Moving Insurance and Valuation Coverage Explained

Here's the honest version of moving insurance explained: the words "valuation" and "insurance" get used like they mean the same thing, and they don't. When a mover talks about coverage, they're usually describing valuation, which is the level of liability they accept for your stuff. Real insurance is a separate product from an insurance company. Knowing the difference is the whole game, because the free option pays pennies on the pound and most homeowners policies won't touch damage your movers cause. We're Exquisite Logistics Moving, a family-run crew based right here in Denver. After more than a decade and more than 7,000 moves across the Front Range and all 50 states, we've watched people learn this the hard way. This guide keeps it simple, local, and accurate so you can protect a move the right way the first time.

Valuation vs. Insurance: What You're Actually Buying

The most common mix-up we untangle on consultations is the gap between valuation and insurance. Valuation is the level of liability your mover agrees to take on if something is lost or damaged in their care. It's part of the bill of lading, it's regulated, and it's not an insurance policy. Insurance is a separate contract you buy from a licensed insurer, often called third-party or transit coverage. You can use one, the other, or both. We walk every customer through which makes sense for their shipment, and we never let anyone assume the free tier is real protection.

• •Valuation = the mover's liability limit, written into your moving documents
• •Insurance = a policy from an insurance company, bought separately
• •Released value is free valuation, capped at $0.60 per pound per item
• •Full Value Protection is paid valuation at replacement cost
• •Third-party transit insurance covers catastrophic loss the other layers may exclude
• •Your home or renters policy is yet another layer with its own gaps

Released Value vs. Full Value Protection Explained

Every move comes with a choice between two valuation levels, and the difference is huge. Released Value Protection is included at no cost, but the mover is only liable for $0.60 per pound per article. A 25-pound flat-screen TV that's worth $900 pays out about $15. Full Value Protection makes the mover responsible for the replacement value of anything lost or damaged, with options to repair, replace, or settle in cash. On interstate moves, Full Value is the automatic default unless you sign a waiver choosing released value, so read before you initial anything.

On a Front Range move, declaring an accurate shipment value matters as much as picking the tier. If you lowball the declared value to shave the premium, your payout shrinks with it. We'd rather have an honest number on the paperwork so a worst-case claim actually makes you whole. Call us at (720) 241-3615 and we'll estimate your declared value and the Full Value cost before you commit to anything.

Colorado PUC Rules for Denver and Intrastate Moves

If your move stays inside Colorado, federal rules don't run the show. The Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) regulates intrastate household-goods movers under Title 40, Article 10.1 of the state statutes. That means a move from LoDo to Littleton, or Boulder to Castle Rock, follows PUC rules for valuation, estimates, and claims rather than the FMCSA framework. Colorado movers are required to offer both valuation tiers: released value at $0.60 per pound per article, and Full Value Protection at replacement cost. You always get the choice in writing.

• •Legal CO movers hold an active PUC household-goods (HHG) permit number
• •That permit number and the company name must be displayed on the truck
• •Movers must carry PUC-required minimum cargo and liability coverage, filed and verified with the PUC
• •A lapse in that coverage triggers automatic permit suspension
• •On interstate moves, the federal 110% rule caps what a mover can collect at delivery against a non-binding written estimate

What Your Home or Renters Policy Won't Cover

A lot of people assume their homeowners or renters policy has the move covered. It usually doesn't, at least not the way they think. Standard policies cover belongings in transit and storage only against named perils like fire, theft, vandalism, or a vehicle crash. They generally do not cover damage the movers cause while packing or carrying your things, and handling damage is the single most common moving loss. So the exact scenario most people picture (a scratched dresser, a dropped box) often falls through the cracks of a home policy.

• •Off-premises coverage is typically capped near 10% of your contents limit
• •On a $100,000 contents policy that's roughly $10,000 for everything in transit
• •Mover-caused handling damage is generally excluded
• •Jewelry, cash, and valuables often carry theft sub-limits around $1,000 to $2,500
• •High-value items usually need a separately scheduled rider to be fully covered

Before you lean on a home policy for a move, call your agent and ask two specific questions. First, does it cover handling damage caused by a moving company. Second, what's the off-premises limit and the sub-limit on valuables. The answers usually push people toward Full Value Protection on the move itself plus a scheduled rider for anything precious. That combination is the realistic way to actually protect a Denver move, and we'll help you map out which layer does which job.

High-Value Items: Jewelry, Art, and the $100-Per-Pound Rule

Mover valuation has a hard ceiling on the most valuable things you own. Cash, jewelry, precious stones, and important documents are commonly excluded from mover liability entirely, no matter which valuation tier you buy. On top of that, items worth more than $100 per pound (fine jewelry, certain china, furs, small antiques) are treated as items of extraordinary value. If you don't list them on the inventory as extraordinary value, the mover's payout stays capped even under Full Value Protection. The fix is simple but you have to do it before move day.

We move a lot of art and specialty pieces around RiNo studios, Cherry Creek condos, and homes all over the Front Range, so this part is second nature for us. Pianos, large mirrors, sculpture, and wine collections all get specialty handling as an add-on. We'll tell you honestly when a piece is better served by a dedicated specialty policy than by valuation alone. The goal is no surprises, especially on the things you'd never want to replace.

Interstate Moves, Claim Windows, and Third-Party Insurance

Cross a state line and the rulebook changes again. Interstate moves fall under USDOT and FMCSA authority, with federal timelines for claims. You have 9 months from delivery to file a written claim, the mover has 30 days to acknowledge it, and 120 days to approve or deny. Intrastate Colorado moves run on PUC and mover-set deadlines instead, which are commonly tighter (often around 90 days). Whichever applies to your move, file in writing and don't sit on it. We confirm your exact window in your paperwork so the clock is never a mystery.

When third-party transit insurance is worth it

Standalone third-party moving insurance is a separate policy from a licensed insurer, generally running about 1% to 5% of your declared value depending on deductible and coverage level. It's most useful for catastrophic, total-loss events like a truck accident, fire, flood, or theft, which mover valuation and home policies may handle poorly or exclude. For a long-distance haul from Denver to either coast, or a high-value shipment, that extra layer can be the difference between a stressful claim and a clean recovery. For genuinely priceless pieces, a dedicated specialty policy is still the right call over standard valuation.

• •Interstate: 9 months to file, 30 days to acknowledge, 120 days to resolve
• •Intrastate Colorado: shorter, mover and PUC-set windows (often near 90 days)
• •Third-party insurance runs roughly 1% to 5% of declared value
• •Third-party shines for total-loss catastrophes the other layers miss
• •Always file claims in writing, with photos and your inventory attached

What Coverage Costs Against the Price of a Denver Move

Coverage only makes sense once you weigh it against what's at stake. Our flat base rate is $199 for a studio or one-bedroom and $449 for a three-bedroom, plus $1.50 per mile beyond the first 10 miles. Now picture your total household value rolling down I-25 or I-70 in one truck. Spending 1% to 3% of that value on Full Value Protection, plus a small rider for the precious stuff, is cheap insurance against a bad day. The math almost always favors real coverage.

We've earned 102 five-star Google reviews and 35-plus Thumbtack reviews at a perfect 5.0 by being straight with people about coverage instead of glossing over it. Owner Douglas Palmish built this company on that habit. Get a free online quote or call us at (720) 241-3615, and we'll lay out your valuation options, the realistic cost, and exactly what each layer protects. No pressure, no jargon, just the honest version so you can decide with confidence.

Frequently Asked Questions