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1909-1911-T...c&LH_Auction=1

Here is one of those insurance is on/option of the buyer seller‘s note along with the not refunding anything that’s lost or damaged if insurance isn’t taken. I thought eBay put a stop to this. .. I know they won’t hesitate to refund if it is lost, stolen, damaged regardless of what the seller claims here, insurance or not.

BTW, the write up and value claims are comical. What is “SCD“ value???

They can say what they want, doesn't mean anything.
It's like when people say "no refunds" on ebay.

Seller HAS to get the product to me undamaged, or else they're paying for it.