Are your belongings insured when you move home?
We treat “insured” as the start of the check, not the whole answer. Your belongings may have goods in transit cover, but limits, exclusions, who packed each box, and claim deadlines decide what happens if something is broken, lost, or damaged during your move.
Treat “insured” as a starting point, not the answer
A removal firm saying “fully insured” gives you a useful first signal, but it does not tell you enough on its own. We want to know what cover applies to your exact move, what limit applies, what has to be declared in writing, and what the terms say about damage.
A sofa marked by a van strap and jewellery left in a drawer are very different risks. One is a normal moving item being handled and transported. The other may sit outside normal removal cover unless it was declared and agreed before moving day.
Price matters, of course. Protection matters more when something goes wrong. Before you book, ask for the cover in writing and read the terms before anything is loaded.
An employed team, published pricing, and full insurance on every job, from a single item to a full house.
Get a Free QuoteSeparate belongings cover from property damage
A wardrobe going through a shared London hallway can create two different problems: damage to the wardrobe, and damage to the wall or lift. Those problems do not sit under the same wording.
At GT Removals, we treat belongings cover and property protection as separate checks before the job, because London moves often involve tight stairs, shared entrances, building rules, and pressure around parking or loading. The cover you want for a scratched table is different from the cover you want if a communal wall is marked.
| Cover type | What it usually relates to | What not to assume |
|---|---|---|
| Goods in transit insurance | Your belongings while they are being moved, handled, or transported | Do not assume every item is covered for full replacement value in every situation |
| Public liability insurance | Injury or damage to other property connected with the moving work | Do not treat it as a substitute for belongings cover |
| Moving-day paperwork | Notes on the job sheet, worksheet, delivery receipt, or inventory | Do not sign in a rush if visible damage needs to be recorded |
Public liability insurance is about claims linked to business activity, including personal injury and loss of or damage to property. The Association of British Insurers explains it in those terms, which is why we separate it from goods in transit insurance when we talk through a move.
London access makes this point practical. A flat move with a lift, building management rules, and a narrow entrance needs care around the building as well as care around the items. If movers damaged your furniture, you would look at belongings cover. If movers damaged your wall or floor, you would look at property damage cover and what was recorded on the paperwork.
If you have high value items, declare them in writing before moving day and keep a copy of the agreement. That is the simplest way to avoid disputes about limits later.
Check self-packed boxes and excluded items
A mover cannot verify what it cannot see. Self-packed boxes create problems because the contents, packing method, and condition before loading are all hidden once the box is sealed.
Fragile items are the usual pressure point. If you pack glassware loosely, then a box arrives with broken contents, the question becomes whether the damage came from poor packing or from the move itself. That is why packing responsibility matters, especially where owner-packed goods are involved.
Some items also need written agreement before moving day. Our published terms exclude certain categories from normal removal or storage unless agreed in writing first, including dangerous or explosive items, jewellery, watches, money, plants, perishables, animals, and goods that need special licence or government permission.
The British Association of Removers model terms also treat the entire contents of a box, parcel, package, carton, or similar container as one item. That wording matters because a “per item” limit may apply to the whole box, not each thing inside it.
If something is unusual, valuable, fragile, restricted, or hard to prove later, declare it before the move and get the agreement in writing.
Read the limits and deadlines before moving day
Cover has value only if you know the limit, declare the value properly, and report damage in time. A missed declaration or a late claim can leave you with far less protection than you expected.
Standard liability means the mover accepts responsibility up to an agreed limit under the terms. Limited liability is more restricted, often with a per-item cap. Plainly, those two positions are miles apart if a high-value item is damaged.
At GT Removals, our published terms state a standard liability cap of £10,000 unless a higher amount is agreed. They also state a limited liability cap of £40 per item if the customer does not provide a declaration of value or does not require standard liability. The same terms require loss or damage claims to be notified in writing as soon as discovered and within 7 days of delivery, unless an extension is requested in writing within that period.
Before booking, ask these questions in plain language:
- What cover applies to my belongings during the move?
- What is the total cover limit for my job?
- Is there a per-item limit, and how is an “item” defined?
- How do I declare the value of my goods in writing?
- Are self-packed boxes treated differently from items packed by your team?
- What must be written on the job sheet, worksheet, or delivery receipt if damage is visible?
- How quickly must I report loss or damage in writing?
Do this before moving day, because the right time to fix unclear cover is before the van is loaded.
Check whether self-packed boxes are treated differently from items packed by the mover. A short note on the job sheet can matter if damage is discovered after delivery.
Judge the mover by written cover, not the lowest quote
Lowest price does not protect your move by itself. Clear written cover does.
A proper removal quote should make the cover easy to check. We would expect the terms, cover limits, exclusions, and moving-day paperwork to be plain before you book, not explained after something has gone wrong. If a mover cannot explain who covers what, the phrase “fully insured” has not done enough work.
Ask who will turn up as well. Our own employed, trained team carries out the jobs we quote, which matters because accountability is much clearer when the people handling the move belong to the same business that gave you the terms and paperwork.
A safer booking is built on written cover, declared value, clear exclusions, and prompt damage reporting. The main thing to prioritise is written proof of what applies to your exact move, because protection is a system you can check before moving day, not a phrase on a website.
Call, fill in the form, or send a few photos on WhatsApp and most quotes come back within a few hours.
Get a Free QuoteQuestions we get asked about removal cover
Does moving house insurance cover everything I own?
Moving house cover does not automatically cover every item in every situation. The answer depends on the mover’s terms, the declared value, exclusions, who packed the goods, and how quickly damage is reported.
Are self-packed boxes covered by removals insurance?
Self-packed boxes may have limits because the mover did not see the contents, condition, or packing method before loading. Fragile or valuable items should be declared and agreed in writing before the move.
What happens if movers damage a wall, floor, or lift?
Damage to walls, floors, lifts, or communal areas is treated separately from damage to your belongings. You should make sure the damage is noted on the job sheet, worksheet, or delivery receipt as soon as practical.
Do I need to declare the value of my belongings before moving?
A written declaration of value helps set the right level of cover for the move. If you do not declare value, limited liability terms may apply instead.
How quickly should I report damage after a move?
Damage should be reported in writing as soon as you find it. Some removal terms set a short deadline, so check the claim notice wording before moving day rather than after.
This is general information, not professional advice.
