Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Moving in 2025

 

Written by Move and Care

Edited and Fact Checked by Taras Kim

Updated: July 08, 2025

Moving to a new home is exciting – but it raises a big question: will your homeowners (or renters) insurance cover your belongings while you move? The short answer is yes, but only in limited situations. Standard U.S. homeowners insurance protects your furniture, electronics, and other personal items from certain perils even away from home, like a fire, theft, or a highway accident. However, it won’t cover accidental damage or breakage during the move. In other words, if a moving truck crash destroyed everything, you’d likely be covered – but if a mover drops your TV and it shatters, that loss comes out of pocket. To fully safeguard your possessions, you’ll need to understand your policy’s limits and consider additional moving insurance options. Let’s break down exactly what is and isn’t covered when you’re moving, and how to ensure your prized belongings are protected every step of the way.

When Your Insurance Does Protect Your Move

Homeowners insurance (and renters insurance) generally includes off-premises coverage. This means your personal property is covered not only at your home, but also “away” – including during a move – if it’s damaged or lost due to a covered peril. What are those perils? Typically events like fire, theft, vandalism, or vehicle accidents. For example: if someone steals boxes from your moving truck, or if the storage unit where you’re keeping furniture burns down, your policy can help pay to replace those items. Similarly, if you’re driving your own car full of belongings and get into a covered accident that ruins your stuff, your home policy should cover the item losses (auto insurance would cover the car). Insurers treat these scenarios just like a theft or fire at your house.

What’s Not Covered: Breakage, Mishaps and Movers’ Mistakes

Here’s the bad news: homeowners insurance will NOT cover most damage that happens due to the moving process itself. If your TV falls off a dolly or a box of dishes slips and shatters, your insurer isn’t going to pay for those broken items. This exclusion applies whether you drop the item or a hired mover does. Insurance companies see dropping, breaking, or other “mishandling” as preventable (or as simple wear-and-tear), not a sudden insured event. So, accidents during packing, loading, transport, and unloading are on you – the policy won’t treat a cracked TV screen the same as a fire or theft claim.

In fact, if you read the fine print, policies often say they won’t cover damage to your belongings “while being handled by movers”. So even if a moving company’s crew is responsible for the damage, your home insurance won’t intervene; you’d need to seek compensation elsewhere (more on that next). It’s similar to how renters insurance works: what does renters insurance cover during a move? It covers your stuff in a U-Haul if the truck gets in a crash, but not if your own clumsiness or a mover’s error causes the damage. And no, issues like your pet chewing up furniture in the chaos of moving aren’t covered either – insurers won’t pay for Fido’s or Fluffy’s mischief (even USAA renters insurance or others famous for broad coverage won’t cover pet damage to your property). The rule of thumb: if the loss is due to a covered peril (see previous section), you’re covered; if it’s due to a moving mishap, you’re not.

Moving Insurance from Your Movers (Liability Coverage Explained)

Because your home insurance leaves this gap, it’s crucial to understand “moving insurance” – which usually refers to coverage provided by the moving company. By law, interstate moving companies must offer two levels of liability coverage for your goods (nationwide.com). Here are the options and what they mean:

• Released Value Protection (Basic Coverage): This is the default, no-cost coverage every mover provides. However, it’s quite minimal. The mover is only liable for about $0.60 per pound per item if they damage or lose something. So if a mover drops your 20-pound coffee table, you’d get just $12 (20 lbs × $0.60) — nowhere near its actual value! Released value protection might barely cover the cost of broken glassware, let alone electronics or furniture. It’s essentially symbolic coverage, but better than nothing.
• Full Value Protection (FVP): This is an optional, upgraded coverage that you can purchase from the mover. With full value protection, if the movers damage or lose an item, they must *repair it, replace it with a similar item, or compensate you for its current market value. In other words, your belongings are covered for their real value. For example, if a mover smashed a $500 flat-screen TV, FVP means they’d have to pay to replace it (minus perhaps a deductible if one applies). This coverage comes at a cost – typically about 1% of your declared total value of goods. So if you’re moving $50,000 worth of stuff, full value protection might cost around $500. Prices vary, and movers may offer different deductible levels that change the price. It’s an investment, but it can be worth it for peace of mind, especially for long-distance or high-value moves. Tip: If you opt for FVP, make sure to get the details in writing – some policies exclude items of extraordinary value (like jewelry or collectibles) unless you specifically list them.
• Separate Liability Insurance: Some moving companies might suggest a third-party moving insurance policy to supplement the basic coverage. If you buy this, the mover still pays the first $0.60/lb for any item (as per Released Value), but the insurance policy will cover the remaining value of the item up to its full value. This effectively acts like full value protection, just structured differently (part from the mover, part from the insurer). It’s useful in states where movers aren’t allowed to sell true insurance. Always ask the mover for the documentation if you go this route, so you know the insurer and the claim process.

