Moving Insurance

moving insurance

Secure Your Move With Dose

At Dose Moving & Storage, we want to help you avoid the pitfalls of the transportation industry by educating you about your insurance options during the move.

Moving insurance, or valuation, is specific coverage for your personal items during the process of moving. Whether your items are lost, damaged, or destroyed during a move, moving insurance can provide financial protection and peace of mind.

Understanding Your Coverage

In the moving process, you are referred to as the “shipper,” and we serve as your trusted “mover”. Both parties bear responsibilities: you acknowledge the potential for damage during the move, and we as your professional movers, endeavor to prevent it.

A common assumption is that full coverage is included when a moving company lists itself as licensed, bonded, and insured. These terms simply mean that we carry sufficient auto, general liability, and cargo coverage that the Department of Transportation (DOT) requires. However, full coverage for your belongings comes through specific insurance options we provide.

Dose Moving & Storage complies with the state and federal laws governing moves. When moving with us, you get two insurance coverage options.

Released Value Protection (Basic Coverage)

Released Value Protection is a basic level of liability that is included in the cost of your move.

Under this released value coverage, the DOT has determined that movers are liable for 60 cents per pound, per article. This means if a 100-pound item is lost or damaged, we would be liable for $60, regardless of the actual value of the item. Additionally, every move comes with up to $100,000 cargo coverage.

Standard DOT coverage may not fully protect high-value items that weigh relatively less. For example, if a $3,000 TV weighs only 100 pounds, you’d receive a mere $60 in case of any damage under the standard coverage. To safeguard your investment, we recommend securing Full Value Protection coverage.

Full Value Protection

It is the most comprehensive option for protecting your items during a move.

For a nominal fee, Full Value Protection offers maximum protection for your belongings, compensating you for the item’s full, current market replacement value.

Note: You are under no obligation to purchase full-value protection. If any damage occurs, claims will be settled at .60 per pound per article. All claims are handled by an independent processor. Dose Moving does not process claims. This is a fair, transparent, arms-length settlement that provides an ethical solution for both parties involved.

Full Value Protection is ideal for complex moves or when moving high-value goods. You can contact relocation specialists at 888-893-8835 to purchase this coverage plan at least three days prior to your move.

Exceptions to Keep in Mind

Certain items are not protected under the standard DOT mandate.

These include PBO (packed by owner) boxes, and their contents, as well as delicate or out-of-the-ordinary items like lamps, shades, glass tables/tops, marble tables/tops, slates, taxidermy, paintings, art, framed pictures, statues, chandeliers, glass display cases, grandfather clocks, pool tables (if disassembled and crated), installed wall units, hot tubs, upright pianos, any electronics, veneer or particle board furniture (Ikea), any outdoor items including pots that may have an inherent vice.

However, these items can be insured through Movinginsurance.com via an endorsed third-party service. Consider this option if your shipment includes any of the aforementioned items.

Remember: Several personal and valuable items, including jewelry, legal documents, medications, and more, are not covered by either the mover or Movinginsurance.com. We advise consulting with your homeowners’ or renters’ insurance agent to arrange suitable coverage for these items.

If you have any questions about our insurance coverage options, don’t hesitate to reach out for more details. Call us at 602-806-9335 (Arizona) or 571-207-7973 (Virginia) for a free consultation.

Terms and Conditions of a Moving Cover

While the t&c might vary depending on the moving insurance you purchase, the standard terms include the following:

  • Only the damages encountered during the final walk-thru with our crew leader will be entertained.
  • Items out of our care or custody and control after we leave the premises are not covered.
  • The TV must be packed properly in the box to be covered under the DOT mandate.
  • You must declare high-value goods (more than $100) for proper coverage and moving insurance cost.
  • There may be specific time limits for reporting loss or damage to the mover or insurance provider.
  • If your renter’s insurance covers moving, you must settle it with the provider and not the moving company.

Shipment in Transit (SIT) Coverage

If you’re loading a rental truck, POD, or trailer for an interstate move, and you want your items covered, you must purchase SIT coverage. After loading, items not in our care, custody, or control are not covered by our valuation.

Move With Confidence Today

Moving is more than shifting possessions—it’s about preserving what matters to you most.

As a certified mover with Movinginsurance.com and AMSA, we’re dedicated to making your move as safe and effortless as possible. Contact Relocation Specialists at 888-893-8835 today to secure your Full Value Protection coverage for a small charge.

For any questions on moving insurance or to request a list of items we can’t move, feel free to call our office at 602-806-9335 (Arizona) and 571-207-7973 (Virginia). We’re ready to clarify coverage details and ensure you understand your moving agreement.

