I’m just trying to make sense of the T&C’s offered to us by Allied Pickfords for insuring our goods during shipping. Has anyone ever read these? :huh:
I would never suggest anyone does without insurance, but it seems to me that we will be paying a lot of money for insurance that excludes coverage for pretty much everything you might expect. Grrrrrr, I HATE insurance companies!

I won’t go through the whole list. It’s pretty long and difficult to make sense of,
but under the standard policy, goods aren’t covered for rust, discolouration/staining, water damage and vermin or insect damage. They aren't even covered for electrical or mechanical damage unless there is evidence of external damage to the packaging - Imagine if your plasma TV was dropped and there was no clear evidence of damage on the packing! :o
Fear not though, Additional cover may be purchased to cover moisture damage (mould and mildew) and you can also purchase additional cover for Mechanical/electrical damage - how nice of them.

In normal English, I think the goods are only insured against theft, piracy, fire and complete loss at sea/air (unless valuable goods can be salvaged and presumably restored). Even then, there is an excess, although it's not huge (about Au$125).

On the basis of the T&C’s here is a list of things I recommend to everyone tries to do:-
- Make sure the Itinerary Docket is as accurate as possible and ALL valuable - items are individually listed.
- Only Mark each carton with a reference. A cross-reference of the carton and description of contents should only appear on the docket. DO NOT mark contents on the box it's self, if you need to do so while packing, make sure the label is temporary and is removed or permanently covered over before the goods are shipped.
- Carry proof of ownership for valuable items if available.
- Photograph valuable items to show evidence of posession and condition prior to packing. For electronic goods, try to get the photographs to show they are in working order and have the date embossed on the photo if possible.
- If possible on arrival, inspect the condition of all boxes before opening and take photographic evidence of any damaged packing. Without evidence of damage in transit, you have very little to claim on.
- Ensure you check off each item/carton from the docket at the time of delivery.
- Carry a copy of the itinerary docket out with you in your luggage
- Ensure you obtain a Certificate of Insurance and carry it out with you
- Ensure you make any claims within 30 days of the goods' arrival

Note to Mods:
Sorry this has appeared in General, I tried to post this in the FAQ's under Packing and Shipping, but I don't have the rights. Please feel free to move.