Which should you choose?

If you have mostly inexpensive, replaceable items, you might risk it with the free released value coverage. But for most households, Full Value Protection is highly recommended. Moving puts all your worldly possessions at risk at once; a single accident could be very costly. Paying a few hundred dollars for full coverage, especially for a long move, can save you thousands if something goes wrong. At minimum, consider it for your most valuable pieces. Also, when booking movers, don’t forget to ask for a certificate of insurance if your building requires it – this document proves the movers have liability coverage in case they damage the building or common areas.

Finally, note that mover-provided coverage only covers items while the movers are responsible for them – it doesn’t kick in if you packed the boxes yourself and they were inherently too fragile, or if you later mishandle the item. And it won’t cover things like sentimental value. It’s also distinct from transit car insurance: if the moving truck itself has an accident, the mover’s coverage handles your goods, but the truck company’s auto insurance covers vehicle damage. (As a side note, moving insurance cost can vary – always get a quote or rate from your mover; some bundle FVP into premium packages.)

DIY Moves: Insurance Considerations When Moving Yourself

What if you’re not using professional movers? Many people rent a truck (like a U-Haul) and rally some friends or family to help move. In this case, you won’t have the mover’s liability coverage at all – no $0.60 per pound, no full value option. You’re essentially self-insuring your move unless you buy separate coverage. Here are important things to do for a DIY move:

• Get the Rental Truck Insurance: Your personal auto insurance typically does not cover a large rental moving truck. So when you rent a truck or van, absolutely opt for the rental company’s insurance or collision damage waiver. This covers damage to the truck if you get in an accident or scrape a bridge, etc. Without it, you could owe a lot of money for any damage. Also ensure you have liability coverage for the drive (the rental company’s plan or a rider on your policy) so that if you cause an accident, you’re protected. It might add to your costs, but it’s a fraction of what one crash could cost you out-of-pocket.
• Your Belongings in Transit: During a DIY move, your homeowners/renters insurance still covers your items in cases like theft or fire (just as described earlier). For instance, if someone breaks into your rented U-Haul and steals things, you can file under your home policy for the stolen items. But again, if you drop something or something breaks due to poor packing, there’s no coverage. You need to pack carefully and maybe swallow the risk or look for separate coverage.
• Consider Third-Party Moving Insurance: If you want more protection, you can actually buy standalone moving insurance for a DIY move from specialty insurers. This is similar to the separate liability coverage mentioned before, but directly to you. It’s often called “transit insurance” or *“personal property in transit” coverage. For example, some insurers offer a trip transit policy that you can purchase just for the move. It can cover your property for the duration of the move against things like damage in transit, theft, etc., even if you are doing the moving yourself. The cost will depend on the value of your goods and distance, but it might be worth looking into if you have a lot of high-value items and no movers to blame.
• Protect Items Yourself: Without movers, it’s on you to safeguard everything. Use proper packing materials (plenty of bubble wrap, sturdy boxes). Label fragile items and don’t stack heavy things on top of them. In the truck, tie down large furniture to prevent shifting. Essentially, try to prevent damage since you don’t have an insurance safety net for your own errors. Also, be mindful of safety – if an item is too heavy, get help, so you don’t drop it (and to avoid injury!).

Remember, even when moving on your own, any covered peril like a burglary or fire is still claimable. But any damage from normal handling is not. That’s why some renters or homeowners doing DIY moves go for that extra transit coverage. Think of it this way: your homeowners insurance is your safety net for catastrophes, and anything else you’ll either handle out-of-pocket or with a special policy.

Items in Storage: Are They Insured?

Moving often isn’t a same-day in-and-out affair. You might need to store your belongings for weeks or months (in a storage unit, or maybe a PODS container). The question then is, does your insurance cover items in storage? The answer is generally yes, but with limitations.

Standard homeowners and renters insurance will cover your property while it’s in a storage, under that off-premises personal property coverage we discussed. They’ll typically protect against the same perils (fire, theft, vandalism, burst pipe causing water damage, etc.). So if the storage facility is burgled or there’s a fire in the building, you can file a claim and get reimbursed for your losses.

However, two big caveats:

1. Coverage Limit: As mentioned, off-premises coverage is usually capped (often at 10% of your total coverage). If you have a lot of belongings in storage, make sure that limit is sufficient. For example, if you own $200,000 worth of stuff (highly accumulated over years), only $20,000 may be covered while in storage. You can sometimes increase this limit by endorsement if needed.
2. Excluded Risks: Home insurance won’t cover problems like mold or mildew damage in storage, since that’s considered preventable with climate control and proper packaging. It also won’t cover just the fact that time passed – e.g., furniture warping or electronics rusting because they sat for a year. Additionally, any breakage due to how items are stacked or packed in the unit isn’t covered (similar to the moving exclusions).

