Removals insurance comes down to two policies. Goods in transit insurance covers your belongings while they are being moved, and public liability insurance covers accidental damage to property while the crew are working. Neither is required by law in the UK, which is exactly why both are worth asking about before you book.
This guide explains what each policy does, what it usually will not pay out on, and the questions to put to any removal company.
Goods in transit insurance
Goods in transit insurance, often shortened to GIT, covers your belongings while they are being loaded, carried and unloaded. If a wardrobe is damaged on the stairs or a television takes a knock in the van, this is the policy a claim goes through.
Three details decide how useful that cover actually is.
- Cover limit. The maximum the policy will pay out on one move. A limit that suits a one bedroom flat will not stretch to a four bedroom house.
- Exclusions. Most policies leave out certain items and certain situations. More on those below.
- Excess. The amount you contribute to any claim. A high excess can make the policy irrelevant for smaller items, so it is better to know the figure before moving day than after it.
Ask for the limit and the excess as numbers rather than as reassurance.
Public liability insurance
Public liability insurance covers accidental damage to property that does not belong to the removals company. In practice that usually means your home. Scuffed walls, a chipped door frame, a scratched floor, or damage to a neighbour’s car on a shared drive.
Cover is normally arranged in set tiers, commonly £1 million, £2 million or £5 million. The right level depends on the type of work a company takes on rather than on the size of your move.
If a company cannot tell you which limit it holds, treat that as an answer in itself.
What removals insurance usually will not cover
Exclusions matter more than headline cover limits, because exclusions are where most disagreements start. Wording varies between insurers, so treat the table below as a set of questions rather than a fixed rule.
| Situation | Usually covered? | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Boxes packed by you | Often excluded | The crew cannot see how the contents were wrapped |
| Cash, jewellery, passports, deeds | Excluded | Treated as high value or irreplaceable |
| Damage that was already there | Excluded | Cover applies to damage caused during the move |
| An appliance that stops working with no visible damage | Often excluded | Internal failure sits apart from transit damage |
| A loaded van left overnight | Often restricted | The theft risk changes once a vehicle is unattended |
| Items sitting in storage | Excluded from transit cover | Storage is normally a separate policy |
Antiques, artwork and specialist equipment are worth raising early. Higher value items often need to be listed individually and valued before anyone will agree to cover them.
Five questions to ask before you book
Every question below can be answered in a sentence by a company that has its paperwork in order.
- Do you hold goods in transit insurance, and what is the limit per move? A clear figure is a good sign. A vague answer is not.
- What is your public liability limit? Ask for it in writing rather than as a verbal yes.
- Are boxes I pack myself covered? If you are doing your own packing, this changes what you are protected against.
- What is the excess, and how does a claim work? Find out who you report damage to and how long you have to do it.
- Are you independently accredited? An outside check is not a policy document, but it does mean somebody other than the company has looked at how it operates.
Asking takes five minutes. Finding out on moving day takes considerably longer.
Does your home insurance cover the move?
Some home contents policies extend during a house move, but very few do it automatically. Read your own policy before you assume you are covered, and if the wording is unclear, ring your insurer and ask them to confirm it.
Restrictions to look out for:
- Cover applies only when a professional company carries out the move
- Fragile or high value items have to be declared separately
- Accidental damage caused by the crew sits with the company’s policy, not yours
- Cover can lapse while goods are held overnight or placed into storage
Is removals insurance a legal requirement?
Goods in transit and public liability insurance are not legally required in the UK. Employers’ liability insurance is. Any business with employees has to hold it for at least £5 million, take it out with an authorised insurer, and display the certificate where staff can see it. GOV.UK sets the fine at £2,500 for every day a business is not properly insured.
Vehicle insurance is compulsory too, but it covers the van rather than what is inside it. That gap is what goods in transit insurance exists to close.
So a mover can trade perfectly legally with very thin protection for your belongings. That is the reason these questions are worth asking.
Where accreditation fits in
Move Assured is an independent accreditation scheme for UK removals companies, and members are checked before they are listed on its public register.
We are Move Assured accredited and listed with ThreeBest Rated. Our house removals service is fully insured and accredited, our team are uniformed and trained, and protective materials for floors, furniture and valuables are included as standard rather than charged as an extra.
Accreditation does not replace the questions above. It is a sign that a company is used to being checked.
FAQs
What is goods in transit insurance?
Goods in transit insurance covers your belongings while a removals company is loading, transporting and unloading them. If items are damaged during the move, a claim goes through this policy, subject to the cover limit, the excess and the exclusions in the wording. Ask any mover for the limit and the excess before you book.
Do removal companies have to have public liability insurance?
No. Public liability insurance is not a legal requirement for removals companies in the UK, although most established firms carry it. It covers accidental damage to your home or to third party property while the crew are working. A company that will not confirm the limit it holds is worth a closer look.
What should I do if something is damaged during my move?
Tell the removals company as soon as you notice, and put it in writing the same day where you can. Photograph the item and the packaging it came out of, and keep both until the claim is settled. Ask the company how its claims process works and what the deadline for reporting damage is.
Do I need to buy my own removals insurance?
For most house moves with an insured, accredited company, the company’s own cover does the job. Arranging something extra is worth considering if you are moving items that are unusually valuable or impossible to replace. It is also worth checking whether your home contents policy extends during a move.
Moving soon and want the cover confirmed in writing?
We are happy to answer every question on this page before you commit to anything. Tell us what needs moving, where it is going and when, and we will come back with a clear quote.
Let our family move yours.