Insurance Coverage for International Moves
When you are planning to move internationally, you might be wondering on what to do in terms of insurance to help protect your valuable goods. You will have to make sure that you know all of the moving regulations involved, make sure that you have the correct documentation, and purchasing the right insurance so you are covered. Here are some things to consider when searching for what you need.
The first thing to understand about moving things internationally is that rules and regulations often differ between countries. Most of the time, you will be able to ship your items duty free, as long as you have owned them for a period of time before deciding to move. However, this does not always apply to things like electronics which may have different rules that apply.
To start with, if you have very expensive items or items that you consider to be personably valuable, you should not pack them yourself. Have a reputable moving company like Allied International do it for you, because they are familiar with how to pack them to avoid damage to your items. Furthermore, a lot of countries will not accept items through customs if they have not been packed by a professional, and you might find it difficult to insure items that are not packed professionally. To help with this process, make sure that the surveyor your moving company has sent out, prior to your move, knows about your valuable items. They will need to see the items firsthand, so they can give you a proper estimate on potential insurance value. It will give you a great understanding on how you will need to insure these pieces.
Every moving company that works internationally will offer different types of protection, so you will want to ask as many questions as you can, so you will know what coverages are available and what they do for you,. You will also want to determine if you your items will be shipped by boat or plane, which can affect how your insurance works. For the most part, there are three types of coverages, under varying names, that you can purchase. These are liability, total loss, and all-risk. Liability is a basic coverage that is based on what the relocation industry has set. Usually, shipments made by sea are covered for around $500 per package. Coverage for shipments made by air are determined based on weight. For total loss, your entire shipment must be destroyed or damaged for it to apply. It does not cover partial loss, so that is something to keep in mind. All-risk is the most expensive coverage, but is also the safest. It covers partial loss, water or fire damage, breakage, theft, and more. It will also cover non-delivery, making it the most recommend type of insurance for your items.
The price of insurance greatly depends on the type of policy you choose, and what the surveyor has determined the value of your items to be. You will want to make sure they you have purchased insurance that covers the total cost of your items, if you want to be completely safe. Every reputable moving company will offer you top of the line insurance, and can help you get the coverage you need affordably. Allied International can get you your pre-move survey, and provide you with excellent coverage so you can be assured your items will be insured the way you want.
