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Old Mar 27, 2012 | 8:15 am
  #287  
InsaneTravel
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Programs: StarAlliance (Aeroplan)
Posts: 498
Originally Posted by motytrah
Here's an interesting situation, had a package get "stolen" off my door step (personally I think it was delivered to the wrong address but that's a topic for another thread). At any rate I had the merchant do a trace with the shipper, and they basically said it was delivered.

So I told the merchant "No problem, I have insurance to cover this, I'll put a claim in with Amex."

The merchant freaked out a bit because they think Amex is just going to turn around and run a merchant investigation. Even if they don't get charged back per se the hourly "investigation fees" would likely be as much as the item cost. And if they do get charged back + investigation fees it'll be a double whammy loss.

So basically the merchant said they'd be fine just cutting me a check for the item. Either way I'm made whole, but it seems odd that Amex Assurance Corp claim would trigger a merchant investigation.

Anyone ever see a insurance claims turn into chargebacks?
I suspect that it's "I'll put a claim in with Amex" that alarmed them. They probably assumed that you were going to charge-back and without a signature for delivery the merchant would probably lose.

I used to have merchant accounts (In Canada) and I was never imposed any "Investigation Fee" but I was always worried that unresolved charge-backs would cause me to lose my merchant accounts. I actually had a spare merchant account just in case.
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