International Movers - Buyers Guide

International Movers and Insurance

Do International Movers Provide Insurance? The short answer to such a question is “yes.” International movers do provide insurance, but what it covers can vary dramatically from one company to the next. Finding out exactly what the insurance covers is very important if you do not want your precious cargo to end up being lost or damaged without having any kind of recourse to compensation.

In general, international movers will provide insurance uniquely for shipments while in transit. However, this can also vary. If your shipment needs vehicle transport at any point during the shipment, you might not be covered if the carrier used is a third party carrier. The same can be true if you have your belongings stored while in transit. If the carrier must rent space from another company in order to warehouse your shipment for any period of time, then they might not provide the insurance for that. In fact, if you want insurance coverage for more than just during transit then you might have to pay significantly more to get coverage from your moving company.

Your best bet when booking an international move is to find your own shipping insurance. As everyone already has insurance for their homes and cars, you can always asks your current insurance company if they will provide the kind of coverage that you need. If they do not offer such insurance then they can always refer you to a sister company or an affiliate with which they deal. By taking out your own insurance for such shipments you can rest assured that your belongings will be covered whether they are being stored at the terminal while waiting to be shipped or on their way to their ultimate destination in your new country.

Securing additional insurance for your move is a wise idea for another reason as well, when dealing with your international movers for insurance, you might run into trouble if you have to make a claim. Why? Well, since the movers’ premiums will go up with too many claims, they might be reluctant to accept claims easily. Whereas if you have your own independent insurance, then you are not subject to having to deal with a third party.

If you hire a freight forwarder or a customs broker to arrange the shipment of your belongings or goods to their ultimate destination, then you can always have then arrange for the proper insurance coverage. Since freight forwarders and customs brokers are in the business and are constantly booking overseas shipments they have access to many insurance companies and contacts and can very easily get you much better rates than if you were dealing with them on your own.

Regardless of what you decide – finding your own insurance, taking the insurance offered by your international movers or having your freight forwarding or customs broker find it for you – make sure that your shipment does not leave your place without it. Insurance is absolutely necessary. If you cannot afford additional insurance then you can at least rest easy knowing that your international movers will cover it while it is in transit.

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I immediately got a call from a moving company who was very professional. We've had good communication, the survey was punctual and they returned a quotation the following day as promised. So far, so good!

Kate, Buyer
Adelaide, Australia