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Insurance costs for shipping guns

2.5K views 42 replies 28 participants last post by  faust2  
#1 ·
WOW ! So in April of 2024 I sent a gun down to cole's for a new barrel I had purchased thru them. My cost to insure the gun from SC to Florida was $40.00 so that the refitting could be completed. It was the same amount when returned.

Just recently I had a gun boxed up to send down to them as I was putting it on consignment for a new purchase I'm planning. Well I was in shock when the guy at the ups distribution location said 514.00 to insure my package. I mentioned that I had sent the same package previously to the same location and it was 40.00. As you may suspect he stood there and said next, for the person behind me. I then took the package to my local ffl where if I'm a buyer that is the location I use.

So he uses Fedex to ship guns, they where very busy at the time I dropped the package off. Being it's going thru a ffl he had to unbox it to get serial numbers off the gun. I told him to call me with the rate to insure the gun when he could get to it. To my shocked surprise it was almost 600.00. What the heck is going on with insurance costs? and No I did not ship it.
 
#3 ·
What is the value of the gun?
I'll be shipping a UPS package at work today. I'll likely insure it for $2000, even though it is a $8,000 invoice.
I'll let you know the cost.

Jim
 
#5 ·
Nothing cheap about insurance when shipping a nice gun. I have a Grade VI Browning O/U 20 ga. 2 years ago I cracked the stock. I bought a new Grade VI stock from MidWest Supply and was going to let their gunsmiths fit it. $450 for insurance by UPS. I had it fitted locally by a gunsmith in New Oxford, Pa and he did a terrific job. It looks like the medal was poured into stock. I was very lucky that the wood was a very close match in grain and color to the original. When I bought the stock from Mid West it was already finished and checkered. The gunsmith told me that Miroku took too much wood off the inside of the original when they fitted it at the factory.
 
#6 ·
I have not shipped a gun in a few years, but when I was doing it regularly, I found that USPS registered mail had $5000 of insurance built-in to the cost of postage. I shipped the same gun using the Postal Service, when using priority, mail, insured, and the same gun went out again a few weeks later, using registered mail and the priority mail. Insured was three times the cost of registered mail for the same amount of insurance
 
#11 ·
Most big gun shops do not insure their shipments. Given the low rate of damage/loss its cheaper for them to replace or repair one gun than insure every gun they ship. Otherwise many of them have their own insurance which is mucho cheaper than what an individual pays.

Some gunshops/gunsmiths allow you to contact them and you can buy shipping/insurance through them which is again much less expensive than what an individual can buy.
 
#20 ·
Gun & Trophy and Gallagher Risk Management Services (formerly Eastern Insurance) are agents for the Hanover Insurance Group, which is the actual insurance company providing the coverage.

I preferred Gallagher because I was able to get the coverage I needed rather than a "package". My policy covers my guns and accessories up to my policy limit plus ammunition up to $5K and reloading equipment up to $5K for $150 per year; only guns valued $10K or more need to be individually scheduled. Most hazards are covered except for loss from an unlocked vehicle and that exception is removed if "at a shooting event or gun range". It also covers "property owned by others" so if I borrow a gun my insurance covers it to a maximum of $25K.

If I buy a new gun it is covered provided I report it within 90 days and pay the additional premium, if any, back to the date of purchase. In almost all cases when you pay for a gun and it is given to a common carrier (USPS/UPS/FedEx) you own it at that point even though you cannot take physical possession until all federal and state requirements are met. This means that my insurance covers any guns that I buy, even before I can take possession. It also covers my guns both ways when I send them for repair or upgrades.

Since Guns & Trophy and Gallagher use Hanover as the insurance company I am comfortable insuring with either based on which policy better fits your needs.

I cannot see why anyone would not have a separate gun insurance policy given the small annual cost.

Laura Sewall at Gallagher 800-545-9326.
 
#12 ·
WOW ! So in April of 2024 I sent a gun down to cole's for a new barrel I had purchased thru them. My cost to insure the gun from SC to Florida was $40.00 so that the refitting could be completed. It was the same amount when returned.

