help with insurance

[badgebliss]

I'm in Australia and am in the process of getting product liability insurance. Half my sales come from Usa and Canada but unless I pay a fortune insurance companies will not cover my goods in those countries - rest of the world is OK! This is due to the high rate of law suits.
I can get product AND public liability insurance for 5 million for $190 but if I ship to those countries it goes up to over $1600 a year- which is not do-able at the moment.
What do I do - ship and cross my fingers? Put a disclaimer in my listings - but will that cover me?
Really need some advice on this one.

[TigersandDragons]

Wouldn't someone from another country have to file in Australia to sue you?

I do have a liability insurance which covers me if someone slips and falls at my booth at a craft show, it's included in my home based business insurance, many shows require it in the contract you sign.

Maybe you should talk to other Australian internet businesses or a lawyer about this, if you're really concerned with protecting yourself.

[sockysocks]

It's the same story in the UK. When I bought public liability/product insurance the company said I could cover myself for US sales by stating the following in my policies - Terms of business: All sales are subject to UK & EU law.

Apparently this means that if someone in the US wants to sue me they would have to come to the UK to do so. No idea if this is true or not but thought that some insurance was better than nothing.

[Former_Member]

shipping insurance at those rates sounds daft to me. Your magnets are inexpensive (unless you sell regularly in bulk) so I wouldn't have thought it would be an issue, not often surely? I've been selling on here since 2008 and on ebay for probably 5 years before that and only ever lost 3 or 4 parcels in the mail.

[sockysocks]

Heather, Kate is talking about product liability insurance In case someone is injured by her products and sues her.

[badgebliss]

Hi Mandy Love your socks!!! Thanks for the reply - I think I will put something similar in my terms and keep my fingers crossed.

[Former_Member]

sorry - but you do mention shipping to other countries in your post? I'm even more confused now! how on earth is someone going to be damaged by a magnet unless they're stupid enough to eat them?

[sockysocks]

She sells badges as well so I suppose they could damage themselves with the badge pin if they try hard enough!

[Former_Member]

LOL I suppose that is very true.

[badgebliss]

All fixed- problem solved!!

[GoTo]

What was your fix?

[Former_Member]

yes, please tell us - this team is all about sharing solutions as well as problems.

[badgebliss]

I was very worried about a child or pet swallowing a magnet etc.
I now have product liability for Australia and every where except usa and canada. very reasonably priced through a craft group here in victoria. also added a disclaimer.