A removals firm pulling up outside the house represents the moment when several years’ worth of belongings hand over to strangers in a van. It’s a fair time to wonder what house move insurance actually covers, and what it doesn’t. The answer is more layered than most people realise: there isn’t one policy, there are usually three, and the gaps between them are where most disputes happen. This guide walks through the three layers, what each one does, what tends to be excluded, and the questions worth asking before moving day.
The three layers of cover on moving day
When you book a move, three different policies are quietly working in the background. Knowing which is which keeps you out of trouble if something goes wrong.
Goods-in-transit insurance is the carrier’s own cover. It sits with the removals firm and protects belongings while they’re being loaded, transported, and unloaded by the crew. Cover levels and per-item limits vary firm to firm.
Full removals insurance (sometimes called “all-risks” or “marine-style” cover) is a separate policy you can buy on top of the carrier’s cover. It’s broader, often higher per-item, and usually includes risks that goods-in-transit excludes. It’s optional, and many movers don’t realise they can buy it.
Home contents insurance is the policy you already have on your existing property. It covers your belongings at the address, and most policies extend in some form to cover items during a move, but the rules vary widely between insurers.
The three overlap in places and leave gaps in others. A piece of furniture damaged on the lorry might be covered by goods-in-transit. The same piece dropped while being carried into the new house might fall to either the goods-in-transit cover or your home contents policy depending on the wording. A self-packed box of glassware that arrives smashed often falls to neither.
What goods-in-transit cover typically includes
Goods-in-transit is the standard carrier liability that any reputable UK removals firm holds. It covers loss or damage to your belongings caused by the firm’s activity: dropping, vehicle accident, fire on the van, theft from a locked vehicle.
Most reputable removals firms hold goods-in-transit insurance, including Simply Moving. Cover levels vary firm to firm and the policy will have a per-item limit (the maximum payable on any single item) as well as a total claim limit per move. Always ask for the figures in writing before you book, and check whether high-value items like artwork or watches need declaring separately.
What goods-in-transit usually does not cover:
- Boxes you packed yourself. This is the single biggest exclusion. If the box was sealed by you and damage occurs inside it without external sign of impact, most policies will reject the claim. The firm has no way to verify what was packed or how.
- Named fragile items not declared in advance. Pianos, antique china, large mirrors, and similar items often need to be listed on the booking and may attract a separate cover note.
- Mechanical and electrical failure. A fridge that stops working after the move may not be covered unless there’s external damage proving the fault was caused by the move itself.
- Items of unusual value. Watches, fine jewellery, cash, and irreplaceable documents are often excluded or capped at a low figure. Carry these in your own car.
Full removals insurance: when it’s worth buying
Full removals insurance is an optional second policy, usually arranged through the removals firm or a specialist broker. It’s broader than goods-in-transit and tends to address the gaps above.
A full policy typically includes:
- Items you packed yourself, provided you can show they were packed reasonably (not “20 wine glasses in a carrier bag”)
- Higher per-item limits suitable for the value of your belongings
- Damage during the move where no specific event can be proved, the so-called “mysterious disappearance” or unexplained-damage clauses
- Storage cover, if your move involves a stay in a removals firm’s warehouse
It’s priced as a percentage of the total declared value of your belongings, often somewhere between 1% and 3% depending on the insurer, the cover level, and whether you self-packed. For an average 3-bed household, that’s usually a two- or low three-figure premium.
Whether it’s worth it comes down to two things: how much your belongings are worth in total, and how much of the packing you’re doing yourself. If you’re handing the entire job to a local house removals team and there’s nothing in the load worth more than the firm’s per-item limit, the carrier’s cover may be enough. If you’re packing fragile or higher-value items yourself, full removals insurance closes the most common claim gap.
What your home insurance covers during the move
Most UK home contents policies include some level of cover for items in transit between properties, but the wording varies and it’s worth checking yours rather than assuming.
Things to look for in your policy:
- Is there a “moving home” clause, and what limit applies? Some policies cap transit cover at a fixed figure that may be lower than the value of your belongings.
- Does cover apply when a professional removals firm is moving the goods, or only when you move them yourself?
- For how long does the policy cover the new address before you have to formally update the policy?
- Are accidental-damage extensions in place, and do they apply during a move?
Call your insurer a fortnight before moving day and ask them to put the answers in writing or in an email. Two minutes on the phone now can save a long argument later. Our moving house checklist sets out where the insurance check fits alongside the rest of the move-day prep.
You’ll also want to update the address on the policy itself. Most insurers let you carry cover from the old address to the new one for a short overlap period (often 24 to 72 hours) so the contents are insured at both ends on moving day. After that the policy needs updating to the new property.
Common exclusions worth knowing about
Across all three layers, the same exclusions tend to crop up. None of these are unusual, they’re just the parts of the small print most people don’t read.
- Self-packed cartons with no external damage
- Single named fragile items (pianos, statues, large art) not declared at the survey
- Electrical or mechanical failure with no external evidence of impact
- Damage to items left in furniture during the move (china left in a sideboard, for example)
- Cash, jewellery, watches, and important documents. Always carry these yourself.
- Plants and perishables. Many firms won’t accept these at all, and where they do, no insurance attaches. Our guide to items removals firms can’t take covers the full prohibited list and the reasoning behind it.
- Damage in storage if the cover wasn’t extended to include it. If your move includes any time in a warehouse or storage container, check the policy explicitly.
What to ask your removals firm before booking
A short list of questions that will tell you most of what you need to know:
- What’s the goods-in-transit cover level and per-item limit?
- Is full removals insurance available, and at what cost?
- Are self-packed boxes covered, and on what terms?
- What happens if a claim is made? Who handles it, what’s the process, what’s the timeframe?
- Are there any items you won’t accept or won’t insure?
Any reputable firm will answer all five without hesitation and put the answers in writing with the quote. At Simply Moving, our surveyor walks you through the cover that applies to your move, in plain English, before you sign anything. We work across Leicester, Leicestershire, Rutland, north Northants, south Notts and Derbyshire, and across to Rugby.
Get a quote for your move
House move insurance isn’t one policy, it’s three layers working together: the firm’s goods-in-transit cover, an optional full policy on top, and your own home contents insurance for the address. Knowing what each one does, and where the exclusions sit, is the difference between a calm claim and a long argument.
For a free, no-obligation quote on your move, including a clear summary of the cover that applies, fill in our contact form or call us on 0800 043 5393 to speak to one of our team. We’ll talk you through what’s involved, give you a clear quote, and answer any questions before you commit. No pressure either way.