When you are moving in Atlanta, you are packing up everything precious to you and entrusting it to strangers. Your items have both a monetary and a sentimental value, and you will want to be certain that they are well-insured before the movers pack the truck.
Federal law requires that interstate movers offer two different insurance liability options, known as Full Value Protection and Released Value. Individual states also have optional liability insurance coverage available.
Full Value Protection insures you against the loss or damage of goods in your entire shipment. Under Full Value Protection, the moving company you choose would be required to offer, at its discretion, to either repair the item, replace the item, or make a cash settlement for the cost of the repair/replacement. Under Full Value Protection, movers can limit their liability for articles of extraordinary value unless you specifically list these items on the shipping documents, so be sure to ask for a written explanation of any limits well before your move.
Released Value is a more economical insurance choice because it is offered as a part of the moving service. With a Released Value agreement, the Atlanta office movers or residential movers assume liability for a maximum of 60 cents per pound per article. This means that a $500 10 pound desktop computer could be lost or destroyed, and you would only receive $6 in compensation.
State-regulated liability insurance is typically purchased through a third party, not through your moving company. The movers themselves are only responsible for Released Value rates, but you will be able to recover the rest of your loss from the insurance company up to the amount of insurance purchased.
Given the limited value replacement under Released Value, most people opt to add Full Value Protection or the state’s liability insurance to their move. Your personal moving coordinator will happily discuss all of your insurance options with you so that you can determine what will be the best fit.