Most people are surprised to find out their contents aren't necessarily insured for damage during transit by the removalist, or covered in their home and contents insurance.
So if the removalist you've just got a quote from has advertised that they're 'fully insured', check into it, because 9 times out of 10, most are just referring to the fact that their vehicles are insured - not the contents of your move in the back of their truck.
So how do you find out if your contents are covered for your move? Here's what you need to know.
What to double check on your home & contents insurance:
If there does appear to be cover in your home and contents insurance covering your contents during transportation, there may be limitations to what's included, so we'd recommend that you still double check the following with your insurer so you don't get caught out:
- Sometimes contents are covered during transit, but only for specific circumstances such as damage as a result of a vehicle accident.
- Some insurances may specify that cover is only provided if contents are packed by a professional removalist.
- Double check what the excess is on your policy - it's often much more than the cost of getting transit insurance through your removalist.
- Some policies require an inventory of contents that are to be transported.
What to double check with your removalist:
There's a few things you need to be aware of when you're researching interstate removalists. We've put our top tips in a free, easy-reference checklist:
In addition to our checklist, before you sign up with a removalist we would also recommend you double check what policies, guarantees and insurance offerings they have in place in the event that something goes wrong with your move.
1. Are my contents insured for damage during transit?
As we've mentioned, some removalists may make some general or vague reference to the fact that they're insured, but more often than not, they're not referring to insuring your contents during transit.
Most interstate removalists don't have insurance that covers the contents they're moving if the damage is a result of
- water damage from rain
- damage as a result of a natural disaster such as flood and fire
- damage as a result of an accident due to no fault of their own
Even if they make mention of insurance, ask for details as to what's covered and what's not, and if it's included in the amount you've been quoted - they should be able to provide legal documents (see point 3 below) so that you can check the terms and conditions of their coverage.
2. Do they have a safe transit assurance or guarantee?
For example, we are confident in the quality of our services so we offer a safe travel guarantee covering damage as a result of a fault on our behalf.
“We guarantee we'll fix any damage as a result of a fault of our own during your move with us”
Chris Cornish - Owner & Moving Consultant
Austate Removals
Ask for details of any guarantee your removalist is advertising to make sure you're comfortable with the fine print, such as the guarantee is only applicable if you've purchased X product with your move.
3. Are they legally authorised to provide transit insurance?
Not all removalists are. A removalist qualified to offer insurance as part of their service will be able to provide you with the following documents;
- Product Disclosure Statement (PDS)
- Financial Services Guide (FSG)
- Insurance documents in your name
If the interstate removalists you're looking at can't provide you with these documents, it's highly likely that they're not authorised to provide transit insurance so definitely don't go ahead with their services - their 'cheap' or 'free insurance' means zero coverage for you if something goes wrong.
Check their transit insurance for limits or restrictions such as a maximum claim amount to make sure it's enough to cover your items - some have surprisingly low claim limits.
The wrap up.
For a professional removalist company legally qualified to provide transit insurance with your next move, give us a call or get in touch.
