Moving Insurance and Valuation: What Movers Actually Owe You

If a mover breaks a 400 dollar television during an interstate move, the default amount they owe you is not 400 dollars. It is 60 cents per pound. A 30 pound television is worth 18 dollars under that standard, and that is the coverage you get automatically, at no charge, unless you actively choose something else.

That gap is the most expensive thing on your moving paperwork, and it is the line people most often skim. This is what the two options actually are, what the better one costs, and what to do when something arrives broken.

Valuation is not insurance

These are different things and the words get used interchangeably, including by movers.

Valuation is the level of liability a moving company accepts under its transport contract. It is not an insurance policy and the mover is not an insurer. Released value and full value protection are both valuation.

Insurance is a separate policy from a licensed insurance company, which you can buy independently to sit on top of a mover's valuation. Some people do this for a single high value item, such as an instrument or artwork, where they want a policy rather than a carrier's liability limit.

The practical consequence: when you file, you are making a claim against your mover under transport rules, not against an insurer under a policy. The deadlines and the process are set by federal regulation rather than by an insurance contract.

Released value protection, the 60 cent default

For interstate moves, released value protection is the federal minimum and it costs nothing extra. The mover's liability is 60 cents per pound per article.

The word "per article" is what makes it so thin. Liability is calculated on the weight of the damaged item, not on the weight of your shipment and not on what the item is worth. Some worked examples:

Item	Approximate weight	What the mover owes
Laptop	4 lb	$2.40
Flat screen television	30 lb	$18.00
Dining chair	15 lb	$9.00
Sofa	150 lb	$90.00
Upright piano	500 lb	$300.00

The pattern is that the standard is worst for exactly the things people most want protected. Electronics are light and expensive. A piano is heavy and expensive, so it fares comparatively better, which is not a comfort to anyone.

If you sign the paperwork without selecting anything, this is what you have chosen.

Full value protection

Under full value protection the mover is liable for the item, and can settle by repairing it, replacing it with something of like kind and quality, or paying a cash settlement for its value. Which of those three it chooses is generally the mover's decision, not yours.

It is priced as a percentage of the total value you declare for the shipment, and movers usually offer several deductible levels, with a higher deductible lowering the premium. Because it scales with declared value rather than being a flat fee, the cost varies enormously between a studio and a house.

Two things to get right when you buy it:

Declare a realistic value. Under-declaring to save on the premium is the same mistake as under-insuring a house. Walk through what you own and total it honestly.

Ask about the high value inventory. Movers typically require items above a per-item threshold to be listed individually on a high value inventory form. Anything expensive that is not on that list can fall outside full coverage even though you paid for full value protection. This is the most common way people discover their coverage was narrower than they thought, and it is entirely avoidable by filling in the form.

Where coverage gets excluded

Both levels of valuation carry exclusions, and these are consistent across the industry:

Boxes you packed yourself. If you packed a carton and its contents break, movers commonly decline the claim unless there is visible damage to the carton itself showing mishandling. This is the single biggest argument for having the mover pack anything fragile, and it is worth pricing that against the value of what is inside.

Items of extraordinary value not declared. Jewellery, currency, documents and collectibles usually need to be declared, and many movers will not accept them at all. Carry them yourself.

Mechanical and electronic failure with no external damage. If a device stops working but the case is unmarked, the claim is difficult, because the mover can argue the fault was pre-existing.

Inherent vice and normal wear. Something that was already deteriorating, or damage consistent with ordinary use, is excluded.

Perishables, plants and hazardous materials. Generally not accepted at all.

For moves inside one state

Everything above describes the federal rules for interstate moves, set in 49 CFR Part 375. A move that begins and ends in the same state is regulated by that state instead, and the default liability level, the claim deadlines and the required paperwork can all differ.

For a local move, ask the mover directly what its default liability is per pound and what the state requires it to offer. Do not assume the 60 cent figure applies, in either direction.

Filing a claim

For interstate moves the timeline is set by regulation. You have nine months from the delivery date to file a written claim. The mover must acknowledge it within 30 days, and must either pay, decline or explain the delay within 120 days.

Nine months sounds generous and it works against you in practice, because the evidence decays. What to do instead:

1. Photograph before anything moves. Photograph damaged items where the crew left them, alongside the carton they came out of, before you tidy anything.
2. Note it on the delivery paperwork. Record visible damage on the inventory or bill of lading at delivery, while the crew is present. An item marked damaged on arrival is a much stronger claim than one reported a week later.
3. Keep the packaging. For a carton you did not pack, the carton is evidence.
4. File in writing. A phone call does not start the regulatory clock. Send a written claim listing each item, its declared or purchase value, and what you are asking for.
5. Keep a copy of everything, including the estimate, the bill of lading, the inventory and the high value form.

If the mover declines and you disagree, interstate carriers are required to offer a neutral arbitration programme for disputes about loss and damage, and the details must be in the paperwork they gave you. Complaints can also be filed with the FMCSA.

What to actually do

Before you sign, ask each mover three questions: what valuation is included in this price, what full value protection would cost at two different deductible levels, and what your per-item threshold is for the high value inventory.

Then decide by looking at what you own rather than at the premium. If the replacement cost of your belongings is a number that would genuinely hurt, released value protection is not a real option, and its main function is to be the thing you did not read.

Frequently asked questions

Is moving insurance the same as valuation?

No, and the distinction matters when you file a claim. Valuation is the level of liability your mover accepts under its transport contract, and it is what released value and full value protection both are. Actual insurance is a separate policy sold by a licensed insurer, which some people add for high value items on top of the mover's valuation.

How much does full value protection cost?

Movers price it as a percentage of the total value you declare for your shipment, and most offer deductible options that lower the premium. Because it is priced off declared value rather than a flat rate, the cost scales with what you own. Ask for the premium at two or three different deductible levels before choosing.

What is the deadline to file a moving damage claim?

For interstate moves, federal rules give you nine months from the delivery date to file a written claim with the mover, and the mover then has 30 days to acknowledge it and 120 days to resolve it or explain the delay. Do not wait to unpack. Photograph damage before you move anything and file in writing rather than by phone.

Does my home insurance cover my belongings during a move?

Sometimes, but usually less than people assume. Many homeowner and renter policies cover belongings in transit only for named perils such as fire or theft, and not for the most common moving loss, which is breakage from handling. Call your insurer, ask specifically about goods in transit and in storage, and get the answer in writing.