Insurance for your move: what removal companies cover, and what they don’t

Updated August 2026·12 min read

The 30-second answer

If you only read one section, read this one.

When a removal company says it’s “fully insured”, it usually means it holds goods in transit and public liability insurance. Those policies protect the business. What you can actually recover if something breaks is set by the company’s terms and conditions, which will cap the payout per item. That cap is commonly around £40 unless you pay for more, though it varies from firm to firm, so read the clause rather than assuming the number.

Three things follow from that:

• If you own anything worth more than the cap (and you do), decide before moving day whether to buy extended cover, rely on your home contents policy, or accept the risk.
• Anything you pack is usually excluded from damage cover entirely, however good the cover is otherwise.
• If something arrives broken, you’ll usually have days rather than weeks to report it in writing, commonly 7 days from delivery.

The rest of this guide unpacks each of those, with the exact questions to ask and a claims walkthrough for when it goes wrong. It’s part of our wider library of removal guides.

“We’re fully insured”: what that actually means

There are two completely different things people mean by “removals insurance”, and mixing them up is where most disappointment starts.

The company’s insurance. Reputable firms carry goods in transit (GIT) insurance (limits are set policy by policy, often tens of thousands of pounds per load), plus public liability cover. No law requires GIT cover, but members of the British Association of Removers (BAR) must protect customers’ goods, either by offering insurance against loss or damage or by accepting liability themselves backed by insurance, and must hold public liability cover too. These policies exist to protect the company against claims made against it.¹ They are not a promise to make you whole.

Your protection. What you can recover comes from the contract: the company’s liability terms. Those come in two flavours.

Standard limited liability: the £40-per-item reality

Under standard limited liability (the default on most quotes) your contract puts a ceiling on what the company owes you per item. In most firms’ terms that ceiling is around £40, but it is a contract term rather than a rule, so the only figure that matters is the one in your paperwork. Find it before you sign. Check how the terms define an “item” as well: under many contracts a packed box counts as a single item, contents and all. And it isn’t £40 per scratch. It’s £40 in total for that item, whatever it’s worth.

Worked example: the crew drops your £900 television. Under a £40 cap, the company owes you £40. Your six-seater sofa gets gouged beyond repair: £40. Many firms also apply an aggregate cap on the whole load under basic cover, typically somewhere in the £10,000-£25,000 range, so a serious incident (a van fire, say) wouldn’t come close to replacing an average household’s contents.

Extended liability and full value protection

Every serious firm offers a higher tier, variously called extended liability, enhanced cover or full value protection. You declare the total value of your goods (and itemise anything unusual), and the company accepts liability up to that declared value. Check whether settlement is new-for-old (replacement cost) or indemnity (value minus wear and tear). The difference is significant on older furniture.

What it costs, as of 2026:

• Through the remover: typically around 10% of the removal cost, so roughly £200 of extra cover on a £2,000 move.
• Standalone removals insurance from a specialist insurer: typically around 1-3% of the declared value of your goods.

What’s covered vs what’s not

Exclusions vary firm to firm, but the pattern below is a common one across UK removal contracts. None of it is a legal rule: your own terms decide what you get back, so read them against this list rather than instead of it. This table reflects typical standard and extended cover as of August 2026.

The owner-packed box trap

This is the exclusion that generates the most grief. If you packed the box, the company can’t verify how well its contents were protected, so most contracts exclude breakage inside owner-packed boxes, or hold it at the standard per-item cap even if you’ve paid for enhanced cover. It is worth finding that clause in your own terms, because it is the one most likely to decide a claim. Some firms will only extend full cover to fragile items if their own crew packed them.

That turns packing into a genuine financial decision, not just a time-saving one:

• Pay for professional packing (or at least a “fragile pack” service for glassware, china and artwork) and those boxes come inside the cover.
• Pack yourself and you’re effectively self-insuring everything in those boxes, so pack to a professional standard. Our guide to how to pack for a house move covers materials, box weights and wrapping technique room by room.

High-value and fragile items

Antiques, artwork, pianos, designer furniture and anything else worth serious money need to be declared and itemised in writing before the move, with values. Undeclared items default to the standard cap even under enhanced cover. For genuinely valuable pieces, tell the company at survey stage. Pianos and marble tables also change the crew, kit and price they quote.

Does your home insurance cover the move?

Often, yes, and it’s worth checking before you pay a remover 10% extra. Around 88% of home contents policies cover your possessions during a house move as standard (a Defaqto figure, as of recent analysis). But the small print matters, and the restrictions are remarkably consistent:

• Professional removers only. Almost all policies require the move to be carried out by a professional removal firm. Hire a van and do it yourself and you’re almost certainly not covered.
• Professional packing for fragiles. Many insurers only cover breakage of china, glass and similar if it was professionally packed, the owner-packed exclusion again, from the other direction.
• Jewellery and money are commonly excluded during a move even when everything else is covered.
• Single-item limits still apply: if your policy caps unspecified items at £1,500, that cap follows your goods into the van.

