Insurance Assurance
What is it? Do I need it?
If you ship live animals through FedEx, you automatically waive all rights to their On-Time Delivery guarantees and all rights to damage claims. These waivers are written into the certification agreements for everyone certified to ship live animals. This includes ShipYourReptiles. We do not receive any reimbursements from FedEx for late deliveries or for animals that arrive deceased, regardless of any fault on FedEx’s part.
Here at ShipYourReptiles, we go above and beyond to provide to you a service that FedEx will not. We are the only shipping service in the industry that can offer you On-Time and Live Arrival Insurance up to $10,000+.
What it is:
- It is insurance that you can choose to purchase with each shipping label you order at ShipYourReptiles.com.
- It costs $2.50 for every $100 worth of coverage.
- The minimum coverage will get you insured for On-Time Delivery. This means that if your package is delivered even one minute late (according to the FedEx time stamps) for any reason at all, you can be reimbursed for the cost of shipping on that label, even if the label was more than $100.
- Live Arrival coverage can be purchased directly on the site (during the label-ordering process) for up to $10,000. With special arrangement, that coverage can go even higher. We have insured shipments up to $75,000! If your shipment arrives deceased AND it was delivered late, you may be reimbursed for the full amount it was insured for.
- There's no need to try and prove the "value" of the animal being insured. You'll received the full coverage that you've paid for so long as all the parameters have been met for a valid claim.
This insurance program is real, and it pays. We paid out over $100,000 worth of claims in 2018. The vast majority of that was refunds for late deliveries, but it also included DOA (dead on arrival) claims as well.
(Aquatic and invertebrate shippers may take advantage of our On-Time Insurance, but we do not currently have Live Arrival Insurance available for aquatic or invertebrate species. We're working on it!)
What it is not:
- It is not “anything goes.”
- If you do wacky stuff, you can expect wacky results. If you get wacky results, we are not responsible for that.
We have a very specific set of parameters that must be met in order for the insurance to be valid. If you ship within those parameters, then WE will take the responsibility and liability.If you choose to ship outside of those parameters, then the responsibility for live arrival is entirely on you.
These parameters are laid out very clearly in our Terms of Service and on our FAQ pages. If you choose to use substandard boxes or insulation, ship in extreme heat or cold, misuse heat packs or use the wrong heat packs, you will nullify any insurance coverage.
If you've made a mistake on the recipient's address and don't contact us to correct it before it can cause a delay, you will nullify any insurance coverage.
Our primary concern is the well-being of the animals involved. Our very next concern is the success of your business. We want your animals to be shipped as safely as possible. And on those rare occasions that something goes wrong, we want to be able to take care of you and help you recover from that loss.
Do you need it?
Ultimately, that is up to you. We strongly recommend everyone take advantage of our On-Time Insurance, at the very least. If you ship frequently, the savings on a few delayed deliveries can really add up. It also mitigates any conflicts with a customer of yours that may not understand that FedEx does not honor late claims for live shipments.
Like any insurance, Live Arrival is a risk-vs-benefits game. Insuring a high-value animal may add significant cost to the price of the label. The shipment is very most likely going to be dlievered just fine, as more than 99% of them are. But a payout on a high-value DOA can be business-saving. How much is that peace of mind worth to you? Only you can decide.
Quick Tips for Insurance Claims:
- The On-Time refunds are not automatic. You must contact us via email or phone to make your claim. Please provide the APS Order # or FedEx Tracking # for the shipment in question.
- Make your claims in a timely manner. Claims for Late Arrivals must be made within seven days of delivery. Claims for DOAs must be made within four hours of delivery.
- Take pictures before you ship. Especially on high dollar shipments. If you have detailed photos of the packaging and the animal before it has shipped out, it will be easier to prove the parameters have been met.
- Stay in touch with your recipient on delivery day. If something has gone awry, time is of the essence and your recipient will need to help (with photos, at the very least) in making a DOA claim.
With our expectations clearly spelled out, we’re helping to set YOU up for the most successful shipments possible. We’re also protecting ourselves from those few, unfortunate individuals that try to “okey-doke” the system and win free money. So long as you take pride in your business and carefully follow our SYR Shipping Standards, we are happy to bear the liability for your live packages when you purchase our insurance.
Please don't hesitate to reach out to Customer Service for any questions or concerns you might have regarding your shipments. We're here for you!
Monday - Friday, 7am - 6pm MST
303-730-2125
info@ShipYourReptiles.com
info@ShipYourAquatics.com
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