Do I Need Moving Insurance? A Guide

The simple answer is yes - should the unforeseen occur, it would always be wise to have sufficient insurance to cover your worldly possessions. However, with so many grey areas around insurance, you need to dispel any remaining ambiguity around the safety of your goods during any home removal.

Moving insurance is often overlooked until the last minute when relocating - but do be warned that not all removal companies will cover your items should a problem occur. For peace of mind, exploring options in good time before moving home is always wise.

The moving contract often limits liability to defined amounts, so your 50" television or antique chaise may be unprotected during transit. Therefore, thoroughly inspecting your moving contract is essential, looking for anywhere within your moving package that your chosen movers provide 'valuation' or 'liability' and not insurance.

Types of moving insurance

The three types of cover can be understood in the following forms:

• Complete value - Indemnifying the mover's property against damage, breakage or loss. However, this protection is often filled with clauses such as minimum coverage;
• Assessed value - This protection is solely based upon a valuation of goods and hence increased based on the understood value of the items;
• Assessed weight - Uncommon in domestic moves and seen more often for international or freight moves - weight assessment covers goods based upon an agreed price per kilo.

Transport company insurance requirements

Transporters themselves will need to hold a range of insurances to cover their day-to-day duties:

• Public liability insurance - Concerning a customer's move, will cover any damage to the property itself - such as scuffs to the walls or floors;
• Goods in transit insurance - Covers the items from when they are picked up at the collection property to their final destination at the delivery location. This insurance will commonly have both an excess amount and a claim limit;
• Employers liability insurance - Covers the removal workers themselves during the move;
• CMR - A specific moving insurance required to move goods within Europe. All European movers will likely have obtained this insurance before quoting for non-domestic moves, as it is necessary at most border crossings.

Given that most removal companies will limit their liability, as explained above, it is always advisable to investigate alternative or third-party insurance options.

Review your home or household insurance

The first option is to review your home or household insurance. Sometimes, you may discover that your homeowner's policy covers domestic removals.

If you think this is the case, you must notify your insurers of the specific move date, destination and the removal company. Again, it's advisable to investigate this well before the final moving date.

Purchase your own moving insurance

The second option is to purchase your insurance from a third party. Again, all-inclusive cover against loss and damage can be purchased based on a valuation of goods at relatively inexpensive rates.

As with all insurance, though, we advise you to shop around for the best deal and read into small print - particularly on limited liability and deductibles.

Choose a removal company with the full package

Of course, some removal companies offer the full package - with a premium level insurance giving you protection against loss and damage to your personal effects or property.

In all three options above, certain limitations may be in place to protect the removal company, which often includes no cover for self-packed personal effects and electrical items. If you are considering packing boxes yourself, it is wise to check with your removal company or insurer whether this affects your cover. 

Some companies will only insure boxes if a professional mover has packed them, which is an additional service offered by most moving firms - and does add on both time and money to your removal quote.

Similarly, ask your mover if the chosen policy does not cover any items in your move - this can commonly include televisions, antiques, computers and other more fragile and high-worth effects.

If you are searching for a professional moving company incorporating full insurance coverage alongside the option of a packing service and expert advice along the way, visit AnyVan to see how we compare.