Insurance and Damage

We are a small discount moving service. We do not carry cargo or general liability insurance. This is one of the ways we keep our rates low. For some, moving with an uninsured company may not be the right choice. We want you to be aware of the facts before you make a decision on whether or not to hire us.

There are two types of insurance moving companies often carry:

Cargo Insurance:

This is the insurance that covers damage to you possessions during a move. It is generally a false sense of security, as cargo insurance offered by most moving companies covers cents-per-pound, usually in the $.50 per pound range. That means, if an insured company breaks your 100-pount 40-inch flat-screen television, you are only covered for $50. You will have to file a claim with their insurance company, and, in all honesty, many of those claims go nowhere.

We understand you are worried about damage to your possessions, and while we are careful and rarely have incidents, moving has inherent risks. If, in the course of a move, your possessions are damaged or lost, we agree to pay half the cost of replacement, up to half the total cost of the move. In other words, if your total move with us comes to $300, and there is $200 in damage, we would refund you $100. If your total move costs $250, and there is $600 in loss or damage, we would refund you $125.

This may sound risky, but realize that cargo insurance by insured companies generally is not much better if not worse, especially when you take into consideration how much lower our prices are to begin with and that we settle these situations quickly, not with weeks of back and forth with an insurance company that may amount to nothing. Again, 99% of the time, there is no damage or loss, but we want you to be aware of and agree to the above before agreeing to hire us.

General Liability Insurance:

This is the insurance that many buildings require for movers. It covers damages to the building and property itself. This is very expensive insurance to carry, and companies that do carry it have much higher rates than we do. Sometimes the customer can pay a deposit with their building to get around this requirement. Some buildings wave this requirement if you are having friends help you move, often called “self-move”.

If, in the course of a move, there is damage to the building or property, we agree to pay half the cost of repairs, up to half the total cost of the move. In other words, if your total move with us comes to $300, and there is $200 in damage, we would refund you $100. If your total move costs $800, and there is $1200 in damage, we would refund you $400. We would refund this money to you directly, and you agree to interact with the building management. We are hired by you and answer to you only. By agreeing to hire us, you are agreeing to take responsibility for damage to the building, and we agree to assist you in covering that damage up to the aforementioned amount.

Please realize that the total liability we offer is half the total cost paid to Sven Moving for that job. It is not half the total for each cargo damage and building damage. We understand that this may not be the right choice for everybody, but we want you to be clear about this up front. Again, by far, the majority of moves go off without any damage, but it can happen. We hope that once you consider our reputation and low prices you decide to work with us for you moving needs.