DHL's response about insurance on glass tubes (funny)

[John Noell]

I got conflicting advice on whether or not DHL insurance covers just the tube, or the tube AND the freight. So I wrote DHL and asked:
If I have a glass laser tube shipped from China to Fiji and it breaks in transit, does DHL insurance cover the cost of both the tube(~US$400) AND the freight (~US$550)?

Many days later, DHL replied:
Dear Mr. John Noell,
Thank you for your interest in shipping with DHL Parcel and DHL eCommerce.
Unfortunately, for your country, DHL eCommerce is only offering international shipment services for customers with frequent and high shipment volumes (e.g. online retailers).
However, DHL Express might be the right partner for you. You can get a rate and time quote under www.dhl.com (right side, click on “Get Rate and Time Quote”).
If you are rather searching for a non-express, standard parcel your national post might be the right partner for you.
Best regards,
Customer Service Team
DHL Parcel & DHL eCommerce

[John Lifer]

Looks like you need shipment value insurance, not std insurance, which would pay only a few dollars per kilo. From what I've read, if this insurance is purchased, it would pay the t freight also and up to 110% of the value. But getting the Chinese to do it right, may be a hard thing......

[matthew knott]

I've been told that they will not cover glass in shipping no matter , so if it broke and you needed to claim there a very high chance it would be rejected (if the bothered to investigate) to be fair I don't see how they could be covered , it's almost impossible to pack one so it's not at risk from being broken , I mean the things can just break sitting still packing.

[John Noell]

The Chinese vendor says that China DHL will cover both tube and freight if it breaks. Fiji DHL says they will only cover the replacement value of the tube. However, it seems to make a difference from where it is sent. It is the sender's country policy that counts (so I have been told). If sent from China, both are included in the insurance. The UK website says the same. The last couple of tubes were so well packed that it would actually be hard to break them. TONS of padding and inside a plywood case. I was just laughing at the complete non-answer.

[John Lifer]

Well it is funny, but typical. Probably automatic. And if you look closely there is no prohibition on glass. They actually show a glass vase being packed. They do suggest dual box packaging on fragile items but not mandatory. If you mark glass on packaging, and their paperwork and they take it and is insured, they will pay.....

[Joseph Shawa]

I had one tube order that broke twice in transport. DHL covered it on the shippers end in China.
Seems like a pretty good racket....sell and ship one tube that is inadequately packaged and get paid for 3.
Because the breaks were on the ends where the box probably got dumped out of a truck on it's end, I insist on a particular packaging method to keep my tubes from breaking now. The ends were packed tightly in the box so there was no give. Seems they would have figured it out by now. Also, I think that if it say 'Fragile' then the bored workers must just love to hear the glass break.

I now ask for the ends to NOT be padded. They should float in the box away from both ends. The tube should be suspended near the ends and in the middle. Another good way is to wrap foam near the ends to keep the ends free from being touched and then wrap a cone of foam around those 1st wraps and extend them past the ends to the box. Use light foam for the ends and some in the middle.
And tell them to go around only 1 time as shipping can cost quite a lot more with extra volume.

[Kev Williams]

I just opened up a 2-pack of toner for my laser printer from ebay-- The air-balloon thing they wrap THESE in would work great for shipping laser tubes, just need to make them big enough-and 'right'. These toner cartridges, with just the airbag and no box, I bet I could throw it straight up as far as I can over my driveway and they wouldn't get hurt on landing. Simple and it works. There's no reason a laser tube can't be more safely packed for shipping...