Obviously, I was concerned hearing this. Here is their policy. To be sure I was covered, I waded through this long ago and it's the same as I remember it.
Declared Value and Limits of Liability (Not Insurance Coverage)
A. The declared value of any package represents our maximum liability in connection with a shipment of that package, including, but not limited to, any loss, damage, delay, misdelivery, nondelivery, misinformation, any failure to provide information, or misdelivery of information relating to the shipment. It is the shipper's responsibility to prove actual damages. Exposure to and risk of any loss in excess of the declared value is assumed by the shipper. You may transfer this risk to an insurance carrier of your choice through the purchase of an insurance policy. Contact an insurance agent or broker if you desire insurance coverage. WE DO NOT PROVIDE INSURANCE COVERAGE OF ANY KIND.
B. With respect to U.S. express package services, unless a higher value is declared and paid for, our liability for each package is limited to US$100. For each package exceeding US$100 in declared value, an additional amount will be charged. See Rates in the FedEx Service Guide for details.
D. Except as limited below, the maximum declared value per package in any FedEx First Overnight, FedEx Priority Overnight, FedEx Standard Overnight, FedEx 2Day or FedEx Express Saver shipment is US$50,000. The maximum declared value per shipment for FedEx SameDay is US$2,000.
F. Shipments (packages or freight) containing all or part of the following items are limited to a maximum declared value of US$500:
1. Artwork, including any work created or developed by the application of skill, taste or creative talent for sale, display or collection. This includes, but is not limited to, items (and their parts) such as paintings, drawings, vases, tapestries, limited-edition prints, fine art, statuary, sculpture and collector's items.
2. Film, photographic images (including photographic negatives), photographic chromes and photographic slides.
3. Any commodity that by its inherent nature is particularly susceptible to damage or the market value of which is particularly variable or difficult to ascertain.
4. Antiques, or any commodity that exhibits the style or fashion of a past era and whose history, age or rarity contributes to its value. These items include, but are not limited to, furniture, tableware and glassware.
5. Glassware, including, but not limited to, signs, mirrors, ceramics, porcelains, china, crystal, glass, framed glass, and any other commodity with similarly fragile qualities.
6. Plasma screens.
7. Jewelry, including, but not limited to, costume jewelry, watches and their parts, mount gems or stones (precious or semiprecious), industrial diamonds, and jewelry made of precious metal.
8. Furs, including, but not limited to, fur clothing, fur-trimmed clothing and fur pelts.
9. Precious metals, including, but not limited to, gold and silver bullion or dust, precipitates, or platinum (except as an integral part of electronic machinery).
10. Stocks, bonds, cash letters or cash equivalents, including, but not limited to, food stamps, postage stamps (not collectible), traveler's checks, lottery tickets, money orders, gift cards and gift certificates, prepaid calling cards (excluding those that require a code for activation), bond coupons, and bearer bonds.
11. Ostrich and emu eggs.
12. Collector's items such as sports cards, souvenirs and memorabilia. (Collector's coins and stamps may not be shipped. See the Prohibited Items section.)
13. Guitars and other musical instruments that are more than 20 years old, and customized or personalized musical instruments.
G. The maximum declared value for the contents of any FedEx Envelope or FedEx Pak is US$500. Goods with a value (actual or declared) exceeding US$500 should not be shipped in a FedEx Envelope or FedEx Pak. (This limitation does not apply to items shipped utilizing the FedEx Large or Small Clinical Pak.)
ANY EFFORT TO DECLARE A VALUE IN EXCESS OF THE MAXIMUMS ALLOWED IN THE FEDEX SERVICE GUIDE IS NULL AND VOID. OUR ACCEPTANCE FOR CARRIAGE OF ANY SHIPMENT BEARING A DECLARED VALUE IN EXCESS OF THE ALLOWED MAXIMUMS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A WAIVER OF ANY PROVISION OF THE FEDEX SERVICE GUIDE AS TO SUCH SHIPMENT.
M. REGARDLESS OF THE DECLARED VALUE OF A PACKAGE, OUR LIABILITY FOR LOSS, DAMAGE, DELAY, MISDELIVERY, NONDELIVERY, MISINFORMATION, ANY FAILURE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION, OR MISDELIVERY OF INFORMATION, WILL NOT EXCEED A SHIPMENT'S REPAIR COST, ITS DEPRECIATED VALUE OR ITS REPLACEMENT COST, WHICHEVER IS LESS.
N. The shipper is responsible for accurately completing the airbill or other shipping documents, including completion of the declared-value section. We cannot honor requests to change the declared-value information on the airbill.
I believe the clerk is in error, unless the cue is very old, say, several hundred years, and would be considered an antique. If you investigate and find differently, please let me know. As long as I can remember, this has been their policy. They do exclude the FedEx envelopes here, but boxes are not mentioned.
In reference to collectors items, they specifically refer to fine art (which cues are not in the same class) and antiques (which most cues are not), and sports memorabilia, cards etc.
My thinking is even with all the outs they leave themselves, they would have to cover cues since they are not specifically excluded and not covered under any of the exclusions.
Please let us know what you find out, Bill,
Chris
