Last Updated on 2 months by David Bergmann
No matter how careful you are, mishaps or accidents can unfortunately always happen when moving. Whoever has the damage naturally does not want to have to deal with the resulting costs. For this reason, it makes sense to take out moving insurance. Find out what moving insurance is, what damage it covers and when it makes sense in the following article!
- Moving damage: who is liable for the damage?
- What does my household insurance pay?
- What is moving insurance and when does it make sense?
- What damage is covered?
- What damage is NOT covered?
- How much does moving insurance cost?
- Damage report: What do I need to consider?
1. Moving damage: Who is liable for the damage?
In general, it can be said that the party responsible for the damage must always pay for the costs incurred. If the person responsible is insured against damage caused by the move, their insurance company is obliged to pay compensation.
For example, if the moving company that you have commissioned to transport your household goods causes damage to the goods, their transport insurance must pay for it.
But be careful! Not all moving damage is covered. Please note the following exceptions:
- Insurance only covers current value and not replacement value
- Amount of liability is limited (in Germany 620 euros per cubic meter)
- Only damage caused by the moving company itself is covered
- The following items are generally excluded from the insurance:
- Valuables
- Cash
- Jewelry
- Plants
- Animals
If you are moving privately, it makes sense to take out special moving insurance. This is because it covers damage to the moving goods caused by your own fault.
If damage is caused by a moving helper from your circle of friends or relatives, the matter is a little more difficult. Their personal liability insurance may cover the damage caused by the move. Nevertheless, you don’t want to put a volunteer through any insurance disputes and will therefore usually be liable for the damage yourself.
2. What does my household insurance pay?
Depending on where you live and which insurance you have taken out, it may well be that the insurance cover provided by your household insurance (or household contents insurance) remains in place during the move. However, you must notify your insurance company of the move in good time. It’s best to read the small print in your insurance contract or contact customer service before you move.
Please note, however, that your household contents insurance will only cover you if you are at fault for the damage caused by your move . For example, if you accidentally collide with a wall or door frame while moving furniture and the piece of furniture is damaged as a result.
If you cause damage to a third party or their property (e.g. damage to your neighbor’s front door), your liability insurance comes into play.
Attention: As a rule, household contents insurance is location-based, i.e. the insurance only covers damage to your household effects that occurs in your home. The transportation itself is not insured and therefore conventional household insurance does not offer sufficient protection for a move!
3 What is moving insurance and when does it make sense?
Moving insurance is a special insurance policy that covers damage to your moving goods during the move or transportation.
If you are moving privately, moving insurance is definitely recommended, as otherwise damage during transportation is not covered.
But even if you are moving with a professional company, additional moving insurance can make sense. Moving companies must have transport insurance, but the amount of damage is capped and you could be left with some of the costs.
4 What damage is covered?
In principle, moving insurance covers all items that are transported during the move. In other words: furniture, clothing, electrical appliances, books, tableware, etc. For example, if part of your tableware breaks during transportation due to falling, this would be a case for moving goods insurance.
5. Which damages are NOT covered?
As with all other types of insurance, there are also exceptions with moving insurance:
- Natural disasters: If the moving goods are damaged by a storm, for example, the insurance company is not liable.
- Animals and plants: In most cases, these are completely excluded from insurance cover.
- Valuables: Securities, gold, valuable jewelry, etc. are usually not insured or must be covered by supplementary insurance.
6. How much does moving insurance cost?
The costs depend primarily on the value of the transported goods and whether the insurance is taken out for the new value or the current value of the items.
Replacement value: The insurance replaces items at their current replacement value. The insurance rate will therefore be higher.
Current value: Only the value of the insured item at the time of the claim is reimbursed.
On average, you should expect to pay around 0.25% of the value of your household contents. For example, if the sum insured is CHF 50,000, you can expect to pay around CHF 125 for the insurance.
7. Damage report: What do I need to consider?
It is important that you report the moving damage to your insurance company as soon as possible. Firstly, you naturally want to receive compensation quickly and secondly, there is a certain deadline(depending on the policy) that you must meet when reporting the claim.
Visible damage (e.g. scratches or broken crockery) must be reported immediately (on the day of the move). Non-visible damage (e.g. defective electrical appliances) should be reported within 14 days.
It is also advisable to keep all bills and to take photos of particularly valuable items (e.g. jewelry, antique furniture) before moving in order to document their condition.
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