Why insurance deserves a place in your quote comparison

When you are moving house in Bromley, Beckenham or anywhere across South East London, it is easy to focus entirely on the price on the quote. Most people compare three firms, pick the one that feels right, and then think about insurance somewhere around the night before the move. That order is back to front.

A good removal firm should be able to tell you, in plain words, exactly what is covered, what is not, and how much of any loss you would pay yourself. If that conversation feels vague or hurried, treat it as a warning sign. The cover behind the quote is often the difference between a scuffed banister costing you nothing and a damaged piano costing you a very large sum.

Here is what to look at before you sign anything.

Goods in transit cover: what it actually protects

Goods in transit cover is the insurance that protects your belongings while they are in the removal firm's care — usually from the moment the crew begins loading at your old address until everything is unloaded at the new one. It is the cover most relevant to your furniture, boxes and valuables.

There are broadly two levels, and the difference matters enormously:

• Limited or basic liability — often built into standard trading terms. Payouts may be capped at a modest amount per item or per tonne, which rarely reflects what your possessions are genuinely worth. It is a safety net, not real protection.
• Full-value or enhanced cover — you declare the total value of your contents (or a generous estimate) and cover pays up to that figure, subject to excess and exclusions.

Ask which one is included in your quote. A cheaper quote with limited liability is not really cheaper if you own anything you would hate to replace.

Public liability cover: the building matters too

Goods in transit is about your things. Public liability is about everything else — the property you are leaving, the property you are moving into, and occasionally a neighbour's wall, fence or parked car.

This is more relevant in our area than many people expect. Victorian terraces around Penge, Sydenham and Forest Hill often have narrow hallways, tight turns at the top of the stairs and original banisters that have survived a century. Flats in Bromley and Orpington come with communal stairwells, lifts and shared front doors. Purpose-built blocks in Croydon or Lewisham may have parking restrictions and low canopies. A crew manoeuvring a three-seater sofa through any of that can cause damage without anyone being careless.

If the firm has no public liability cover, a cracked wall or scraped door frame may end up on your own home insurance — which could affect your no-claims discount and your premium for years. Ask for the limit of indemnity, and check that it covers damage caused by the crew handling items, not just damage caused by the vehicle.

Excesses, exclusions and the small print worth reading twice

Every policy has limits. Knowing them in advance is far better than discovering them after a claim.

• Excess — the first slice of any claim you pay yourself. This is commonly somewhere between £100 and £250 per claim, but it varies.
• Owner-packed items — if you pack your own boxes, many policies will not cover damage to what is inside them, because the firm cannot verify how they were packed.
• High-risk items — jewellery, cash, passports, documents, plants, medicines and sometimes artwork or musical instruments may be excluded or subject to a low cap.
• Self-assembly furniture — flat-pack and particle board items sometimes carry restrictions, as do items that were already damaged or weakened.
• Storage — if your belongings go into a warehouse for a few days or weeks, cover may not continue automatically. Ask specifically about the storage period.
• Notification deadlines — claims usually must be reported in writing within a set number of days, sometimes as few as three for visible damage. Diarise it.

How a claim usually works

Most claims run smoothly when the paperwork is done properly on the day. A few habits make all the difference.

• Photograph rooms and valuables before the crew arrives, with dates visible.
• Walk round with the foreman at both ends of the move and note the condition of the property.
• If anything is damaged, write it on the delivery paperwork before you sign — "damage noted" plus a short description. Do not sign a clean receipt and raise it later.
• Report the claim in writing within the stated deadline, keeping a copy.
• Get repair or replacement quotes, and expect settlement on an indemnity basis — meaning an age-related deduction rather than brand-new-for-old in every case.

Good firms expect claims occasionally and handle them professionally. What they cannot help with is a claim raised three months later with no evidence.

Questions to ask before you sign

Run through this list with any firm you are considering, and ask for the answers in writing on the quote or agreement.

• Do you provide goods in transit cover, and is it full-value or limited liability?
• What is your public liability limit of indemnity, and can I see the certificate?
• What is the excess per claim?
• Am I covered for items I pack myself?
• Does cover continue if my belongings go into storage, and for how long?
• What is the deadline for notifying a claim?
• Is the cover held by you directly, and who is the insurer?

A properly insured move rarely costs much more, and it turns a stressful day into a manageable one. Whether you are shifting a two-bedroom flat in Bromley or relocating a business across South East London, get the insurance position clear before the van arrives — not after.