Many people wonder what type of protection they have for loss or damage when they use San Diego movers. The first thing to understand is that there are two terms you need to be familiar with, valuation and insurance.
They are different and the difference can be very confusing to San Diego moving customers. If you understand the difference between the two terms you are more likely to choose the proper coverage for your move.
Valuation is a term used to describe the worth of your possessions (or shipment) to the San Diego moving company. California movers are required by law to provide free basic valuation on local San Diego moves. The cost of this valuation is theoretically included in the hourly rate charged by the San Diego moving company.
Thus, if you select this free, basic valuation coverage you are limiting the "value" of your possessions to a pre-defined amount. This amount is 60 cents per pound per article. Thus with a few exceptions, the limit of valuation or liability that the San Diego mover assumes is 60 cents per pound per article for loss or damage.
Let's take an example. You hire local San Diego movers and select the free basic valuation coverage. During the move, your dresser is damaged. You paid $400 for the dresser a year ago, but it weighs 100 pounds. The limit of liability for the damage to the dresser is $60. This is because the valuation is 100 pounds times 60 cents per pound. Yes your items had protection during your San Diego move - yes the mover is liable for the damage. However, the liability of the mover is $60 for that dresser.
The next level of valuation offered by San Diego movers is Actual Cash Value valuation. If you choose this option there is a charge that is based on the value you declare. You are required to value your entire shipment. Then that value is multiplied by a factor. This factor is 75 cents per $100 of shipment value. Thus, if your entire shipment is worth $30,000 then the charge for your actual cash value valuation on your San Diego move is $225.
Actual cash value valuation is similar in concept to blue book value. If you have a television that is lost or damaged in your San Diego move, then the liability of the mover is the actual cash value of that television. For example - you purchased the television 3 years ago for $500. But the same television today is only worth $175. In this instance the mover would be liable to you for $175, or the actual cash value of the television.
Clearly this type of valuation is much better then basic free valuation for your San Diego move, however there is a cost to it.
Finally, you can purchase true insurance for your San Diego move. There are several companies that offer this. One is Baker International bakerintl.com and another is Moving Insurance movinginsurance.com . Both offer actual insurance policies with benefits such as full replacement cost coverage. This would mean that if that same television was lost or damage, they would replace the television with another one of like kind or simply pay you a settlement.
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