Are Movers Insured?

From broken China to extensive water damage, moving accidents happen on a regular basis, even with the best moving companies. It’s an across town local move, across the state, or across the U.S, ensuring your possessions when moving could be the difference between a stress-free move and having to deal with replacing lots of costly items. Are you wondering what to do as you are going to move soon? Even though Three Movers provides basic moving insurance, we always advise movers to purchase additional coverage.

What is moving insurance?

In many ways, moving insurance is similar to your auto insurance. Although you can have a spotless driving record, you can still be involved in an accident when you least expect it. The same is true when entrusting your belongings to the most careful moving professionals. Moving insurance provides protection for your belongings when they are en-route to your new location. The details of what is covered by your insurance will depend on the type of policy you purchase. However, it can range from covering damage caused by a fire or flooding to paying for a damaged flat screen TV. You can look up the insurance details online or talk to the representative of the insurance company.

What is “valuation”?

Before we answer this, it’s important to understand that Three Movers, as well as all other moving companies, cannot sell insurance per se. Consequently, federal law requires us to provide “valuation” options. However, you can still buy insurance from a 3rd party. As a result, you have the following options when it comes to protecting your belongings during a move:

• Full-value protection (FVP) – provides cash settlements of equal market value for any items that need to be replaced, provides full coverage of all your belongings, repairs any items that get broken or damaged, and replaces a broken item that is beyond repair with a similar one. However, it doesn’t cover items valued over $100 per pound.
• Released value protection – comes standard in your moving package and provides coverage of up to $0.60 per pound per item, but doesn’t cover its full market value.
• Third-party insurance – covers damage resulting from earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, and other natural disasters; covers items valued at more than $100 per pound; and supplements full-value protection valuation

Basically, insurance protects against any damage that is done to your belongings while in transit whereas valuation is the amount of a moving company’s liability that they are responsible for if your items are damaged during a move. Additionally, the coverage offered under valuation is significantly more limited compared to 3rd party insurance.

What isn’t covered under valuation?

Earthquakes, fires, floods, and anything else that occurs beyond that which professional movers can control isn’t always protected by valuation. Furthermore, there are specific reasons why Three Movers limits the amount of liability that is taken such as:

• If you did your own packing instead of having the movers do it
• If you didn’t specify in writing (before the move) that a particular item or items had an extraordinarily high value
• If you fail to notify the movers of any damaged or lost items immediately after the move (there is usually a window of opportunity that applies)
• If you packed dangerous or hazardous materials and failed to notify the movers

Unlike valuation, one of the primary advantages to buying insurance from a 3rd party is that there aren’t any limits on liability and natural disasters are covered.

What kind of valuation should I choose?

Ultimately, the way in which you choose to protect your belongings during a move is your decision. However, there are several things to consider where this is concerned. First of all, even though moving insurance (or valuation) really isn’t insurance, it acts in similar fashion. Second, full-value protection is comprehensive coverage that you pay for up front whereas released value protection doesn’t cost you. However, it only offers minimal coverage.

Basically, the valuation you choose should equate to the value you have placed on your household belongings. Therefore, in order to decide on the type of valuation to choose, determine what your belongings are worth. Do the math so you can easily determine if paying for full-value protection is the way to go or if released value protection will be adequate to cover your needs. Everyone has different needs and thus, you can see what works best for you.

To learn more about moving insurance or valuation, we encourage you to contact Three Movers at your convenience. Our business representatives would be glad to help you get additional information about your move and how-to insurance your goods. They are knowledgeable and skilled on all aspects of the move and will be able to help you. Call us today.

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