A recent Family Feud game show indicated that people expect airlines to be late or no shows more than almost any other transaction! Pretty crazy, right?
How can you protect yourself from a move day no show? Beltway Movers has not missed a move in over 50 years. You can depend on us to be there. You can also on depend on us to offer you protection while we are helping with your move. This is not true of a couple of guys hired off an online want ad. They may be cheaper, but it may cost you more than you bargained for in the long run. You may not have thought about it, but it’s extremely important to insure your move day, just in case someone gets hurt, or something gets broken.
Did you know if an individual falls on your stairs and does not have workers’ compensation in place from their company you could be attached in a liability suit? In addition, if a contractor is working for you and does harm to a building or its common area, and does not have the proper insurance in place, the costs could trickle to you. Additionally, background checks are important – they protect you and your belongings from exposure to individuals who may put you at risk.
Beltway Includes Three Types of Coverage on Your Move
- Workers’ Compensation, in case a mover is injured on your premises.
- Liability Insurance should there be damage to your home or the building you live in.
- Standard or Additional Valuation Coverage should there be damage or loss of your belongings during the move.
Workers’ Compensation covers any injuries to employees of the company during the moving process. You could be held responsible for a mover’s medical costs and long term disabilities if you choose a company that uses “pick up help” and/or does not provide its employees workers compensation.
Liability Insurance covers any interior or exterior damage to an apartment, condo, townhouse or single family home. You could be held responsible for damage to things like elevators, foyers, street signs, lawns and driveways during the move process or while the moving van is in transit if you choose a moving company that is not carrying liability insurance.
Standard Valuation Coverage or released value refers to the value of the items being moved and must be offered by all registered moving companies. Some companies only offer the minimum coverage required by their state. This can be 30 – 60 cents a pound or per article. That means, however, that if you had a chair that weighed 20 pounds and it was lost in the move, your claim would be reimbursed for $12.00. A shattered 5 pound Waterford Lamp would be reimbursed for $3.00. If you choose a company that is not complying with this minimum law you may have a long battle ahead of you. You may also want to consider choosing a company that can offer additional valuation coverage.
It’s important to keep in mind that some of your actions may limit your mover’s liability. These actions include:
- Packing perishable, dangerous or hazardous materials in your household goods without your mover’s knowledge.
- Packing your own boxes. You may consider packing your own household goods articles to reduce your costs, but if the articles you pack are damaged, it may be more difficult to establish your claim against the mover for the boxes you pack.
- Choosing Released Value coverage when your household goods are valued at more than 60 cents per pound per article.
- Failing to notify your mover in writing about articles of extraordinary value.
Interested in a moving company in Montgomery County, MD? If so, call Beltways Movers today at (800) 966-8348. We look forward to moving with you!
