A valuation selection can be one small section of a long moving order, yet it affects what the mover may owe if goods are lost or damaged. The section is easy to skim because it resembles insurance language and because the household is often focused on the pickup date and total price. Read it before the crew starts loading, compare it with the estimate, and keep the signed version. The choice should be deliberate, not discovered when a claim is filed.
For an interstate household move, FMCSA explains two required levels of mover liability: Full Value Protection and Released Value. Its valuation brochure says they are contractual valuation levels, not insurance policies governed by state insurance laws. The terms and amounts on your particular estimate and order determine what you selected. If a salesperson says “the move is insured,” ask whether they mean one of these valuation levels, a separate third-party policy, or the mover's regulatory insurance filing.
This guide is about reading the election in the shipment documents. For a move entirely within one state, ask the state regulator and mover which liability rules apply. Do not assume the federal Released Value formula applies to a local move. For an interstate move, ask for the consumer-rights booklet and the mover's written valuation explanation before signing. You should have time to compare the cost and consequences of each choice while the shipment is still at home.
Find the election in every version of the paperwork
The estimate may list a valuation level and charge. The order for service may repeat it. The bill of lading or a separate valuation form may contain the signature that records your choice. Put those documents side by side. Check the legal carrier name, shipment number, declared value if any, valuation option, deductible, charge, and date. If the entries conflict, ask for a corrected set before loading. A difference is not solved by a representative pointing to the most favorable page.
FMCSA's pickup guidance says a bill of lading is required for every interstate shipment and should be provided before or at loading. It addresses relevant valuation statements and optional insurance information. Read the document while the goods are still in the home. Do not sign a blank selection box or a form that will be filled in by the office later. If the driver is waiting, ask the office to explain the options and send the corrected form promptly.
Check who is asking for the signature. A broker may have sold the move, but a carrier will haul the goods. The carrier's documents need to reflect the liability option that actually governs the shipment. If the carrier name differs from the sales company's name, ask how the earlier valuation quote transfers to the carrier's tariff and contract. Keep both sets of papers. A generic checkbox on a lead form does not prove that the carrier accepted the same level or price.
Mark the exact version you signed and photograph or scan it. A customer may receive multiple PDFs with similar file names. Keep the dated estimate, order, bill of lading, valuation page, and any amendment in one folder. If the company sends a revised document after pickup, compare the changes and ask why the valuation section moved. The record should show a single coherent election at the time the goods entered the carrier's custody.
Understand what Full Value Protection promises
FMCSA describes Full Value Protection as the more protective required level for interstate shipments. If an item is lost, destroyed, or damaged while in the mover's custody, the mover may choose among repairing it, replacing it with a similar item, or making a cash settlement based on repair cost or current market replacement value. The word “full” does not mean that every older possession is paid at its original retail price or that the customer chooses the remedy.
Ask for the mover's written plan and pricing. The charge may depend on declared shipment value and deductible. Confirm the total selected value, minimum value rule, deductible, and premium or valuation charge in the documents. If a representative quotes a lower cost for a higher deductible, calculate what you would pay out of pocket for a realistic claim. A price comparison is incomplete when one mover includes Full Value Protection and another assumes Released Value.
The choice may be the default if Released Value is not selected. FMCSA's brochure says an interstate shipment travels under Full Value Protection, with the applicable charge, unless the customer selects Released Value. Do not infer from an unchecked box that there will be no charge. Ask which option the mover will apply and how it appears on the bill of lading. A missing or ambiguous mark is a reason to pause and correct the record.
Request the tariff or plan description for limits involving specific items. The brochure discusses articles of extraordinary value, generally items worth more than $100 per pound, and says the mover may limit liability unless those articles are specifically listed on the shipping documents. If you have jewelry, artwork, antiques, or other compact high-value goods, ask how to declare them. A casual mention during the survey may not satisfy the declaration process.
Do the Released Value arithmetic on your goods
Released Value has no additional charge under the federal scheme, but FMCSA says the mover's liability is no more than 60 cents per pound per article. This is based on the weight of an individual item, not the total market value of the shipment. A 40-pound bookcase would yield at most $24 under that formula if it were lost or damaged. A 3-pound tablet would yield at most $1.80. The numbers help explain why “free coverage” can provide very little compensation.
Before selecting it, list a few items whose loss would matter. Include their approximate weight and cost to repair or replace. You need not assign a dollar value to every sock. Test a lamp, computer, dining chair, and a box of dishes. This makes the choice concrete. If the potential weight-based result is unacceptable, compare Full Value Protection and any legitimate separate insurance option. You may also decide to carry some items yourself.
FMCSA's brochure says selecting Released Value requires signing a specific statement on the bill of lading or contract. Read the exact statement. Do not sign it merely because a salesperson says “everyone does this” or because it is preselected in an electronic signature packet. If you prefer Full Value Protection, ask that the Released Value election be removed and that the correct price and level appear throughout the paperwork.
A household can choose Released Value for a considered reason, such as a low-value shipment and a decision to self-insure the difference. The issue is informed consent. A later dispute is harder if the customer believed “insured” meant replacement value while the signed contract recorded a weight-based election. Save the calculation and the version of the form you reviewed so everyone in the household understands the decision.
Declare exceptional items with the carrier
The extraordinary-value threshold can catch items people do not think of as heavy. A valuable watch, antique lamp component, or small collection can be worth far more per pound than ordinary furniture. Ask the carrier for its declaration form and deadline. Describe each item clearly, list it as required, and keep supporting records such as photographs, receipts, or an appraisal where appropriate. Do not assume a photo alone proves value or condition.
Ask whether the carrier will accept the item, whether it must be packed by a professional, and whether another company will handle it. If the mover says a specialty item must be carried separately, update the shipment inventory and estimate. A signed valuation choice does not force the carrier to transport prohibited or excluded goods. The declaration and packing plan should match what is actually loaded.