If you are using a storage unit as part of your move, here are tips:

• Ask about storage insurance: Many storage facilities offer their own insurance or protection plans. These can cover things like burglary or water damage up to certain limits. They might also cover some of your deductible. If your facility requires proof of insurance, your homeowners policy declaration might suffice, or you can buy their plan.
• Portable storage (e.g., PODS): If you’re loading a PODS container that will be stored and then delivered to your new home, check with the provider. They often have an insurance option for the contents. For instance, PODS insurance (often called content protection) can be purchased to cover damage to your stuff while it’s inside the container, whether stationary or in transit. This can act like moving insurance for DIY portable moves.
• Inventory and lock: Make an inventory of what you put into storage and lock the unit with a high-quality lock – it helps in case of theft claims to show forced entry. And consider climate-controlled units for sensitive items to avoid moisture/mold issues that wouldn’t be insured.

Bottom line: Your homeowners/renters policy gives you some safety net for stored items, but it’s partial. For full coverage of long-term storage, you might combine your policy’s coverage with the facility’s insurance or an umbrella policy.

After the Move: Filing Claims and Updating Your Insurance

Once the move is done, you have a few important insurance tasks to wrap up:

1. Inspect and File Claims Promptly

As you unpack, check everything for damage. If you hired movers and discover anything broken or missing, contact the moving company immediately to start a claim. Moving companies often have a limited window (perhaps 30-90 days, sometimes even less) to honor damage claims. The sooner, the better – and providing photos or evidence will strengthen your case. Don’t throw away damaged items, no matter how trashy they look now. The mover’s insurance might need to see the item or take it for salvage. Set the damaged pieces aside safely. The mover should compensate you according to the coverage you chose (released value vs. full value). If the mover denies the claim or it doesn’t fully pay for the loss, then you can turn to your homeowners insurance to see if the peril is covered there (for example, if the moving truck had an accident – that’s a covered peril, so your insurer can step in for your property once you show the mover’s payout). For DIY moves, if you purchased a transit policy and something got damaged by a covered peril, contact that insurer right away. And if, say, there was a theft or fire during the move, definitely file a claim under your home insurance as you normally would.

2. Update Your Homeowners/Renters Insurance Policy

Moving often means a change of address, and that requires an insurance update. If you’ve moved to a new home you own, you probably had a new homeowners policy take effect on closing day – but make sure all the details are correct (coverage amounts reflecting the new home’s value, etc.). If you moved to a different state, you definitely need a new policy (insurance is state-specific). For renters, if you moved to a new rental, you should inform your renters insurance company about the new address before or as soon as you move. It’s usually easy to transfer renters insurance – often it’s a matter of updating your address and any changes in the rental (like if you got more stuff, increase personal property coverage; or if the new place has an alarm, maybe you get a discount). This ensures your coverage continues seamlessly in the new location. Failing to update could mean a claim might be denied (if they insure you at Location A but you actually live at Location B, that’s a problem). So make that phone call or online update a priority.

3. Adjust Coverage for New Needs

A move can change your risk profile. Ask your insurer to review your policy for the new home. For instance, if you moved from an apartment to a house, you’ll need to consider things like earthquake insurance or flood insurance if applicable in your new area (since standard policies don’t cover those disasters). If you’re a USAA member moving to earthquake-prone California, consider adding a USAA earthquake insurance endorsement or policy, because your regular homeowners won’t cover quake damage (usaa.com). On the flip side, maybe your new home has a shorter commute or is in a gated community – that could lower your auto or home premiums.

4. Avoid Coverage Gaps

Double-check that your old policy is canceled after your move is complete and your new one is active from day one in the new place. You don’t want to be paying for two policies unnecessarily, but you also don’t want any day uncovered. Insurers often allow a overlap period if needed (for example, if you still owned your old home for a month while moving, your old homeowners insurance and new one can overlap during that time). Coordinate the dates to be safe.

Once you’ve filed any necessary claims and updated your policies, you’ll have peace of mind in your new home. Moving is a perfect time to reassess your coverage and ensure it fits your current situation. Now that the hard part of moving is over, you can relax – knowing you took the right steps to protect your “stuff” from point A to point B and beyond.

FAQs – Common Questions on Moving and Insurance

Moving can be one of life’s most stressful events, but understanding your insurance can remove some of the worry. In summary, homeowners (and renters) insurance will cover your belongings during a move only for the risks it normally covers – fire, theft, and the like – and not for the bumps and drops of moving day. To fill that gap, take advantage of the protection offered by movers or get your own moving insurance. Pack carefully, keep an inventory, and don’t hesitate to ask questions of your insurer or moving company. By being informed and prepared, you can ensure that an accident on moving day doesn’t become a financial disaster. With the right coverage in place, you’ll have the confidence that from your old doorstep to your new one, your cherished possessions are as protected as possible. Happy moving!

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