When customers hire long distance movers, many assume their belongings are covered the same way a homeowners policy protects them. That assumption is wrong, and the consequences can be expensive. Olympia Moving & Storage, a Boston moving company, has released a guide explaining how liability coverage actually works when an item arrives damaged, covering the difference between valuation and insurance, the two coverage levels every interstate mover must offer, and the federal deadlines that govern claims.
The two coverage levels are not interchangeable. Released Value Protection carries no additional cost and pays 60 cents per pound per article. A 25-pound television that cost $800 settles at $15. Full Value Protection obligates the mover to repair the item, replace it, or offer a cash settlement based on current market value. Customers choose between the two during the estimate, sometimes in under five minutes, sometimes without anyone walking them through what the difference actually means.
"Most customers assume they are covered the way their homeowners policy covers them, and that is not how this works," said Piet Gauchat, president of Olympia Moving & Storage. "We would rather have the slightly awkward ten minute conversation during the estimate than a frustrating one after delivery."
Federal rules take over once something goes wrong. A customer has nine months from the delivery date to file a written claim, and the mover then has 30 days to acknowledge it and 120 days to pay it, deny it, or offer a settlement. The deadlines protect the customer who knows about them.
Olympia documents the condition before anything leaves the house. Crews note existing wear on high value pieces, photograph items, and flag what needs custom crating rather than a blanket and a strap. On commercial projects run through Scope360, a single job might include lab equipment, medical devices, and IT infrastructure, so the team builds that documentation into the plan at the first walkthrough rather than sorting it out on move day.
The guide closes with steps that reduce risk with any mover. Customers should declare items of extraordinary value in writing and report visible damage at delivery, while the crew and the paperwork are both still available. Boxes a customer packs themselves also get assessed differently than boxes the crew packs, which catches people off guard more than any other part of the process.
"Nobody wants to talk about damage before a move," Gauchat said. "But the customer who understands the coverage they picked is the customer who never gets blindsided."
For customers planning an interstate relocation, the implications extend beyond one company. The choice between Released Value Protection and Full Value Protection determines whether a damaged item yields a token payment or a genuine replacement, and the federal claim timeline is short enough that missing it forfeits recovery entirely. Olympia Moving & Storage handles long distance residential moves and commercial relocations with care across Boston, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Austin, and Tampa. More information is available at long distance movers.
