Movers · Nashville, TN

What Moving Coverage Actually Pays

Included coverage pays a few cents per pound. A destroyed television is settled on what it weighs.

We respond immediately Licensed and insured local crews Free, no-obligation estimates

August 18, 2026 · Michael Blair

Movers offer valuation rather than insurance, and the included level pays by weight regardless of what the item was worth. It is the most commonly misunderstood part of a moving contract.

Released value

The included option, free, paying a set amount per pound per article. A heavy old sofa and a light expensive laptop are settled the same way — by weight.

For anything valuable and light, that is close to no coverage at all.

Full value protection

The paid option, under which the mover must repair, replace or pay the current value of a damaged item. It costs more and it is what most people assume they already have.

Read the deductible and whether high-value items must be declared separately, because undeclared items above a threshold are commonly excluded.

Released value pays by weight — very little
Full value protection repairs, replaces or pays value
High-value items usually need declaring separately
Homeowner policies rarely cover goods in transit
Photograph valuables before loading, with condition visible

Your own insurance

Homeowner and renter policies rarely cover possessions while a third party is transporting them. Check rather than assume, and ask specifically about goods in transit.

Separate transit insurance exists and is worth pricing for a high-value move.

Making a claim

Note damage on the delivery paperwork before the crew leaves, since signing a clean receipt makes a later claim considerably harder.

Photograph everything on arrival and file promptly, within the window stated in the contract.

FAQ

What Moving Coverage Actually Pays — questions

Does my homeowner insurance cover a move?

Usually not while goods are in a mover’s custody — most policies exclude property being transported by a third party. It is worth asking your insurer directly about goods in transit rather than assuming, since the answer varies and the gap is discovered at the worst moment.

What is released value protection?

The free coverage included by default, paying a set amount per pound per article regardless of what the item is worth. A light, expensive item is compensated at almost nothing. It is the option most people unknowingly accept by not selecting anything else.

What should I do if something arrives damaged?

Note it on the delivery paperwork before the crew leaves — signing a clean receipt makes a later claim much harder. Photograph the damage immediately, keep the packaging, and file within the window the contract states, which is often shorter than people expect.