"Are you insured?" is the most commonly asked question in removals and one of the least useful, because the honest answer from almost any firm is yes. The useful questions are what type of cover, to what limit, and what is excluded — and those three separate a properly run operation from a van and an optimist.
What kinds of insurance do removal firms carry?
| Cover type | What it protects | Why it matters to you |
|---|---|---|
| Goods in transit | Your belongings while being carried and transported | This is the one that pays if something is damaged during the move |
| Public liability | Damage to property or injury to other people | Covers a scraped wall, a cracked door frame or a neighbour's car |
| Motor insurance | The vehicle itself | Legally required, but does not cover the contents of the van |
| Employers' liability | The firm's own staff | Legally required where a firm has employees |
The distinction people most often miss is the third row. A van being taxed, MOT'd and insured says nothing at all about whether your sofa is covered while it is inside it. Motor insurance covers the vehicle; goods in transit covers the load.
Does my home insurance cover a move?
Sometimes, partly, and rarely in the way people assume. Some contents policies extend to belongings in transit when the move is carried out by a professional firm, often with a lower limit and frequently only against specified events rather than general damage. Many exclude self-moves entirely, and most exclude items you packed yourself.
It is worth a five-minute phone call to your insurer before the move, asking two specific questions: does the policy cover contents in transit, and does it cover them at both addresses on the same day. That second one catches people out during the overlap when half your possessions are at each property.
What is usually excluded?
- Items packed by the customer rather than by the removal firm — very common, and worth checking
- Cash, jewellery, passports and documents — keep these with you in your own car
- Items with pre-existing damage or inherent weakness, such as flat-pack furniture that has already been rebuilt several times
- Mechanical or electrical failure that is not caused by external damage
- Perishables, plants and anything hazardous
- Damage caused by the customer directing an unsafe route or lift
The flat-pack exclusion is worth knowing about honestly. Chipboard furniture that has been assembled, disassembled and reassembled loses structural strength each time, and no insurer treats a third rebuild of a budget wardrobe as an insurable event. A good crew will tell you before it comes apart rather than after.
Do I need extra removals insurance?
For most household moves, the firm's goods in transit cover plus your own contents policy is enough. It is worth considering separate or additional cover in three situations: when you own individual items worth more than the per-item limit, such as art, antiques or instruments; when you are moving long distance or into storage; and when you have packed everything yourself and the firm's cover excludes own-packed goods.
What should I ask before booking?
- Can you send me your goods in transit and public liability certificates?
- What is the total cover limit, and is there a per-item limit?
- Does the cover apply to items I packed myself?
- What is the excess if I need to claim?
- How do I report damage, and how long do I have to do it?
A firm that sends the certificates over without hesitating is telling you something useful. So is one that does not.
What should I do if something is damaged?
- Photograph the item where it is, before it is moved again
- Tell the crew on the day if you notice it on the day
- Report it to the firm in writing as soon as possible — claim windows are often short
- Keep the damaged item until the claim is settled; insurers frequently want to inspect it
Summary
Do not settle for "we're insured". Ask for goods in transit and public liability certificates, check the limits and the own-packing exclusion, and keep valuables and documents in your own car. Our cover details are set out on the about page and we send the certificate at quote stage.