Customers hiring long distance movers often assume their belongings are protected the way a homeowners policy protects them, according to a new guide released by Olympia Moving & Storage, a Boston moving company. The company says that assumption is wrong, and that the gap between what customers believe they bought and what they actually chose only becomes clear after an item arrives damaged.
Federal rules require every interstate mover to offer two levels of liability coverage. Released Value Protection is the basic option and carries no additional cost, but it pays just 60 cents per pound per article. Under that formula, a 25-pound television that cost $800 would settle for $15. Full Value Protection obligates the mover to repair the damaged item, replace it, or offer a cash settlement based on current market value.
Customers choose between the two during the estimate, a decision the company says can take under five minutes and sometimes happens without anyone explaining what the difference actually means. The guide covers the distinction between valuation and insurance, the two coverage levels, and the federal deadlines that govern claims.
Piet Gauchat, president of Olympia Moving & Storage, said the conversation is worth having early. "Most customers assume they are covered the way their homeowners policy covers them, and that is not how this works," Gauchat said. "We would rather have the slightly awkward ten minute conversation during the estimate than a frustrating one after delivery."
The implications extend beyond a single household. Once damage occurs, federal rules take over. A customer has nine months from the delivery date to file a written claim. The mover then has 30 days to acknowledge the claim and 120 days to pay it, deny it, or offer a settlement. Those protections benefit customers who know the deadlines exist, and the guide notes that the timelines are easy to miss for anyone who does not.
Olympia said it documents the condition of items before anything leaves the house. Crews note existing wear on high-value pieces, photograph items, and flag what needs custom crating rather than a blanket and a strap. On commercial projects run through Scope360, a single job might include lab equipment, medical devices, and IT infrastructure, so the team builds documentation into the plan at the first walkthrough instead of sorting it out on move day.
The guide closes with steps that reduce risk with any mover. Customers should declare items of extraordinary value in writing and report visible damage at delivery, while the crew and the paperwork are still available. Boxes a customer packs themselves are also assessed differently than boxes the crew packs, a point the company says catches people off guard more than any other part of the process.
"Nobody wants to talk about damage before a move," Gauchat said. "But the customer who understands the coverage they picked is the customer who never gets blindsided."
Olympia Moving & Storage handles long distance residential moves and commercial relocations across Boston, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Austin, and Tampa. The company is headquartered at 17 Bridge Street, Watertown, MA 02472.
