If you do proper research and hire a quality moving company that has experience in the Miami area, the chances of your property being lost or damaged during transit will go way down. However, even the best moving companies experience problems from time to time, and it is always possible that something will be broken or damaged during the move. In order to protect yourself against that event, make sure to carefully understand what kind of coverage you will have under your agreement with the mover.
There are legal requirements in place that moving companies must operate under, which dictate the level of moving company liability. In general, a standard moving agreement will include Full Value Protection, which covers you for the entire value of the goods that are being transported. While this is great peace of mind to have during the move, it does come at a cost. Check with your moving company to find out how much the Full Value Protection costs for your move, and what other options might exist.
At the very minimum, moving companies must provide you with coverage of 60 cents per pound. While this might be useful for moving certain items that are inexpensive, it won’t do you much good if you are moving things like electronics or other small valuables. This kind of coverage is free and required by law, but you have to sign a specific statement to only be covered at this level and not the Full Value Protection level.
Other Options
Some moving companies will offer to sell you levels of insurance that fall somewhere between the two extremes above. These optional insurance ‘policies’ can work in your favor, but be sure to check into the details and see what kind of coverage you will receive and how much it will cost you. When you are thinking about how to protect your financial interests during a move, always remember to consider what items specifically are being moved. If you have several high-priced pieces that will be making the trip, spending extra money on protection is probably worth the investment.
Move Some Valuables Yourself
As an additional option, you could choose to keep some of your most valuable items off of the moving list and instead transport them yourself to the new place. By moving those pieces yourself instead of trusting them to the moving company, you could then opt for a lower level of protection, and save on costs. Of course, those items will not be covered while you are moving them yourself, so you have to be sure that you can get them around Miami and into your new place safely.
Moving company liability is in place to protect your financial interests, but make sure you are signing up for coverage that offers the right level of protection considering the items that will be moved. Even if you trust your chosen moving company, don’t take chances and just assume that nothing will happen during transit. Your move in the Miami area can be a stressful time, but take some of the worry out of the process by making sure your goods are covered appropriately.