Most Canadian movers include basic liability in the price, but it pays by weight, not by what your belongings are worth. To be properly covered, you usually need one of two things: replacement value protection from your mover, or home or tenant insurance that applies during a move. Below is how each works, what the rules say in British Columbia, and what to confirm in writing before the truck is loaded.
TL;DR
- Without extra protection, a mover's liability is generally $0.60 per pound ($1.32 per kilogram) per article, which is far below the replacement cost of most items.
- Optional replacement value protection is based on what an item is worth, so it is the usual way to cover a move through the mover.
- Your home or tenant policy may cover items in transit, but terms, time limits and exclusions differ by insurer. Ask yours before you book.
- Declare high-value items, keep photos and check claim deadlines. Claims often must be made within 30 days for local moves and 60 days for long-distance moves.
- Get the coverage terms on a written, signed quote, not just by phone.
Table of Contents
- Three layers of protection during a move
- What basic mover liability actually pays
- Replacement value protection: the usual upgrade
- Does your home or tenant insurance cover a move?
- What is usually not covered
- How to choose coverage for a BC move
- Document, then claim
- Insurance for office and commercial moves
- Moving with 2 Friends Trucking & Moving
- FAQ
- Sources
Three layers of protection during a move
People say "moving insurance" for three different things, and mixing them up is where most surprises come from.
- Mover's basic liability. The legal minimum responsibility a moving company has for your goods. It is built into the service and is based on weight.
- Replacement value protection (sometimes called declared value or full value coverage). An optional upgrade bought through the mover. It is based on the value of the item.
- Your own insurance. A home, condo or tenant policy that may extend to belongings while they are being moved, or a separate policy for a specific shipment.
The Office of Consumer Affairs explains that if you buy the mover's replacement value protection, it covers goods for loss or damage, and that without it liability is generally $0.60 per pound ($1.32 per kilogram) per item. TD Insurance describes the same split: basic liability is a free legal minimum based on weight, while optional protection is based on an item's value.
What basic mover liability actually pays
The weight-based minimum sounds reasonable until you do the arithmetic. A 50-inch television might weigh around 30 pounds. At $0.60 per pound, that is $18 for an item that cost hundreds of dollars. A heavy, cheap bookcase is "worth" more under this formula than a light, expensive laptop.
That is why the Canadian Association of Movers says released valuation is generally inadequate and recommends checking whether your home insurance gives all-risk protection during loading, unloading, transportation and storage.
The rule in British Columbia
For household goods moved in BC, the bill of lading must incorporate the Specified Conditions of Carriage. According to a summary by DWF Canada, liability must not exceed the greater of the declared value or $2.00 per pound ($4.41 per kilogram) of the total shipment weight. The exception is when the shipper signs a written release limiting liability to $0.60 per pound ($1.32 per kilogram) per article.
Two things follow from that:
- The release is the key document. If you sign it, you accept the lower figure. Read the bill of lading before signing and ask what you are agreeing to.
- Declared value matters. Giving the mover a value for your goods changes the starting point for any claim.
The same conditions describe exclusions, including certain fragile or electronic goods unless the carrier was negligent, and they say that if part of a set is damaged or lost, the carrier is liable only for repairing or replacing the damaged or lost piece or pieces, not the whole set. A dining set with one damaged chair is a good example.
A clause limiting liability also has to be clear to be enforceable. A decision of the Civil Resolution Tribunal of BC restates that a limitation-of-liability clause must be clear and unambiguous and brought to the other party's attention when the contract is made. In practice, that is a good reason to ask your mover to walk you through the coverage section of the quote instead of leaving it in the fine print.
Replacement value protection: the usual upgrade
Replacement value protection ties compensation to what an item is worth rather than what it weighs. It is the option most households choose when they want the mover to be accountable for the full move.
Before you buy, ask these questions:
- Does it cover every item or only a declared list?
- Is there a deductible?
- Is the payout repair, replacement or depreciated value?
- What is the cost, and is it on the quote?
- Does it apply to packed boxes if the mover did not pack them?
That last question catches people out. Many coverage terms treat boxes you packed yourself differently from boxes packed by the crew, since the mover cannot see what went in. If you want your fragile items covered with fewer arguments later, professional packing services give a clear record of who handled what.
Does your home or tenant insurance cover a move?
Sometimes, but not automatically, and not for everything. This is the part of the question where policies vary the most, so treat the following as an example and call your own insurer.
TD Insurance states that for moves within Canada its coverage may apply to belongings in transit for up to 45 consecutive days if the customer insures both the current and the new home with TD. Policy exclusions, including scratches, dents and fragile-item breakage, still apply.
That single example shows the questions to ask any insurer:
- Does my policy cover belongings during a move, or only at the insured address?
- Is there a maximum number of days?
- Do I need to have a policy at the new address first?
- Which kinds of damage are excluded, such as scratches, dents or breakage?
