New Seller: Insurance vs no insurance

[tay_potay]

Hello! I am new-ish to selling on ebay, and haven't sold anything "worldwide" since I've been active.

My question is regarding insurance. I am currently looking into adding worldwide shipping (potential buyer in Israel)

For shipping options that do not come with insurance, do you still have protection through eBay if the item is lost or seller claims not delivered? (scam?)

Just curious as the cheaper options for worldwide do not have insurance, and I know if it were me paying, I would want the cheaper shipping.

I'm just wondering if I should insist on insured shipping. 

Thanks for any help!

[2nd-time-around-jewelry]

Since you are a new seller, I would suggest you stick to Canada & the U.S. for awhile till you get more sales, experience & feedback.  A lot of scammers on eBay take advantage of new sellers. If you send parcels with tracking in Canada & the U.S. most include some insurance or you can add more if it is an expensive item.

[femmefan1946 · Accepted solution]

Canada Post allows a certain amount of insurance against delivery and breakage in transit.

And sometimes you can buy more from them.

Generally it's useless since breakage is up to your packaging and delivery will eventually happen.

EBay does not insure against loss in the mail.

Either tracking shows delivery or you lose the Dispute.

EBay does not insure against Not As Described.

Either you pay for return shipping and refund or you abandon the item and refund.

NEVER ship Surface. Too expensive. Air Mail only.

While I rarely track (my products are too cheap to bother) you may want to on high value/high fraud items.

There are third party insurer. I've seen shipinsure mentioned favourably.

If an insurer will not insure to a given country, add it to your Blocked Destinations list in your Shipping and Handling. They know why they won't cover those countries.

Israel has a terrible postal service. It is one of the few countries I will not ship to.

[tay_potay]

Ty for that feedback! I think I will pass on shipping there in this case. Thanks for all the info!

[recped]

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@femmefan1946 wrote:

Israel has a terrible postal service. It is one of the few countries I will not ship to.

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If you don't ship there how would you know?

I do ship to Israel, have been for decades, there is nothing "terrible" about the postal service there, it's as good as any other first world country and in some ways more secure since in most cases imported packages must be picked up at a post office with identification required.

[femmefan1946]

I used to ship there.  I do not use tracking usually. Before I stopped shipping there exactly four of five shipments were reported as Not Received over a three year period.

The money lost was negligible, because: Cookie Jar Insurance, but the odds were too high for loss.