Moving insurance is similar to car insurance, renter's insurance, and health insurance. While you may think you can do without, the universe could have other plans for you. It is easy enough to wave moving insurance off, but if you find that your antique piano is destroyed during your move and you don't have the proper moving insurance with your Austin local movers, you could end up paying for those damages out-of-pocket. While a good Austin moving company will take every precaution to make sure your items arrive unharmed, mistakes can happen, and insurance can keep you protected.
Simply put, moving insurance helps ensure that if your property is damaged during the move, you will be reimbursed for it up to a predetermined amount. Moving insurance is different from homeowners or renters insurance, and it is rare that your homeowners or renters insurance will cover moving damages, so check your policy first.
If you hire an Austin moving company that does not carry moving insurance, they are breaking the law. The minimum insurance required by law is 60 cents per pound. This insurance coverage should already be built in to your moving costs and will not cost you anything extra. If you are just starting out and all your furniture is secondhand, you may be able to get away with this rate, but keep in mind that 60 cents a pound is a small amount. If something is broken or damaged, you will likely still have to dish out some money on your own to repair or replace it.
Depending on both the monetary and sentimental value of the items being moved, you may want to increase your coverage. Our Austin relocation services do not recommend using the minimum amount of coverage for a house filled with brand new items. Full replacement value protection is also required by law for all Central Texas movers to carry, but it must be purchased by the consumer. At All My Sons Moving & Storage Austin, we suggest purchasing this level of protection because you can either choose to insure a few of your more valuable items or do a lump coverage of all your items. There are also some third-party providers that have other levels of insurance coverage that may be helpful to you.
While all professional Austin movers are required by law to carry some moving insurance, you will certainly want to do your research. At All My Sons Moving & Storage Austin, we recommend evaluating the items for your move before making this decision.
If you are moving from Austin and want to increase the chances that your items all arrive safely to your new home, you will want to hire full-service Texas movers to do the packing for you as well. As professionals, our Austin movers have professional packing supplies and know the correct way to pack your delicate items to avoid damages during your move. There is little even the best Austin moving company can do about a poorly packed box that is not labeled and is filled with fragile items.