Do you need removals insurance when you move home?

In a nutshell, yes you should take insurance, you may not need it during your move but it will provide you with the peace of mind in the event that something unfortunate did happen to your furniture and effects.

Nobody wants to move in to their new home to find some of the items which have been moved have been lost or damaged during the move.

Things to do prior to the move date

When moving home there is so much to consider and often an overlooked aspect of moving is the removals insurance and the level of cover required to cover your personal possessions during the house move.

Prior to the move date you should ascertain what the total replacement value of your items would be.  You should also identify any items which are valued or particularly fragile and make an itemised list along with an anticipated replacement value.  This is often a requirement of the removal companies insurance policy.

You may be moving locally or having a same day move where your possessions will be collected and delivered the same day in a single or multiple vehicles.  You may need to have storage for your items for a period of time, alternatively you may be moving overseas and require not only UK insurance but overseas marine insurance too.

When moving house the most important aspect is the packing and preparation of your household effects.  If done properly, then this will reduce the risk of damage during your move.  If not, then contents may break inside poorly packed boxes.  Use lots of bubble wrap and packing paper, take your time when packing and pack with care.

Types of removals insurance

In the removals industry there are a number of types of removal companies, some will not have insurance these are generally recognised as the cheap man and van operators that advertise at low hourly rates.  Always ask to see a hard copy of their insurance policy.  Without insurance you will not get any damaged items replaced.

Professional removal companies will have Goods in Transit Insurance, Public Liability Insurance, Storage of Goods Insurance and Employee Insurance.  These insurance are an industry standard to ensure that during the move both you and the removal company are protected in the event of any issues.

Goods in Transit Insurance

Removals insurance will cover your household effects whilst in the care of the removal company against loss or damage, subject to policy terms and conditions.  You will receive policy terms and conditions with your booking documents.

Standard or Limited Liability Insurance

With this type of insurance, if any damage or loss has occurred then you will need to raise a claim against the movers.  The movers will then present the claim to the insurance company who will have to investigate liability and will accept the claim should negligence by the removal company be proven.

Furniture Storage

If any of your items require storage then you will require fire insurance for the duration of the storage period.

Goods in Transit Insurance will only cover your items during transit into and out of storage.  There is an additional charge for this level of insurance.

International Marine Insurance

If you are moving overseas then you have the option to insure the consignment up to a declared value provided in advance of the shipment of your goods.  A list of valued items to be insured is required and a premium will be charged to insure your goods during your overseas move.

Conditions of Cover

limit of cover for owner packed moves – if you pack the contents of your boxes yourselves then you may only be able to insure your owner packed boxes up to a set amount as determined by the insurance company – this is usually in the region of £40.00 per packed box.

notification of loss or damage – you will need to inspect the furniture on the day of the move and advise the removal company prior to them leaving the premises – this is important as once the removal company has left then it will be difficult to prove liability for any damage or lost items.

Claim within 7 days of the move date – a condition of the terms and conditions of domestic UK cover is for notification to be put in writing within 7 days of completion of the move.  This may be extended by putting the request in writing.  For overseas removals the term is extended to 30 days with notification to the removal company on the day of the move.

Our House Removals Insurance

We have all the above insurances to ensure that our customers household furniture and effects are insured during the move (subject to our standard house removals terms and conditions).

We do not charge for our Goods in Transit insurance up to £20,000.00.  If you require more, then a small premium is charges.

There is a charge for all Storage Insurance and International Removals Insurance which will be put in writing at the time of quotation for your move based on the declared valuation provided by you the customer.

To discuss our insurance and how we look after your move then please call 0161 238 8915