The valuation of possessions being shipped in any transfer of a person, family, or business from Little Rock to some other place – or from anywhere to anywhere – is severely regulated by the federal government.
It is true, generally, that your moving company is legally liable for any loss or destruction of your possessions at any time during the haul. It’s also liable for loss and damage while its crews are in direct contact with your belongings in satisfaction of any other Little Rock moving services for which you contracted. Such services should be noted on the bill of lading: packing, unpacking, disassembly and reassembly, for example.
But there are limits to your moving company’s liability. Those limits are determined by the federal Surface Transportation Board’s Released Rates Order. You can review a current copy of it here.
The essential thing is, know what choices you have available to you for the safety of your possessions. And know your Little Rock moving company. Just because a mover makes it known his firm is “fully insured and bonded” is no pledge that your items themselves are automatically covered. In that regard, your local mover being related to a large national van line is no assurance that you’re protected either. In both events, you might be required to purchase added third-party liability insurance. Your mover may offer to sell it to you, but he’s not legally required to do so. Ask questions right away to learn exactly what’s necessary.
Keep this top-of-mind when you’re researching your various avenues here in Little Rock: Two different degrees of moving-company liability are relevant to interstate moves – Full Replacement-Value Protection and Waiver of Full Replacement-Value Protection, or Released Value.
If you go for a Waiver of Full Replacement-Value Protection, or Released Value, you will, of course, receive minimal liability protection. But you won’t pay anything for it. What this measure of protection does is limit your mover’s liability to no more than 60 cents per pound, per article. Clearly, that’s not going to afford you enough of a reimbursement to replace any piece valued higher than 60 cents per pound! Things like stereo equipment, gym equipment, computer hardware, and computer software are thus considerably more at risk. That’s something to think about before you [[commit in writing to|contract with]150 any mover!
You could, however, have one additional option: your current homeowner’s policy. Go over it and speak with your insurance agent to discover if there’s anything in it regarding coverage of goods during a relocation. If so, you might find the minimum level of mover liability coverage – Released Value – adequate.
Just make sure you’re clear about what degree of protection your moving company is including in his quote: Full Protection or Released Value. That way, your move won’t hit you with any completely extraordinary surprises!
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