First of all, I'm all for shiploss on death. I think it will solve most problems disco currently have. Will you trade in your cau8 stork if it can suddenly become dust? Or you'll choose au8 kujira? Or maybe even hau1 BWT? Death here's totally unvalued, but since it's RP server, it should. If you're loosing fight you should run. If you want be safe, you shouldn't fly your cau8 battleship without escort. When such battleship appears you shouldn't take unnecessary risk and try to kill it with caps, just log a pair of bombers. With cheap armor, au5 for example.
You will deny pirate's request because you've just bought your cargo? No.
But I understand that remaking ships is too hard. It will draw activity from discovery.
Another idea is good enough. Armor loss on death. Consequences maybe lighter than above, but again, there won't be CAUs on freighters/traders, capital ship will become less armored or they'll have heavy escort. And you won't engage fight you cannot win on any ship just because it's "fair".
