Shipping an item through a major carrier may come with the option of purchasing insurance. But a suburban motorcycle enthusiast said when he filed a claim for his damaged delivery, it led to months of frustration.
Rich Hernet of Hoffman Estates recently bought his first Harley-Davidson motorcycle. He said it was missing one thing: a matching trunk. So when he finally found the perfect trunk online, he paid to have it shipped through UPS from Houston to Hoffman Estates.
However, he said the box arrived damaged at a local UPS Store. Hernet said he was told to take the box home and open it. That’s when he said he found the trunk came with a damaged hinge and a stress crack.
Hernet said two local Harley dealers told him the trunk was beyond repair.
Hernet originally paid about $40 dollars to insure the delivery for $1,000. So he filed a claim with UPS.
“I gave them all the paperwork,” Hernet said. “Let’s just get this thing rolling so I can find something that’s very hard to find.”
Hernet said he sent photos of the damaged box and trunk, but eventually he stopped hearing from the insurance company.
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“You got a hassle of over a month and a half of aggravation, running around and trying to do everything they ask you to do and then they’re delaying it all the time,” Hernet said.
Hernet contacted NBC 5 Responds, who contacted UPS in turn.
“A day or two later after you guys called, I received a phone call,” Hernet said.
Hernet eventually received an insurance check for $1,010.
In a written statement, UPS said the issue was caused by insufficient follow-up on its part.
“Specific documentation was required to process Mr. Hernet’s claim and our agent did not communicate this requirement to Mr. Hernet in a timely fashion,” wrote a UPS spokesperson.
UPS said after it received the documentation, it processed the claim and issued reimbursement. UPS said it has apologized to Hernet for the delay.
Meantime, Hernet said he used the check to purchase another trunk for his Harley.
“You find someone as big as you guys to back you up, something gets done,” Hernet said.
Despite the unexpected frustration, Hernet urges consumers to always purchase delivery insurance.
If you are planning to ship a package, keep in mind you may be covered by the carrier’s insurance if the contents are worth $100 or less. And if you bought insurance and your item winds up damaged or missing, it may benefit you to file a claim as soon as possible since carriers may have a cutoff for filing.
You can learn more about shipping insurance here.
