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If you are planning a move, it is a good idea to have insurance. Because during the packing and transportation of all your belongings accidents can happen. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to be completely protected. Things even get lost during the move, and it is impossible to find them again. So it is understandable if you are afraid that this might happen to you. So what can you do? Having insurance will not shield you from accidents. But if they do happen, you can get compensation. Therefore if something is broken, scratched, or dented, you will receive money for repairs. Movers Maryland have a lot of experience and knowledge with insurance options. And would like to share it with you in the hope it will help you choose the right one and have a stress-free move.
To understand various insurance options you need to know what is a valuation
When you look at the different insurance options moving companies offer, you will notice they have various levels of liability. The official name for them is valuation coverage. What it means is that they do not cover 100 percent of the damages. Movers Rockville MD always advise their customers to read valuations before choosing them. So that they are properly informed. Because they do not cover the entire value of the damaged item. However, it is good to have them. Because if something happens, a moving company will reimburse you a small percentage of the value. Therefore valuation coverage is not insurance. It is different amounts of money moving companies offer to compensate you in case of accidents.
The first indemnity option is basic coverage
Not all the coverages are the same. What the basic one does is puts a value on your belongings that is 60 cents per pound. That means if an item damaged weighs one pound and is damaged during the move, you will receive 60 cents from the moving company. Unfortunately, this is not enough for most people. Because if they are professionally packing your brand new TV that weighs 35 pounds and they drop it, you will receive only 21 dollars. Thus if you have a lot of valuable electronic equipment, this one is not good enough. You will end up losing more money if anything happens. However, for a college student with a limited budget, this insurance is perfect. Also, in most cases, they do not have a lot of valuables that need full coverage.
If you want to have complete insurance benefits then choose the full coverage
Full coverage is definitely better than the previous one. And if you choose this one, you will get 6 dollars for the pound of the damaged item. That means if your belongings that weigh 4.000 pounds are lost damaged, or anything other happens to them, you will receive 24.000 dollars from the moving company. This one is perfect if you are planning a long-distance move with a family. Because you will have to move an entire household, it is better to be secured. However, not all companies offer this type of insurance. And some that do base it on the actual value of your items. So before you hire a moving company, ask them if they have it. It is better to get in touch with a few firms so that you can have more choices.
There are always third-party insurance options
As you can see moving companies will only compensate a part of the value of the damaged item. Not all of them offer 100 percent coverage. So if you have valuables, like jewelry and other heirlooms that weigh less than a pound, then you have a problem. The best solution for you is to take third-party insurance. Those cover the entire value of the lost item. Which means that you will be completely covered. However, you do not have to take it for all of your belongings. Just use it to cover more expansive items or the ones that have priceless sentimental value. Like paintings and antiques.
It is important to know what insurances do not cover before you choose one
In case you have a small moving budget, then you would probably like to save money by doing your own packing. However, if anything happens to your belongings, then you are not covered. Because moving companies are not responsible if you did not do a good job and something happened. The same goes if something happens to your items because of natural disasters like flood, fire, or a hurricane. On the other hand, you have up to nine months to report any damages to the moving company. If you miss this deadline, you will not get compensation. Also, often people try to transport hazardous materials that can cause a lot of damages. If you do not inform the moving firm that they are transporting them, this becomes your fault.
There are many insurance options so take your time in choosing the right one
There are many insurance options for you to choose from. However, always read carefully what is covered so that you do not make a mistake. So in case, you have valuable belongings, avoid the insurances that the moving companies offer. Instead, take the third-party one. But if you are a student with a small budget, then basic coverage is enough for you. Also, if you are traveling long distances with a family, check which companies in the State of Maryland offer full insurances. They are a bit better than the basic ones, and you will definitely get a portion of the value of your damaged items. Whatever you chose, always keep in mind that moving companies never compensate the full value of the damaged item.