At pickup, compare the declared-item list with the numbered inventory. If a declared item is not on the truck, document that. If it is loaded in a carton, ensure the carton description is enough to identify it without exposing unnecessary valuables to casual handling. If you are carrying the item yourself, mark it as excluded. These steps do not guarantee a claim outcome, but they preserve a coherent record of custody.
Separate a policy purchase from the valuation selection
An optional third-party insurance policy is a separate product. FMCSA's brochure says some movers may offer or obtain it, especially when a customer selects Released Value, and that it is regulated under state insurance law. Ask for the insurer, policy or written purchase record, premium, limits, deductibles, exclusions, effective dates, and claim address. Do not treat a line on an estimate labeled “insurance” as a policy unless the documents identify the insurer and terms.
A homeowner's or renter's policy may offer some off-premises or transit coverage, but only the insurer's actual policy or written answer can tell you whether it applies to this move. Describe the route, mover, storage interval, dates, and valuable items to the insurer. Compare any existing protection with the mover's valuation choice and optional policy. A certificate of insurance requested by an apartment building answers the building's access or liability requirement; it does not set your goods valuation.
If a policy is purchased through the mover, check whether its name and premium appear on the shipment paperwork. The carrier may still have its own Released Value liability while the insurer may cover a different layer under the policy terms. Ask which party receives notice of a claim and whether both must be notified. Keep the policy separate from the valuation form so a future claim is sent to the right place.
Ask how claims will be documented
FMCSA's What if there are problems? says an interstate customer with lost or damaged goods must file a written claim with the mover within nine months of delivery. The agency also says it does not resolve claims against a moving company. Get the mover's claim instructions before pickup: mailing or electronic address, information required, and how inspection or repair is arranged. If you bought a separate policy, obtain its claim instructions too.
At delivery, compare the inventory with the goods. Note damage or missing items on the delivery paperwork while the crew is present and take photographs. Keep the pickup inventory, delivery inventory, valuation election, receipts, and correspondence. A note on the inventory may be useful evidence, but check the formal written claim requirement. Do not assume that reporting a problem by phone, sending a text to the driver, or filing an FMCSA complaint satisfies the mover's claim process.
If an item is damaged after storage or a transfer, the chain of custody may matter. Keep warehouse receipts, storage addenda, transfer inventories, and redelivery records. Ask which entity held the goods at each step and which agreement governed that period. A valuation choice for the transport leg does not automatically explain a separate storage contract. Clarify the issue before the shipment enters storage when possible.
Compare the election with the inventory's real risk
Look at how the shipment is divided. A set of dining chairs may appear individually on the inventory, while books or kitchenware appear in cartons. A weight-based Released Value calculation applies per article under the federal description, so the way goods are identified and documented can matter when something is missing. Ask the carrier how it records packed cartons, whether it inventories high-value contents separately, and what proof it needs if a carton is lost. Do not assume that a handwritten “books” label establishes the contents or value of every book inside.
If the mover packs a fragile item, keep the packing order and material charges. If you pack it yourself, ask how the company's claim rules treat concealed damage and what evidence will be needed. A valuation level sets an outer framework for liability; it does not remove the need to show that the carrier received the item and what happened to it. Photograph the item before packing when practical, and record preexisting marks accurately so a later claim does not turn on memory.
Consider the full route. If the goods will be transferred between trucks, held overnight, or placed in storage in transit, ask whether the same carrier and valuation terms continue through delivery. If another legal entity will take custody, ask for that entity's name and the governing document. The household should not discover at claim time that it cannot tell which company held a missing carton. This is a reason to keep inventories at transfer and redelivery, not a reason to assume every transfer is improper.
A signing-day check
Before the truck loads, read the legal carrier name and shipment number. Compare the selected valuation level with the estimate and any separate policy receipt. Check the declared shipment value, deductible, charge, and extraordinary-item form. Ask the driver or office to correct a mismatch and give you the completed copy. If the paperwork presents a new option you have not reviewed, take the time to read it rather than signing to keep the crew moving.
Imagine an estimate that showed Full Value Protection with a stated charge, while the pickup packet shows a signed Released Value election at no charge. The household should not accept the contradiction as a harmless clerical difference. It changes the potential recovery for a damaged item. Ask which document is controlling, request corrected pages, and keep a record of the answer. If the mover cannot reconcile them before loading, pause the move and seek a clear agreement.
A second example is a contract with no selected level but a handwritten “insured” note. That phrase does not identify the federal valuation level or an optional insurer. Ask for the exact selection and documents. A clearly completed form protects both sides: the household knows the chosen risk and price, and the carrier can see the obligation it accepted.
Keep the choice in the broader agreement
The valuation page is one part of the order. Check the inventory, access services, dates, payment method, cancellation terms, and claims contact too. Our guide to reviewing deposits, payment timing, and cancellation terms covers the money schedule; the guide to spotting missing details in a proposed moving agreement helps you read the rest of the document. A careful valuation election cannot fix an order that names the wrong carrier or omits a major service.
Give the household member who will meet the crew the final paperwork. They should know which option was chosen and be able to find the signed form. If the person who booked the move will be elsewhere, explain that the driver should not obtain a different valuation election merely because someone else is available to sign. Name the authorized signer in advance and keep the office's contact number close.
When the choice is recorded clearly, it becomes possible to compare offers honestly and pursue a claim through the correct process. Read the election before loading, match it across documents, and retain a complete copy. Those are small tasks with lasting value if a carton or piece of furniture arrives in a different condition than it left.
Sources
- FMCSA: Understanding Valuation and Insurance Options
- FMCSA: Pickup of My Shipment
- FMCSA: What if there are problems?