Does homeowners insurance cover items lost in a move?

In most cases, your homeowners coverage will protect your personal belongings if they break during a move, both on the way out and when you move to an insured location. But the exact way you cover it depends on the type of “covered loss or hazard” that occurred. For example, if you haven't properly protected your fine china before storing it in the packaging, you may not have coverage if they have been broken during transport. If you've hired a moving company, they should offer you insurance for any items lost or damaged during the move. That coverage should also include the costs of restoring any damage caused to your property during the move.

The simple answer is that it covers your belongings in case of some losses, but the moving company must have insurance that covers other circumstances. Understanding what's covered and what's not helps you better prepare for those potential accidents when you carry your things from one house to another. Policies for homeowners, renters, and condominiums generally cover theft, vandalism, and damage caused by inclement weather to your belongings while you're moving. In general, the same coverage applies to personal property that you keep in a storage unit.

However, whether you hire a moving company or are moving on your own, your policy usually doesn't cover damage caused by other mishauls during packing or transportation, such as dropping a lamp or damaging a television while carrying it up a ladder. Your moving company will offer you certain liability protection at no cost and additional coverage for an additional cost in certain states.

Moving insurance can also help when moving companies

don't offer any insurance coverage or the coverage they offer doesn't meet your needs. Your policy may cover losses caused by fire, theft, or vandalism during the move, but it may not cover damage if you drop your expensive flat-screen TV. All licensed moving companies must have a minimum amount of coverage to protect their liability.

This moving insurance is included in the cost of the move, so you don't pay more for this type of coverage. The policy deductible will apply to any claim made for the loss of these items, so check the amount of the deductible and how it applies before the move. If they break into a moving company's truck and steal your stuff, your home insurance probably won't pay to replace your stolen possessions. If you want more coverage than a moving company offers, consider buying moving insurance from an outside company.

A container rental agreement with PODS requires that you cover your belongings and the container through PODS, your homeowner's or renter's insurance, or a third-party insurance company. Once you've verified the coverage you already have, the next step is to ask the moving company what type of moving insurance coverage they offer. If you're moving to another state, federal law requires moving companies to offer two types of moving liability insurance. Because moving companies offer different levels of coverage, it's critical that you talk to the moving company about how your property is covered while it's in their care.

To make sure you're protected for the big move ahead, let's look at how your housing policy covers your things when they're in transit. Soto also says that your car insurance policy generally only provides limited coverage if you're carrying your belongings in your car or rental vehicle during a move. You can call your car insurance company to see if your coverage extends to a truck you rent for moving purposes. This purchase coverage is usually accompanied by released value protection, in which an outside insurance company covers the difference between the amount of 60 cents per pound of released value protection and the replacement price. It is an additional level of coverage offered by insurance companies, which goes beyond the basic coverage offered by companies of removals.

Irene Mccravy
Irene Mccravy

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