Is Moving Protection Worth It?
Moving can get expensive. The last thing you want to do is add yet another expense to your bill, but for many home buyers, moving protection provides peace of mind when employing movers, shippers or packers during the process. It also could also mean saving money versus having to replace damaged or stolen belongings. But while moving protection is beneficial in specific circumstances, it’s not a one-size fits all. To help you decide whether moving protection is worth it in your situation, you have to know your options. So here’s what you need to know about protecting your move.
What is Moving Protection?
Moving protection works a lot like auto insurance; no matter how good of a driver you may be, accidents happen. While our team is held to the highest standards in the industry for service and safety, not all movers can offer the same experience and reassurance. So there are a couple of ways movers protection can help protect your belongings, depending on your specific policy. From fires, floods and other uncontrollable elements to the accidental drop of a 60-inch flat screen, the general idea is if your personal belongings are damaged or lost during the moving process, you’ll receive some sort of compensation in form of a replaced/repaired item or cash. While movers can’t technically sell actual “insurance”, they are required to provide a valuation. In other words, they’ll give you a predetermined limit of liability in case of any damage or harm to your belongings.
What are the Types of Moving Protections?
Complete Full Replacement Value Protection
This type of valuation will cover all the damages and losses during the move and will pay for repairs and replacement of those belongings, but it will cost extra. This protection will pay for the market replacement value of the item, replace it with a similar item, or pay for repairs. However, there may be a limit set to the liability of the lost or damaged items, particularly those of higher value, which may mean you receive less than the actual value of the items.
Released Value Protection
Every mover is required to provide a minimum level of carrier liability at no charge. This “coverage” amounts to $.60 per pound per article. Under this coverage, claims are settled based on the weight of the individual lost or damaged item, multiplied by $.60. So even a more valuable item like a computer or TV may only get you $20 if it’s damaged during the move.
Is Moving Protection Worth It?
As you can probably tell, there really isn’t a yes or no answer. Depending on the value and size of your move, where you live and what you own, as well as your total moving budget, your specific situation will determine the right decision for you. Keep an inventory of your items as you pack, and talk to your movers during your valuation to hear their recommendations. You can also look at some examples; like if you’re considering released value coverage, take a couple of your more valuable items and see how the numbers add up. If you have an item that weighs 50 pounds with a value of $1,000, you’ll only be reimbursed $30 if it’s lost or broken. So maybe it’s not worth it, but maybe full value protection is.
To learn more about the valuation process and how to best protect your items during a local or long distance move, our experts have the experience and knowledge to answer all your questions and help ensure the safest move possible for your unique situation.
