When hiring long distance movers, most customers assume their belongings are covered the way a homeowners policy covers them. That assumption is wrong, and it can lead to costly surprises. Olympia Moving & Storage, a Boston moving company, has released a guide explaining how liability coverage actually works when items are damaged during an interstate move. The guide addresses a widespread knowledge gap that typically only becomes apparent after something goes wrong.
The core issue is the distinction between valuation and insurance. Moving companies are not insurers; they offer valuation, which is a predetermined level of liability based on the weight of an item, not its market value. Federal law requires every interstate mover to offer two coverage levels. Released Value Protection is the default and costs nothing extra, but it pays only 60 cents per pound per article. Under this option, a 25-pound television that cost $800 would settle 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, and often without a clear explanation of what the difference 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."
Once damage occurs, federal rules impose strict deadlines. A customer has nine months from the delivery date to file a written claim. The mover then has 30 days to acknowledge the claim and 120 days to pay it, deny it, or offer a settlement. These deadlines protect customers who are aware of them, but many are not. The guide aims to change that by making the process transparent before a move begins.
Olympia also emphasizes documentation as a risk-reduction tool. 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. For residential customers, the guide advises declaring items of extraordinary value in writing and reporting visible damage at delivery, while the crew and paperwork are still available. Boxes packed by the customer are assessed differently than those packed by the crew, a point that catches many people off guard.
"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."
The implications extend beyond one company. As long-distance moves remain common, consumers face a patchwork of coverage options that are rarely explained in plain language. By publishing the guide, Olympia Moving & Storage is pushing for greater awareness of valuation limits and federal claim deadlines, which could pressure other movers to follow suit. The company handles long distance residential moves and commercial relocations across Boston, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Austin, and Tampa. For customers, the takeaway is clear: understanding the coverage chosen before the move is the best way to avoid a dispute after it.