Call your insurer before booking and ask precisely: “Am I covered during a professional house move, and what are the conditions on packing, fragile items and valuables?” Get the answer in writing or note the date, time and agent’s name.

Buildings cover: start at exchange, not completion

If you’re buying, you become responsible for the property at exchange of contracts in England and Wales, not on moving day.² Buildings insurance on the new place needs to start from the exchange date. Your solicitor should flag this; don’t let it slip in the moving-week chaos.

Goods going into storage

Contents policies that cover the move typically only cover goods in storage for a limited window (7 to 30 days is typical) after which you’re relying on the storage company’s cover or a separate storage insurance policy. If there’s a gap between completion dates, check this limit before assuming you’re covered, and ask the storage firm what its liability terms are (they’re often per-square-foot and surprisingly low).

Questions to ask before you book

Five minutes on the phone with these questions tells you more than any “fully insured” badge. Ask them of every firm you’re comparing, and get the answers in writing (email is fine).

• What is your standard per-item liability limit? Around £40 is the common answer, but it’s their contract term, not a fixed rule, so get their number in writing. If they won’t give one, walk away.
• Is there an aggregate cap on the whole load? Basic cover often tops out at £10,000-£25,000 in total.
• What does extended / full value cover cost, and is it new-for-old or indemnity? Roughly 10% of the removal cost is normal via the remover; compare with standalone cover at ~1-3% of declared value.
• Is it insurance or contractual liability? Either can be fine; you just want to know what you’re buying.
• Are boxes I pack myself covered? Usually not for breakage. Ask what a fragile-packing service costs.
• How do I declare high-value items, and is there a form? Undeclared valuables default to the standard cap.
• What’s the claims window and the process? Commonly 7 days’ written notice from delivery, with the option to ask for more time. Get the exact deadline, because it’s the one that will bite.
• Is there an excess on claims? Some enhanced policies carry one; factor it in.
• Does cover continue if my goods go into your storage? And on what terms.
• Are you a BAR (or Move Assured) member? BAR membership brings an obligation to protect customers’ goods and access to free ombudsman dispute resolution. Verify on the association’s own website, not just the logo on theirs.

The removal company damaged my furniture: what to do

Damage claims are not a rare event, and the firms have a well-worn process for them. Here’s yours. The clock starts the moment the van doors open.

1. Document everything on delivery day. Before the crew leaves, walk the rooms. Photograph any damage in place (wide shot plus close-up), and note it on the delivery sheet or inventory before you sign. If you can’t fully check everything (nobody can), write “unexamined, subject to inspection” next to your signature rather than signing clean. A clean signature isn’t fatal to a claim, but a noted one makes it far stronger.
2. Send written notice fast, commonly within 7 days. Most removals contracts require you to notify the company of loss or damage in writing within a short window, most often 7 days from delivery. Check yours for the exact deadline, and treat it as an outer limit rather than a free run: terms usually also require you to report damage as soon as you find it, or as soon as you reasonably should have. Email is fine. List each damaged item, attach photos, and state that you’re claiming under their liability terms. Still unpacking? Most terms let you ask, in writing inside that same window, for an extension, and say the company won’t unreasonably refuse. Use that rather than rushing an incomplete list.
3. Escalate to a formal complaint if the offer disappoints. If the company rejects the claim or offers £40 for your £900 TV when you’d paid for full cover, put in a formal written complaint. BAR members must acknowledge within 3 working days and resolve within 8 weeks under their CTSI-approved code of practice. Keep everything in writing and keep copies.¹
4. BAR member? Go to the ombudsman. It’s free. If 8 weeks pass or you reach deadlock, the Furniture & Home Improvement Ombudsman (fhio.3org, 0333 241 3209) handles disputes with BAR members at no cost to you.³ You must have completed the firm’s internal process first and contacted the FHIO within 12 months of the move. Its decision is binding on the company but not on you.³ If you don’t like the outcome, court remains open.³
5. Not a BAR member? Use your legal rights. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires the service to be carried out with reasonable care and skill, and you have up to 6 years to bring a claim in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (5 years in Scotland).^45, 6, 7 Send a “letter before action” giving 14 days to settle, then file through the small claims process on gov.8uk. Citizens Advice can help you frame the claim. Contractual notice periods limit claims under the contract’s own liability scheme. They don’t erase your statutory rights, though claiming promptly always makes your evidence stronger.

