There’s a question a lot of people don’t ask out loud until they’re already anxious about the answer. It usually surfaces after reading a review where someone’s damaged item wasn’t covered the way they expected, or a claim got disputed over something nobody explained beforehand. If you’ve got a quote in hand and you’re close to booking, it’s worth asking now, plainly: will my belongings actually be covered if something goes wrong, and what happens if they are?
This article answers that honestly. Not with a blanket reassurance that everything will be fine, but with what’s actually covered as standard, what isn’t, what MoveProtect adds, and exactly what to do if something does go wrong so a genuine claim doesn’t get denied over a technicality.
What’s actually covered by default, and what isn’t
Most people assume that if a removal company loses or damages something, they’ll simply be paid what it’s worth. In practice, three different things get conflated here, and the gap between them is where most of the anxiety – and most of the disputed claims – comes from.
Carrier liability is the baseline legal responsibility a removal company holds for goods in its care. On its own, this is typically capped per item or per kilogram of the total shipment weight, not based on the actual value of what’s being moved. That cap is often far lower than people assume – a heavy but low-value box of books and a lightweight but expensive painting can be treated almost identically under a weight-based cap, which rarely reflects what either is actually worth to the owner.
Valuation is a declaration of what your goods are worth, used to calculate what compensation should be if something is lost or damaged. Declaring a valuation is not the same as buying insurance – it’s the figure insurance is calculated against, not a guarantee of payout on its own.
All-risk transit insurance is a separate policy, purchased specifically to cover loss or damage during packing, transit, and delivery, based on the declared valuation rather than a weight cap. This is the layer that actually closes the gap between “technically covered” and “covered for what it’s worth.”
MoneyHelper’s independent consumer guidance on removals confirms this is a widespread source of confusion, noting that customers frequently assume a mover’s standard terms provide full replacement cover when in fact liability is usually limited unless additional protection cover is added. It’s not a Gerson Moving Services-specific problem – it’s an industry-wide gap in how clearly this is explained before people book.
Planning an International Move?
Every international move is different. Whether you’re trying to work around school terms, an employer’s relocation date, shipping availability or your destination country’s requirements, our experienced move managers can help you plan the right timeline. Get tailored advice, understand your options, and book with confidence.
How to protect a genuine claim
Even with the right cover in place, claims can still be delayed or disputed if certain steps are missed at the point of delivery. If you take nothing else from this article, take this:
- Note any visible damage on the delivery paperwork immediately, before the crew leaves. A claim raised after the fact, with no note on the delivery sheet, is far harder to support – not because anyone is trying to catch you out, but because there’s no contemporaneous record of the condition on arrival.
- Photograph items and packaging before anything is moved, unpacked, or thrown away. Packaging condition often tells the insurer as much as the item itself – crushed packaging supports a transit-damage claim; undamaged packaging around a damaged item raises different questions.
- Submit any claim in writing, with photographs attached, rather than relying on a phone call. A written claim with evidence attached moves faster and is harder to dispute later.
- Know that self-packed boxes are typically excluded from all-risk cover. If you packed a box yourself rather than having the crew pack it, damage to its contents is usually not covered under all-risk transit insurance, because the insurer has no way to verify how the item was protected before it left your hands. If a self-packed box matters to you, ask about it specifically before you book – don’t assume it’s included.
None of this is about distrust. It’s the same as knowing how travel insurance actually works before you fly, rather than finding out the exclusions the day you need to claim.
How Gerson Moving Services approaches this: MoveProtect
Gerson Moving Services’ own liability cover is called MoveProtect, and we name it specifically rather than folding it into a vague “your move is fully covered” line, because vague reassurance is exactly what erodes trust when something actually goes wrong.
What it covers: MoveProtect provides all-risk cover from the point packing begins through to final delivery, including goods held in approved storage as part of your move. It’s designed to sit above standard carrier liability, covering your belongings at their declared value rather than a weight-based cap.
What it costs: MoveProtect is typically priced at approx. 3% of the declared value of your shipment, though the exact figure varies with the total value insured and the transport method used. Your move manager will confirm the specific figure for your move as part of your quote.
How it’s activated: The process has three steps – you provide an inventory and value estimate of what’s being moved, you receive a personalised quote reflecting that value, and cover activates from the point packing begins, running through transit and delivery.
The claims window: You have 30 days from delivery to report damage or loss, with supporting documentation such as photographs. This is a real limit, not a formality – the steps in the section above exist to make sure you have what you need within that window.
What it doesn’t cover: Hazardous materials and improperly packed customer-packed items are excluded, consistent with standard practice across the industry. Your move manager can confirm anything destination- or item-specific before you book.
This is also where the move manager model matters in practice, not just as a promise. If a claim is raised, it’s your move manager – the same dedicated move manager as your primary contact throughout your move – who coordinates the paperwork and manages the claim on your behalf, rather than leaving you to navigate a separate claims process with no context on your move.
One more distinction worth knowing before you claim: insurers typically settle a claim one of two ways. “Like-for-like” (or reinstatement) valuation accounts for wear and tear, so an older item is compensated at something closer to its second-hand value. “New for old” (replacement) valuation compensates at the cost of buying the item new, with no deduction for age. Which basis applies affects what a payout actually looks like in practice, so it’s worth confirming which one your declared valuation is based on before you need to rely on it, not after.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need extra cover for an international move, or is my move automatically covered?
Your move includes a level of standard carrier liability, but this is typically capped per item or by total shipment weight, not by the actual value of your belongings. If you want cover based on what your things are genuinely worth, you need to add move protection cover such as MoveProtect – it isn’t automatic.
What's the difference between valuation and insurance?
Valuation is your declared estimate of what your goods are worth, used to calculate compensation. Insurance is the separate policy that actually pays out against that valuation if something is lost or damaged. Declaring a valuation alone doesn’t insure your goods – you need both.
What happens if I packed a box myself and it arrives damaged?
Self-packed boxes are typically excluded from all-risk cover, because the insurer can’t verify how the contents were protected before collection. If there are specific items you’ve packed yourself that matter to you, raise this with your move manager before booking so you know exactly where you stand.
How long do I have to report damage after delivery?
Under MoveProtect, you have 30 days from the date of delivery to report loss or damage, supported by evidence such as photographs. Noting any visible damage on the delivery paperwork on the day itself gives any later claim a much stronger footing.
Does MoveProtect interact with my home contents insurance?
No – MoveProtect is separate protection cover for your belongings during packing, transit, delivery, and approved storage as part of your move. It is not a standalone insurance policy, so it has no interaction with your home contents insurance.
Related Topics
Not Sure Where to Start?
If you’re weighing up whether to add MoveProtect to your quote, your move manager can talk through the declared value, the cost for your specific move, and what it would and wouldn’t cover before you book – .
