Shipping Insurance

Shipping Insurance FAQs.

What is covered? Lost shipments that you do not receive and that the carrier does not show as delivered are covered. Shipments that are damaged during transit are covered. Shipments with damaged packaging that are missing some or all of the contents are covered as well. Also, this insurance covers you when the carrier shows your shipment as delivered but you actually did not receive it. All shipping methods are covered: FedEx, UPS, and all USPS methods including first class and standard international post. 

When does coverage begin and end? Shipping Insurance covers your shipment starting from the time it is in possession of the shipping carrier until the time the carrier shows that your shipment has been delivered or when you have received your shipment. Shipments are considered delivered and insurance ends if anyone at the delivery address signs for the shipment.

What is the remedy for missing, lost, mid-delivered, or damaged shipments? You will receive a complete replacement of your shipment or the replacement of any portion that was lost or damaged during transit. If a replacement product is no longer available from us, you will receive a refund in the amount of the purchase price, or you can choose an alternate product, or you can receive a store credit, whichever you prefer. 

When can a claim be filed? A claim can be filed after 40 days and no later than 180 days has elapsed since your shipment was first in possession of the carrier. AVT makes the final determination of whether a shipment is lost, mis-delivered, or damaged. Whenever we possibly can, this determination will be made in favor of our customers. 

What is not covered? This insurance only covers your shipment during transit and does not include any coverage of any kind once you have received your shipment. Shipments are not covered if you provide us with an incorrect delivery address. There is no product warranty coverage under this insurance. The manufacturer's warranty and our return policy remain in full effect however. Please note that the insurance premium that is collected does not get reimbursed in the event of a claim. 

Can I cancel my insurance purchase? Yes, if you accidentally purchased the shipping insurance during checkout, change your mind, or want to cancel for any reason, you can cancel and receive a full refund for the insurance up until the time your shipment is in the possession of the carrier. Just contact us to let us know you'd like to cancel the shipping insurance for your order. To help us issue a prompt refund, please include your order number when canceling. Once the carrier has your shipment in their possession, insurance cannot be canceled. 

Who Provides The Insurance? As the sender, we may purchase shipping insurance from the shipping carrier at the time of shipment, from a third party insurance provider, or we may provide replacement coverage ourselves, at our discretion. We may also employ a combination of these methods. 

How is purchasing this insurance different from the carrier's insurance? Some carriers and shipping methods have no insurance available directly from the carrier. This insurance covers your shipment even if your shipment was not insured with the carrier. Some carriers and shipping methods automatically include a certain amount of coverage, usually $100.00 USD. This insurance covers the full value of your shipment.

How long does it take for the replacement shipment or refund to be issued? Once we have received an email or phone call from you notifying us of your lost or damaged shipment, we will deal directly with the carrier and send a replacement shipment or issue a refund within 10 days unless your original shipment arrives in the mean time. Regardless of how long the carrier's claim process takes, your replacement shipment or refund is sent within 10 days after a shipment has been determined to be lost or damaged.

How To File A Claim: To file a claim, contact us and provide us with your Invoice Number or Order Number. We will then retrieve the records and begin the claims process. For shipments with damaged or missing contents, we may ask that you provide the damaged item(s), container, wrapping, packaging and any other contents received, or a photograph, at our discretion. 

What happens if I receive a replacement shipment or refund and then the original shipment arrives? When this happens, please contact us for return shipping instructions. This insurance covers the cost of returning any duplicate shipments to us so you will be reimbursed for return shipping costs as long as you receive a Return Authorization number from us prior to sending back the duplicate shipment. 

Thanks very much for choosing AVT. We appreciate your business and look forward to serving you now and far into the future.