FedEx shipping damage

@signaforce bit time bummer, but glad that these speakers were insured by you. I don’t mean to cause anxiety, and I hope I’m completely wrong for your sake, but I had a long conversation with a private packaging provider that’s authorized with all the major shippers (UPS, FedEx) a year or two back when sending off an amp.

They more or less encouraged the following packaging to ensure an insurance claim would be fulfilled if damage is incurred during shipment:

1. New box, peanuts surrounding original box, adequate support within original box to ensure limited movement of amp (speaker) in your case.

2. New box, peanuts surrounding new box, adequate support within new box to ensure limited movement of amp (speaker) in your case.

They more or less said that shipping companies view the original outer box as compromised after initial shipment and have seen claims denied because of this, which is why they always encourage a new outer box (at the very least). This private packaging company further communicated that part of the game is to limit the reasons a shipment company to deny a claim. 

Here’s the interesting part and why you shouldn’t have too much anxiety: when looking at the insurance fine print I couldn’t find any information about the suggestion or need for a new outer box. This then lead me to thinking the following: “of course a private shipment company would upsell me a new outer box!” 

Unfortunately I can’t remember whether this was for FedEx or UPS.

Curious about the outcome. Hoping for the best for you.

Took my amp to FedEX recently. They said insurance on first $100 of value was free. After that, Every additional $100 of value was $10.

Also, for audio equipment, FedEX would have to pack the item themselves or, I assume, at least have to inspect the item and approve my packing.

In my experience, large items (like column speakers) should be shipped together on a pallet, with a "shark fin" object in between them (something to prevent another heavy box being placed on top of them).

Finally, corner bracing (heavy cardboard corners) should be used to bolster original box (on long-ish speaker boxes).

Ime, if the shipping company can find an excuse to claim "inadequate packaging", they will do so.

@toro3 gave great advice on how to avoid that. 

If they deny the claim and you have reason to believe they are wrong, document your reasons and fight it.  I once wrote an 18-page illustrated booklet to show why UPS's claim of  "inadequate packaging" was wrong, and it took a while but eventually they honored my damage claim.

Duke

The last claim I filed with FedEx took me 8 months and nearly 900 Brazzilion phone calls/ emails stating the same things over and over, submitting the same pictures and emails over and over.  It was hellish.

Their systems are designed to make you give up and go away so they don't have to pay.  Just be prepared to have your claim denied multiple times but keep at it and eventually you'll get through it.

Given how the boxes looked (like they fell off a moving truck) I thought this was a slam dunk. Original packaging, but KEF packaging is excellent, heavy weight cardboard, very heavy duty full length corner braces, held by high quality foam at both ends. But your feedback is making me nervous. 

Good thing it is only money. I didn’t want that new DAC anyway 😒