Trust & vetting
Moving Insurance & Valuation, Explained
Moving Union Standards Team6 min readUpdated July 2026
One of the most misunderstood parts of a move is coverage, and the confusion is costly when something is damaged or lost. The key thing to know up front: the 'valuation' a mover offers is not the same as insurance, and the free option covers far less than most people assume.
Valuation is not insurance
Valuation is the mover's level of liability for your belongings, set by federal rules for interstate moves. Insurance is a separate product from a third-party insurer. Interstate movers are required to offer two valuation options, and you should know which one you're getting before you sign.
The two valuation options
- Released Value, free, but only $0.60 per pound per article. A 40-lb TV that's destroyed pays out $24, not its replacement cost. It's the legal minimum, not real protection.
- Full Value Protection, you pay for it, and the mover is liable to repair, replace, or pay the item's current value (subject to deductibles and terms). This is the meaningful coverage for a whole-home move.
The 60-cents-per-pound trap
Released value sounds fine until you do the math. Coverage is by weight, not worth, so the heaviest items (appliances) are 'best' covered and the valuable-but-light items (electronics, art, a laptop, jewelry) are barely covered at all. A $15,000 grand piano weighs a few hundred pounds; released value wouldn't cover a fraction of it. If you own anything valuable, released value is a trap.
How to actually protect your belongings
- Choose full-value protection for a whole-home or high-value move, and read the deductible and terms.
- Ask whether high-value items must be listed separately to be covered.
- Consider separate moving insurance or a rider on your homeowner's/renter's policy for especially valuable items.
- Confirm coverage during any storage-in-transit, it doesn't always carry over.
- Get the valuation choice in writing on the estimate and bill of lading.
Confirming active insurance and the valuation options is part of the Union standard, see how we vet movers, and it matters most for specialty items like a piano. For a fair price to compare quotes against, our partner tool estimates what a move should cost.
Frequently asked
Is moving valuation the same as insurance?
No. Valuation is the mover's level of liability for your goods, set by federal rules for interstate moves. Insurance is a separate product from a third-party insurer. A mover can offer valuation, but it is not the same as an insurance policy, and the free valuation option covers very little.
What is released value protection?
It's the free, minimum valuation an interstate mover must offer: $0.60 per pound, per article. Because it pays by weight rather than value, it barely covers valuable-but-light items, a destroyed 40-pound TV would pay just $24. It's the legal floor, not real protection.
Should I buy full-value protection?
For a whole-home move or anything valuable, usually yes. Full-value protection makes the mover liable to repair, replace, or pay an item's current value, subject to the terms and deductible. Read what's covered, whether high-value items must be listed, and whether it extends through storage.