Is international shipping insurance a must-have?

International shipping is a safe and reliable way to send your items to every corner of the world. But, there is always a little bit of risk in the process. No matter if you are selling items, or using the services of an international moving expert, something can always go wrong.  If you’re feeling nervous about sending off your items, you can always get international shipping insurance. Since ensuring a package is nothing but optional, the only person who decides if it’s worth it is you.

Getting international shipping insurance or not depends on the destination

The first thing you need to ask yourself is how much you trust the rules and people working at the customs. In most cases, your items will safely reach your home and there will be no problems. However, before that, they have to go through customs. Moving to New Zealand from the US would require insurance for added item safety. In some countries, like Japan, you can send boxes full of money and they will arrive perfectly safe and sound. They are famous for their honesty and safety when it comes to trading. This is just an example and we don’t recommend you trying that, since shipping money is illegal. On the other hand, some countries may be completely different. The customs workers could be careless and damage your items, or have ill intent and steal them. If this worries you, and you’ve had bad experiences, definitely get insurance.

The item and the place of origin should also be considered

Naturally, there is a level of concern when shipping fragile items. But if an item has good protection it should be perfectly safe to ship across the world. This is especially important with international car transportation, since cars are so valuable, but also easily damaged. This is why you need to think about where your items are coming from. If you buy something directly from the manufacturer, like a brand new computer, it will reach you a nearly indestructible package. It should be able to endure the hard trip arrive safely. With that said, you probably don’t have to worry about insurance. On the other hand, if you buy something from a third party via the internet, you may not be so lucky. It may have little to no protection, which can be a big problem when shipping overseas.

Find out if your carrier offers shipping insurance

Whether or not you need to get international shipping insurance depends on who you are hiring to carry it. In most cases, a private carrier will automatically ensure your items up to a certain value. Anything above that, and you’ll have to purchase an additional insurance service. However, if you do choose a private carrier, such as UPS, you can be certain they will deliver your package to your front door. With that said, you can be fairly certain that your items will be safe since they are in the carrier’s care from start to finish. If you ship via your postal service, your items will switch possession from your post to the destination post service, and the government carriers of any other country the package goes through. This creates plenty of opportunity for mishandling, so you can’t be too careful. Insurance saves money and nerves, so consider purchasing it.