Full value protection vs released value for a move
The two levels of mover liability on an interstate move, what each pays if something breaks, and the paperwork that decides which one you get.
The BoxTrack team · · 5 min read
The TV came off the truck with a crack running corner to corner. It was a 50-inch set, bought two years earlier, and the mover's claims department was polite about it. They offered fifteen dollars. Somewhere in the stack of papers signed on moving morning was a line choosing "released value", and released value pays by the pound.
On an interstate move in the US, your mover's responsibility for your things comes at one of two levels: Full Value Protection or Released Value. Which one you get decides what a claim is worth. This guide explains both, what changes the outcome, and what to check before you sign.
Two levels, set by federal rules
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires interstate movers to offer both options. Its guide to valuation and insurance is the plain-language version. One point matters before anything else: neither option is insurance. They are levels of the mover's liability set by federal tariff rules, not policies governed by state insurance law.
| Full Value Protection | Released Value | |
|---|---|---|
| What the mover owes for a lost or broken item | Repair it, replace it, or pay what either would cost | Up to 60 cents per pound for that item |
| Cost to you | Varies by mover; a deductible can lower it | No extra charge |
| How you get it | It's the default | You have to choose it in writing |
| Example from the FMCSA: a 25-pound, 50-inch TV | Repair, replacement or its cost | $15 at most |
Full Value Protection
This is the level you get unless you choose otherwise. If something is lost, destroyed or damaged, the mover can repair it, replace it with something of like kind and quality, or pay you what the repair or replacement would cost. The choice of which is the mover's.
The price varies from company to company, and movers often offer deductible levels that reduce it. Ask for the options in writing, and compare them as carefully as the moving quote itself.
Released Value
This is the minimum. The mover's liability is limited to 60 cents per pound per article. That works out reasonably for a heavy, cheap item and terribly for a light, expensive one. A laptop, a camera or a 25-pound TV pays almost nothing.
There is no extra charge for it, but the FMCSA says you have to sign a specific statement agreeing to it. If that statement isn't signed, your shipment moves at Full Value Protection.
Items worth more than $100 a pound
There is a catch inside Full Value Protection. The FMCSA defines an article of extraordinary value as anything worth more than $100 per pound. The FMCSA gives jewelry, silverware, china, furs, antiques, oriental rugs and computer software as examples. Movers can limit their liability for these items unless you list them specifically on the shipping documents.
So before moving day:
- Make a separate list of anything small and valuable
- Ask the mover how it wants these declared, and get the explanation in writing
- Think about carrying the smallest valuables yourself, which avoids the question entirely
What about your own insurance?
Your homeowners or renters policy may cover some things during a move, and it may not. The NAIC's insurance guide to moving suggests calling your agent to confirm your belongings are covered while they're in transit, and to check how the deductible would apply to a claim. Policies differ widely, so get the answer for your own policy, not a general one.
Some movers and third-party companies also sell separate moving insurance. If you buy it, get a copy of the policy before the move and check what it covers and who handles claims.
If something arrives broken
The protection level only matters if you can show what was lost or damaged. The FMCSA's page on discovered loss and damage sets out the timeline:
The claim clock on an interstate move
- Note visible damage on the inventory at delivery, before you sign it. Damage you find later while unpacking can still be claimed.
- Photograph the item and the box it came in, and keep the packing materials until the claim is settled.
- File in writing, with a description of each item, its value and how you worked that value out.
- If the mover denies the claim or you can't agree, interstate movers have to offer an arbitration program for loss and damage disputes. The FMCSA can't force a settlement; a claim is a civil matter between you and the mover.
Getting the protection right
- At the estimateAsk for the Full Value Protection price and deductible options in writing
- Before you signRead the valuation section; don't initial released value by accident
- Packing weekList items worth more than $100 a pound and declare them
- Moving dayPhotograph high-value items and check the inventory sheet
- DeliveryNote damage before signing; file within 9 months
A list makes the claim
Whatever level you choose, a claim comes down to what you can prove was in the shipment, what condition it was in, and what it was worth. That's hard to rebuild from memory after the truck has gone.
BoxTrack keeps that record as you pack. Make a box in the app for each carton, snap a photo of what goes in, and AI lists the items with an estimated value for you to check. The photos show condition, the list shows what was in each box, and you can export it all to Excel for the claim form. See how BoxTrack helps with insurance records. Your first box is free.
For the rest of the paperwork, our guide to your moving inventory covers the mover's inventory sheet, and how to spot a moving scam covers checking the mover before you book.
Sources
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Valuation and insurance
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Understanding valuation (PDF)
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Discovered loss and damage
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Leaving home: insurance considerations for a move
This is general information, not legal or insurance advice. It covers interstate moves in the US; moves within one state follow that state's rules. Read your mover's paperwork and your own policy, and ask your mover or agent if anything is unclear.