You can purchase affordable FULL VALUE PROTECTION for your move by calling Relocation Specialists at 888-893-8835 by AT LEAST THREE DAYS before YOUR MOVE.

YOUR TV MUST BE IN A TV BOX FOR IT TO BE COVERED UNDER THE DOT MANDATE. ANY TV NOT IN A BOX WILL NOT BE COVERED.

Understanding how the insurance for your move works doesn’t have to be complicated. You are known as the “shipper” and we are known as the “mover”.

Both parties accept some responsibility for the items that will be moved. You accept the fact that you are moving your items and that damage could occur. Of course, as professional movers, we will do everything we can to prevent damage to your items. However, sometimes things do inevitably get damaged. So the DOT has determined that movers are responsible for .60 per pound, per article.

Included in every move, free of charge is the mandated DOT coverage of .60 per pound, per article, and $100,000 of cargo coverage.

What exactly does that mean?

It means that your items are covered up to $100,000 while being transported in the truck. For instance, if the truck were involved in an accident on the way to the new location, you would be covered up to $100,000.

It also means that the Department of Transportation has determined that moving companies are only liable for .60 per pound, per article. You as the customer are left with considerable exposure to this standard coverage. The transportation industry uses this release to offset the huge amount of liability that a carrier faces while handling an entire household of goods.

This is IMPORTANT if your $3,000 TV only weighs 100 pounds, you will receive $60 for any damage to the TV. If you want the TV covered for full replacement value, you must purchase that coverage at least 3 days before your move.

Ultimately, it is up to the shipper (that’s you) to properly insure all items. Movers, moving normal household goods. So if you have anything out of the ordinary, you must ensure it or it will not be covered under the DOT mandate.

A common assumption is that full coverage is included when a moving company lists itself as licensed, bonded, and insured. These terms simply mean that we carry sufficient auto, general liability, and cargo coverage that the DOT requires.

If you are loading a rental truck, POD, or trailer and moving interstate and you want your items covered, you must purchase SIT (shipment in transit) coverage as items that are not in our care, custody, or control after loading is not covered by our valuation.

You are under no obligation to purchase full-value protection. Any damage claim will be settled at .60 per pound per article. All claims are handled by an independent processor. Dose Moving does not process claims. This is a fair, transparent, arms-length settlement that provides an ethical solution for both parties involved.

You can either accept the .60 per pound, per article coverage or you can call Relocation Specialists at 888-893-8835 and purchase Full Value Protection coverage for a nominal fee. We are a preferred and certified mover with Moving Insurance.com. We are also a certified mover with AMSA.

YOU MUST NOTE ALL DAMAGES DURING THE FINAL WALK-THRU WITH THE CREW LEADER. ONCE WE LEAVE THE PREMISES, ITEMS ARE OUT OF OUR CARE, CUSTODY, AND CONTROL AND THERE IS NO COVERAGE. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DO A FINAL WALK-THRU.

The following items are NOT covered under the DOT mandate. We will move the following items BUT they are NOT covered.

PBO (packed by owner) boxes, its contents, delicate or out-of-the-ordinary items like lamps, shades, glass tables/tops, marble tables/tops, slates, taxidermy, paintings, art, framed pictures, statues, chandeliers, glass display cases, grandfather clocks, pool tables (if disassembled and crated), installed wall units, hot tubs, upright pianos, any electronics, veneer or particle board furniture (Ikea), any outdoor items including pots that may have an inherent vice.

ALL OF THE ITEMS LISTED ABOVE, can be covered if backed by a certified third-party service and insured by Moving Insurance.com.

The following items are NEVER covered by the mover or Moving Insurance.com. Jewelry, money, gold, coins, furs, family photos, car keys, legal documents, legal documents, passports, alcohol, food, medications, computers, cell phones, files, clothing of any kind, art, statues, guns, ammo, Lego sets, children’s artwork, any missing items or any personal item you deem important or valuable. Please take these items yourself if worried about them in any way.

Homeowners’ and renters’ policies also offer coverage for the valuables listed above. So it’s a good idea to check with your insurance agent if you need inland marine coverage for these items.

We want to help you avoid the pitfalls of the transportation industry by educating you regarding insurance options for your move.

Please call our office if you have any questions regarding how the insurance for your move works or if you would like us to email you the list of hazardous items we are not permitted to move. We are happy to discuss all details of coverage so you’ll know exactly what type of agreement you’re entering into on moving day.

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