Moving Insurance can be complex and if an accident does occur during your move, you want to peace of mind knowing the process involved, what is and isn’t covered by an insurance company and the knowledge on how to greater protect your belongings during transport.
Moving insurance can protect some or all of your belongings whilst you move from property to property.
When you are moving, there is a few types of insurance you need to consider based on your situation.
If you are deciding to do some or all of your move by yourself, then you can purchase Moving Insurance that will cover your belongings for just the period you require and the value of your items.
We have put together a helpful guide when it comes to all things insurance when moving your home or office.
In Australia and specifically NSW, removalists and logisitcs providers are not required by law to provide insurance to a client during a move.
Most moving companies will only have insurance on their trucks if they own them.
If an item of furniture is damaged during your move then a moving company with no insurance will wipe their hands and move on.
On every move Ignite Removals provides what we call our standard insurance. This is what all reputable moving companies should have as a standard at no extra cost to the client.
Covers members of the public and properties that our team may come into contact with during the course of our work.
We Are Insured By: Allianz
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We don’t employ sub contractors so all office and in field staff are covered whilst our team is completing your job for any injuries or disease that may be caused.
We Are Insured With: iCare NSW
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Covers your goods whilst in transit from pickup address to the final drop off destination.
We Are Insured With: Zurich
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Moving and logistics companies tend to have the highest insurance claims per industry, with this means that there is only a select few insurers that will insure removalists.
Insurers in the past have been known to not cover such things as:
If any of the above applies to you then our insurer will likely make it more of a lengthy process. For these items and anything else we recommend speaking to one of our customer experience team so we can provide you with the best way to transport and insure your goods.
No moving company (well you would hope so anyways) would intentionally damage an item, so when damage occurs it is an accident however the moving company should do what they can to best rectify the situation in a reasonable time frame, that the client is also happy with.
NSW Fair Trading is the industry body that deals with complaints relating to removalists.
They state that for minor problems for example an item of furniture that may have some scratches on it, a client can’t cancel a service or insist on a refund immediately, rather a client must allow the business the opportunity to rectify the situation. However if the repairs or process is taking too long, the client can get someone else to recitfy the situation and ask the business to pay reasonable costs in the repair.
If you chose for insurance directly with the moving company as part of their service, they could handle it in a few different ways depending on the extent of the damage and the condition the item of furniture was in before it was damaged.
Generally most moving companies have an excess of $400-$600 per claim if the value of the item or cost to fix is more than the moving companies excess then they would most likely want to go through their insurance, however if it is lower or the same, most would either pay you the amount or simply deduct the amount from the final invoice.
Repair:
Most furniture is damaged by scratches or dents which most times can be sanded, filled, painted or re finished by a reputable furniture repairer. Most charge around $200-$300 to fix the majority of damages to furniture. This is the preferred method to recitfy the situation as its both cost effective, fair and can be fixed in a quick turn around.
Replace/Pay Out:
If the item of furniture is beyond repair, then the only option is to either replace the item or pay compensation to the client for the damaged item.
Whether or not the item is replaced or it is paid out would depend on the age of the item and if it can still be purchased. When the item was originally bought and what the current condition prior to it being damaged would also play an important factor negotiating a fair settlement.
If you have chosen to purchase your own insurance, which is always recommended then the process is similar to a car insurance claim, however the moving company will not be responsible for paying out any amount for damages or other compensation generally.
Most third party insurers offer the ability for a client to have an excess that can be adjusted higher or lower depending on the clients requirements. Most excesses for third party moving insurance companies start at $300 and go to about $750-$1,000+ for larger value amounts or longer distance moves.
When choosing moving insurance, many insurers offer two options to calculate the ‘Basis of Settlement’ if an item of furniture is damaged during the moving process
Providing your items are under 10 years old, the ‘replacement cost option’ means you receive the new replacement cost of the item.
Market value cover would mean that should an item be damaged, you would receive the current market value of the goods.
Both covers tend to always include the option to repair the items first, before replacing or paying out, again this depends on the condition, age and extent of damage.
Over the years we have partnered with a trusted insurance company that provides a comprehensive selection of insurance that can be tailor made for each specific client and move.
To obtain a quote on insurance through this provider, simply click any of the links below:
Provides end-to-end insurance covering all aspects of the moving process both for moves locally and internationally.
NSW Fair Trading – Removalist Article
Call our team today on 1800 766 033 or submit the contact form below and our team will be glad to assist.
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81-83 Campbell Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
20/69 Middleton Road
Cromer NSW 2100
103 Epson Road
Rosebery NSW 2020
48 Wattle Road
Brookvale NSW 2100
50 Wattle Road
Brookvale NSW 2100
84 The Esplanade
Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
15 Enterprise Street
Molendinar QLD 4214
6 Surfers Avenue
Mermaid Beach QLD 4218
