When thinking of the best home moving company in Sterling, VA; Alexandria, VA; Fredericksburg, VA; Loudon County - I suppose I should say the best moving company in northern VA - one that will handle your valuables with care, Victory Van Corporation (an Allied Van Lines agent) should always come first.
With Victory Van you have nothing to worry about. We take care of your things just like they are our own. And, we also offer the best moving protection available, called valuation.
Keep reading to learn more about the valuation protection we offer to all of our clients.
Our experience, training and stringent standards have made us the northern Virginia movers that customers trust more than any other van line available.
Valuation for Accidents.
But sometimes, no matter how hard we try, unforeseen damage to an item may occur due to bumpy road condition or other uncontrollable factors.
To protect your things from an accident during your home move, Victory Van offers Valuation coverage. Many clients think this is moving insurance, but valuation coverage is not insurance. This is a common misunderstanding and we'll explain below.
Insurance is sold by licensed insurance companies or agents. Insurance provides coverage for loss or damage due to natural events such as, fire. If a hailstorm rolls through during your home move and destroys all of your stuff, your insurance company would cover it.
Valuation coverage, on the other hand, is provided by moving companies. It should always be factored into the cost of moving.
It provides coverage for loss or damage during your move. It may seem expensive right now, but if an accident does happen, your cost of moving will be much higher than purchasing valuation.
For example, if a mover trips walking up the stairs and drops a vase, with valuation, you’re covered. However, if that hailstorm rolls through during your move and destroys all of your stuff, the moving company wouldn’t be responsible.
Valuation coverage is essentially used to set up expectations between the customer and the moving company should something be damaged during the move. It explains how the moving company will handle the damage claim. Once you decide on a mover, they will present you with a document that talks about valuation.
If they do not, this should be a red flag.
The Valuation coverage are;
- The basic liability coverage (Released Value) offered at no additional charge
- The full valuation coverage offered at an additional fee (Allied Van Lines calls this ”Extra Care Protection" (ECP).
Basic Liability Coverage.
Basic liability coverage is the most economical of the two options since by default it is included in the cost of your move. But it offers minimal coverage.
Basic liability is not recommended if you’re moving higher-value items. Under this option, Victory Van lines assumes liability at a rate of $0.60 per pound per article based on the weight of the lost or damaged item regardless if the move is local or long distance.
Let me give you a simple example:
Let's assume you have a 10 pound Samsung TV (purchased a year ago for $1,000) that is damaged during the move. Victory Van would be liable for 60 cents per pound x 10 lbs or $6. If a 100-pound desk was accidentally lost/stolen/damaged or destroyed during the move you would be reimbursed at 60 cents per pound x $100 lbs or $60—no matter how much you paid for it.
Keep in mind, though, when it comes to protecting your belongings, one size does not fit all. The level of protection you need may be greater than minimum levels based on your total shipment weight.
Be sure to consider your high-value items, such as artwork, in the determination of the protection coverage best suited for your belongings.
Basic Liability Protection is free of charge with your move, but always make sure you confirm this in writing.
Full valuation coverage (Extra Care Protection)
Extra Care Protection (ECP) is a comprehensive level of valuation coverage for your household goods up to an amount determined by you that allows Victory to settle your damage claim and resolve the situation quickly.
Victory offers you total peace of mind with ECP, the most comprehensive protection plan in the industry. ECP covers the cost to repair or replace, whichever is less, any household item that is properly documented as lost, damaged, or destroyed.
Unlike basic liability coverage, ECP is not based on a per-item coverage amount—it covers the total value of your belongings, regardless of each individual item’s weight.
ECP coverage extends to matched sets and pairs such as lamps, candlesticks or end tables. If you choose ECP and your damaged item cannot be repaired to its original condition, we will provide you like kind and quality replacement compensation.
Complete replacement of multiple item sets of china, gold and silver flatware, and crystal glassware are excluded from pairs and sets protection under the ECP Plan.
Extra Care for Your Valuables.
If your high value items (defined as items valued at $100 per pound or higher) are to be moved, Victory Van can help you prepare a High Value Inventory Form. You must present the High Value Inventory Form to your Personal Relocation Consultant and/or your driver prior to packing your household goods so that we can be sure your shipment has the correct level of ECP coverage.
Let's say you bought your new television for $1,600, and it weighs 180 pounds. With ECP, if the television is damaged beyond repair, you receive full replacement value; whereas with Basic coverage, your coverage is limited to $0.60 cents per pound of the item.
Plan Compensation;
ECP $1,600.00 (Full Replacement Value)
Basic $108.00 (180 pounds times $0.60 per pound)
As you can see by this comparison, ECP offers the best overall coverage protection for your belongings.
Whichever coverage option you choose, customers are given a certain period of time to make a claim on damaged items. This allows you to take your time to unpack without having to worry about checking every single item for nicks and dings before your moving crew leaves.
There are some things that will limit your mover's liability. These would include:
- Packing perishable, dangerous or hazardous materials in your household goods without your mover's knowledge.
- Packing your own boxes. You may consider packing your own household goods articles to reduce your costs, but if the articles you pack are damaged, it may be more difficult to establish your claim against the mover for the boxes you pack.
- Choosing Released Value coverage when your household goods are valued at more than 60 cents per pound per article.
- Failing to notify your mover in writing about articles of extraordinary value.
Understanding valuation and choosing the right coverage is confusing. It's even confusing for people in the business. Victory Van lines is here in Sterling, VA; Leesburg, VA; Alexandria, VA; Fredericksburg, VA, to help you with all your moving questions and needs.
Call us today at 1-800-572-3131 for more information.Or click below to learn more about valuation and for your free online quote.