Just recently I had a gun boxed up to send down to them as I was putting it on consignment for a new purchase I'm planning. Well I was in shock when the guy at the ups distribution location said 514.00 to insure my package. I mentioned that I had sent the same package previously to the same location and it was 40.00. As you may suspect he stood there and said next, for the person behind me. I then took the package to my local ffl where if I'm a buyer that is the location I use.

So he uses Fedex to ship guns, they where very busy at the time I dropped the package off. Being it's going thru a ffl he had to unbox it to get serial numbers off the gun. I told him to call me with the rate to insure the gun when he could get to it. To my shocked surprise it was almost 600.00. What the heck is going on with insurance costs? and No I did not ship it.
First, UPS should not have allowed you to ship the gun anyways, as they no longer accept shipments from non-FFLs. What I suspect happened is that the counter guy was confused and assumed it had to go overnight like handguns.

This is the current rate schedule for declared value for UPS. So unless you were trying to insure the shipment for over $30k, it's an error.

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This is the chart for Fedex, same deal, unless you were trying to ship something over $40k, it's simply not possible for the insurance to be almost 600 dollars.

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So bottom line, this has nothing to do with insurance costs, and is entirely human error on somebodies part, unless you actually are shipping a $30-$40k item, in which case your original shipment that only cost $40 to insure was wrong instead.
 
#17 ·
First, UPS should not have allowed you to ship the gun anyways, as they no longer accept shipments from non-FFLs. What I suspect happened is that the counter guy was confused and assumed it had to go overnight like handguns.

This is the current rate schedule for declared value for UPS. So unless you were trying to insure the shipment for over $30k, it's an error.

View attachment 139928

This is the chart for Fedex, same deal, unless you were trying to ship something over $40k, it's simply not possible for the insurance to be almost 600 dollars.

View attachment 139929

So bottom line, this has nothing to do with insurance costs, and is entirely human error on somebodies part, unless you actually are shipping a $30-$40k item, in which case your original shipment that only cost $40 to insure was wrong instead.
Well skeet man, your wrong, my first shipment went out UPS in late April of 2024. Cole's sent me the shipping label, I had to pay for insuring the gun, Cole's asked what I felt the value was. 4k, at that time it was 10.00 per thousand, hence 40.00. The return was also 40.00 and UPS delivered to my doorstep. December of 2024 I took another gun to UPS, everything was going fine until they asked if I want to insure it. I said yes and darn near fell over when she gave me the price 514.00 needless to say it never got shipped. I see some on here blabbing they put a value on guns less than 1000 and my shipping costs are know where near that. Really, those would be the first to come apart at the seams complaining on how they got screwed. My UPS driver told me if I have the shipping label and it's insured for declared value by the reciever he can pick it up at my home. So, this was my experience, the shop was cole's. I highly doubt that they would put there business at risk if they didn't understand ALL the rules and regulations about shipping firearms.
 
#21 ·
I just shipped 2 guns, AYA #2 & Grulla UA205 thru my FFL, they were going to 2 different states, shipped UPS ground, both insured for $2000 each, total cost $175 for both. Both guns got to their destination within 3 days. Also tried the post office, wasn't worth the hassle explaining their policy, plus it was going to cost $174.80 EACH to ship.
 
#24 ·
Just a heads up, FedEx changed their policy not too long ago. This is from their site:
"FedEx generally prohibits shipping firearms, but customers with a Federal Firearms License (FFL) can ship them to other dealers or individuals after obtaining approval and following specific guidelines, including proper packaging and compliance with regulations."
And to get approved you must complete a form that is only available to customers that spend $15k a year on shipping.

They won't tell you that policy changed and take your money until you say a gun was damaged. Then they say you don't have the form for guns on file, so no payment. We fixed the damage eating the expense and use UPS now after using FedEx for 23 years.
 
#33 ·
I assume you shipped it overnight, since $2k insurance is 30 bucks.

I had to make some inferences on your exact location and the box size and weight, but this chart ought to be pretty close, if you give me your zip and the exact box and weight I can get a closer one. You didn't specify UPS or Fedex, but the rates are surprisingly close for both. USPS Priority Express 1 day would have been $137 total using the same specs, with the insurance being slightly higher than UPS or Fedex @ $35

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This is the rate breakdown for Ground, insurance cost is the same regardless of service:

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