What Not To Do When Using Moving Insurance

Investing in moving insurance is a wise precaution to take when using movers. Whether you get full value protection or just go with the included released value option, there are steps you can take to ensure that your moving insurance will work if items are broken, stolen, lost, etc. Your mover's liability is limited or eliminated if you act in what is considered to be an irresponsible and/or questionable fashion. Here are some steps to take to ensure your mover's insurance will be in full effect if need be.

Packing 

While packing our own boxes can save us money, in the event of a dispute it will cause difficulties within our claim. If the movers do not pack your items, they do not know if items are already damaged. You may be accused of committing insurance fraud if an item gets broken or lost while moving, and the movers did not pack the item in question
We recommend that you check-in with the movers to see exactly how much extra it costs for them to pack your items. If the cost is not that extra, you may want to consider saving yourself the work of packing and potential insurance nightmare later.

What Not to Pack 

You would be surprised at the silly thing people try to pack without thinking about the danger that could be caused by these items. Cleaning supplies, motor oil, gasoline and paint are notorious items that are accidentally packed. Most of the time movers will not move them, but there is always the chance these items may be packed either by you or by a careless mover.

Before a move make sure that you pack these types of items separately to take with you. You will probably want to use the cleaning supplies right away in your new home anyways. If you do not want to bother taking along paint or other items, take them to the dump before you move or ask your buyer if they want the supplies for future use. 

Is Your Stuff Worth More than 60 Cents Per Pound? 

If you choose released value coverage when your items are obviously worth a lot more than 60 cents per pound, you may be held liable for choosing this option. You really need to consider the value of your furniture, electronics, appliances before you move. If they are worth a lot, you need to consider upgrading the insurance to get more effective coverage. 

Notify Your Movers of Valuable Items

If you have items that are worth a lot, let the moving company know. We recommend documenting the notification, not just relying on verbal exchanges. This way if there are problems down the road you have paper to back-up the existence of items you may need to make a claim on. If at all possible, with smaller electronics and jewelry, we recommend just keeping them with you on the long move if at all possible. It is one less thing to worry about during this stressful process.