Transit Insurance for Household Shifting: What It Really Covers

"Fully insured" is on almost every mover's website. It is also one of the least understood parts of a moving contract, and the gap between what customers assume and what policies cover is where disputes are born.

Two very different things called "insurance"

• Full-value protection / declared value cover. You declare the value of your goods, pay a premium as a percentage of that value, and covered loss or damage is settled against that declared value. This is real insurance.
• Limited carrier liability. Often included "free". Compensation is capped at a small amount per kilogram, regardless of what the item was worth. A 3 kg laptop is compensated as 3 kg of cargo — which is nowhere near its replacement cost.

What the premium typically costs

Full-value transit cover usually runs at roughly 1% to 3% of the declared value of goods. On household goods declared at ₹5,00,000, that is somewhere in the range of ₹5,000 to ₹15,000. Rates vary with route, distance and whether packing was done by the mover.

What is usually covered

• Damage from accident, collision or overturning of the vehicle
• Fire and explosion
• Theft of the entire consignment
• Damage while loading and unloading, when done by the mover's crew
• Natural calamity during transit, depending on the policy

What is usually NOT covered

• Owner-packed cartons. If you packed it yourself, damage inside that carton is typically excluded. This is the single most common claim rejection.
• Cash, jewellery and valuable documents. Almost universally excluded — carry these yourself.
• Pre-existing damage and normal wear.
• Mechanical or electrical failure with no external physical damage. A fridge that stops cooling with an unmarked body is usually not covered.
• Perishables, plants and live animals.
• Scratches and dents below a policy threshold, in some contracts.
• Delay — insurance covers loss and damage, not late delivery.

The declared value inventory matters more than the policy

A policy without a signed, itemised inventory of declared value is very hard to claim against, because there is no agreed record of what was handed over or what it was worth. Before the truck leaves:

• Make sure every significant item is listed individually with a declared value
• Sign it and keep your copy
• Photograph high-value items before packing, with timestamps
• Keep purchase invoices for expensive electronics and appliances

How to file a claim

1. Note the damage on the delivery receipt before signing. This is the step people skip, and it is the one that matters most.
2. Photograph the damage immediately, including the packaging it came in.
3. Notify the mover in writing — email, so there is a timestamp — usually within 24 to 48 hours.
4. Do not discard the damaged item or its packing until the claim is settled; a surveyor may need to inspect it.
5. Submit the signed inventory, delivery receipt, photographs, and purchase invoices where available.
6. Follow up in writing and keep a record of every communication.

So is it worth it?

It depends on what you are moving and how far.

• Usually worth it: interstate moves, homes with expensive electronics or appliances, glass and marble furniture, anything irreplaceable, and long transits with transhipment.
• Often not necessary: a short local shift of modest, older, easily replaceable furniture over a few kilometres.

The honest way to decide: add up what it would cost you to replace the five most expensive things in the truck. If that number would genuinely hurt, insure it.

Frequently Asked Questions

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