Insurance and liability
What is released value protection, and is it enough?
The short answer
Released value protection is the minimum liability that applies by default on an interstate move in the United States, and it pays by weight rather than by value — so a heavy, cheap item and a light, expensive one are compensated on the same basis. For anything you would actually miss, it is not enough, and full value protection is the alternative the carrier must offer.
Why weight-based compensation surprises people
A laptop weighs very little. A cheap bookcase weighs a lot. Under a weight-based basis the bookcase is worth more than the laptop, which is obviously not how anyone thinks about their belongings. That mismatch is the entire reason the choice exists and the reason it should be a conscious one.
The two options, and the third
- Released value: the default, no additional charge, weight-based, minimal.
- Full value protection: the carrier is liable for repair, replacement or a cash settlement, at a cost, with deductibles and with exclusions worth reading — particularly for items you packed yourself and for high-value items not declared.
- Third-party moving insurance, bought separately, which is a different product with its own terms and may cover things carrier liability does not.
Declare high-value items. Most full value protection terms require items above a threshold to be listed specifically, and an undeclared item is frequently treated as ordinary goods when a claim is made.
Check your existing cover first
Some homeowner and renter policies cover belongings in transit, and some do not, and the terms differ between insurers and jurisdictions. It takes one call, and it changes what you should buy from the mover.
Also asked
Is valuation the same as insurance?
No, and the distinction matters legally. Valuation is the level of the carrier's liability under the transportation contract. Insurance is a separate product from an insurer. They can cover overlapping ground and they are governed differently, which is why a claim under one is not a claim under the other.
Does it cover things I packed myself?
Often not, or only where there is visible external damage to the carton. Owner-packed cartons are a standard exclusion, and it is the one that surprises people most after a claim is refused.
The long version
Moving insurance and valuation without the jargon
Compare released value, full value protection, and separate insurance, including exclusions and questions to ask before moving day.
Read the guide →General information about moving and about hiring, not advice about your move. Interstate household-goods moving within the United States is federally regulated; local, intrastate and Canadian moving is regulated by each state or province, and the rules differ. The authority for your move is the one to check.