Why a BAR member changes the picture

You don’t have to use a British Association of Removers member, and plenty of excellent independents aren’t members. But on the specific question of what happens when things go wrong, membership buys you four concrete protections:

• An obligation to protect your goods. Members must either offer you insurance against loss or damage or accept liability themselves backed by insurance, and must hold public liability cover. With a non-member, you’re taking their word for it (or asking for the certificate, which you should do anyway).
• The Advanced Payment Guarantee. Members are financially vetted, and if a member is formally and finally placed into liquidation after you’ve paid in advance but before your move, the scheme covers the reasonable cost of another BAR member completing the removal, up to the sum you prepaid.⁹ Note the limits: a firm that has merely stopped trading or gone into administration doesn’t trigger it, and it pays for the move to be finished rather than refunding you. Removal firm insolvencies do happen, and deposits at non-members are generally just lost.
• A CTSI-approved code of practice. The BAR code (approved under the Chartered Trading Standards Institute scheme) sets the 3-working-day acknowledgement and 8-week resolution standard for complaints. BAR also publishes the model contract terms many members work from, which is where the caps, exclusions and notice periods described in this guide typically come from. Read the set your own firm gives you: that is the document that binds you.
• Free, binding dispute resolution. Access to the FHIO ombudsman route in step 4 above. Against a non-member, your escalation path is straight to small claims court, slower, and with fees upfront.

Frequently asked questions

Is removals insurance worth it?

Run the numbers rather than defaulting either way. If your contents policy covers the move (around 88% do as standard) and you’re happy with its conditions, paying the remover another 10% may duplicate cover you already have. If your policy excludes moves, you’re self-packing valuables, or your contents are worth far more than the firm’s aggregate cap, extended cover is cheap relative to the exposure. The one always-bad option is assuming “fully insured” means you’re protected.

How much does removals insurance cost?

As of 2026: extended cover bought through the removal company typically costs around 10% of the removal price, roughly £200 on a £2,000 move. Standalone removals insurance from a specialist insurer typically runs at 1-3% of the declared value of your goods, which can work out cheaper for high-value contents. Both routes require you to declare values honestly; under-declaring can proportionately reduce any payout.

Are removal companies liable for damage?

Yes, but only to the extent set out in their terms, and those terms will cap the payout per item, commonly at around £40 under standard limited liability, with common exclusions for owner-packed boxes, valuables, and pairs and sets. The cap is a contract term rather than a legal figure, so check what your firm’s paperwork actually says. Separately, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires them to work with reasonable care and skill, which gives you a legal route if their service fell below that standard.

How long do I have to claim against a removal company?

Most removals contracts require written notice of damage within a short window, commonly 7 days from delivery, and let you request an extension in writing inside that window. Check your own terms for the exact deadline. The firm’s internal complaints process should resolve within 8 weeks, after which BAR-member disputes can go to the FHIO ombudsman (within 12 months of the move). Your underlying legal claim under the Consumer Rights Act lasts up to 6 years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Does home contents insurance cover a man with a van?

Usually not. The ~88% of contents policies that cover moves almost always require a professional removal firm, and many “man with a van” operations don’t qualify. Some carry no goods in transit insurance at all. If you’re using one, ask to see their GIT certificate and check your own policy’s wording; otherwise assume anything broken is your loss.

Will claiming against a removal company affect my home insurance no-claims bonus?

No. A claim against the removal company under its liability terms is a claim against the company, not against your own policy, so your home insurance no-claims discount is unaffected. It’s only if you claim on your own contents policy for move damage that your no-claims position could be touched.

Are my things insured while they’re in storage?

Partially. Contents policies that cover a move typically extend to stored goods for only 7-30 days; a remover’s transit cover may extend into its own storage, but confirm the terms in writing. For longer storage you’ll need the storage firm’s cover (check its per-item limits carefully) or a dedicated storage insurance policy.

What items won’t removal companies cover at all?

Commonly excluded across removals contracts: jewellery, watches, cash and important documents (move these yourself, and check whether phones and laptops are on the same list), plants and perishables, breakage inside boxes you packed, internal electrical or mechanical failure with no visible damage, and consequential losses such as hotel bills. Several of these overlap with items firms won’t transport at all. See our guide to what not to pack.

Sources

Figures, deadlines and rules in this guide are referenced below. Each source was checked on 10 August 2026. Links open in a new tab.

1. British Association of Removers, BAR CTSI Approved Consumer Code of Practice (approved by Board 21 July 2022) (2022).
2. GOV.UK, How to buy a home (2025).
3. The Furniture & Home Improvement Ombudsman, Dispute resolution for British Association of Removers (2026).
4. legislation.gov.uk, Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 (2015).
5. legislation.gov.uk, Limitation Act 1980, section 5 (1980).
6. legislation.gov.uk, Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973, section 6 (1973).
7. legislation.gov.uk, Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, article 4 (1989).
8. Ministry of Justice – Civil Procedure Rules, Practice Direction – Pre-Action Conduct and Protocols, paragraph 6(b) (2025).
9. British Association of Removers, BAR Advanced Payment Guarantee Scheme Trust – General Terms (revised June 2022, effective 1 July 2022) (2022).