- Does it cover items sitting in a moving truck or in storage between homes?
If you rent, ask the same questions about your tenant policy. Tenants moving between apartments are often the least likely to have checked.
If there is a gap between move-out and move-in, belongings may sit in storage. Our guide to storage in transit between homes walks through how to protect them, and we also handle storage moving for customers in Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley.
What is usually not covered
Even good coverage has limits. Common ones in Canada:
| Situation | What to know |
|---|---|
| Goods of extraordinary value | Under transportation law, movers are not responsible for these unless you declare them. |
| Items with inherent vice | A mover may ask for a waiver for goods such as fibreboard furniture, which can be damaged by normal handling. |
| Part of a set | Liability covers only the damaged or lost pieces, not the whole set. |
| Certain fragile or electronic goods | Excluded under BC conditions of carriage unless the carrier was negligent. |
| Scratches, dents, fragile-item breakage | Can be excluded under some home insurance policies, as in the TD example above. |
| Items you pack yourself | Terms differ by provider. Ask how self-packed boxes are treated. |
Cash, jewellery, important documents and irreplaceable keepsakes are best kept with you. Carry them in your own vehicle rather than putting them on the truck.
How to choose coverage for a BC move
A simple way to decide is to estimate what it would cost you to replace everything in the home, then see which layer actually pays that.
- List what matters. Furniture, electronics, appliances, art and instruments. For anything valuable, write down the approximate value.
- Call your insurer. Ask the five questions above. Get the answer by email if you can.
- Ask each mover about coverage on the quote. The Office of Consumer Affairs advises getting a written quote on company letterhead, signed by a company representative, and notes that in most situations an advance payment will not exceed the estimate by more than 10%.
- Compare coverage, not just price. A low quote with weight-based liability is not the same product as a slightly higher one with replacement value. Our guide on comparing three quotes for coverage shows how, and our list of questions to ask movers covers the rest.
- Declare high-value items in writing. Pianos, large televisions, antiques and artwork should be named on the paperwork.
- Ask for proof of the mover's own insurance. A certificate of insurance tells you what the company carries. Here is how to verify a moving COI before move day.
Buildings add another layer. Many condos and apartment towers require movers to supply a certificate of insurance and to book the elevator ahead. Check with your property manager early, and see our apartment moving checklist for timing.
Document, then claim
The best claim starts a month before the move. The Office of Consumer Affairs recommends clarifying the mover's liability, declaring goods of extraordinary value, checking claim procedures and deadlines, and photographing damage.
A practical routine:
- Before the move: photograph or video each room and each valuable item, including serial numbers on electronics. Our house moving checklist includes an inventory step for this.
- On move day: clear a path and make sure the crew can reach everything. Delays caused by blocked access can cost time, which is why we suggest you prepare for the movers ahead of the truck arriving.
- At delivery: check items against your inventory before the crew leaves. Note visible damage on the paperwork.
- After delivery: photograph any damage right away and contact the mover in writing. Claims often must be made within 30 days for local moves and 60 days for long-distance moves, so check your own contract for the exact deadline.
Keep the damaged item, the packaging and all photographs until the claim is settled.
Insurance for office and commercial moves
Business moves add equipment, data and downtime to the list, and a business insurance policy is a different thing from a household one. Ask your commercial insurer whether your policy covers equipment in transit, and ask the mover what coverage applies to computers, servers and specialized furniture. The mover's liability for electronics can be limited, as the BC conditions above show.
On cost, an office move in BC is priced by the job, not from a fixed rate. The main drivers are the number of workstations, the volume of furniture and equipment, distance, access (elevators, loading docks, stairs), the time of day and any packing or IT disconnection needed. A written, itemized quote is the only reliable way to see your number. For planning, our commercial and office moving page explains how we approach these jobs.
Perspective
We price each move based on distance, size and the services needed, and we think coverage should be part of that conversation from the first call. Customers often ask about price first and protection second. We would rather you ask about both together.
Our approach is built on clear communication and careful planning. That means telling you in plain words what the quote includes, what is optional and what you should confirm with your own insurer. It also means handling your items carefully, since the best claim is the one you never need to make.
If you are moving within Abbotsford, to the Fraser Valley or across BC, ask us what to document and declare before move day. We would rather spend ten minutes on this call than see you surprised afterwards.
Jack W.
Moving with 2 Friends Trucking & Moving
We are an Abbotsford moving company handling residential and commercial moves, local and long-distance within BC, plus apartment and condo moves, packing, loading and unloading, furniture moving, storage moving, piano moving and last-minute moves. We serve Abbotsford, Mission, Maple Ridge and Langley. Ask us about coverage when you request your quote, and we will explain it in writing.
Start on our home page to see every service, or go straight to local moving or long-distance moving. If your move is soon, see when to book movers for how far ahead to plan.
FAQ
Is moving insurance required in Canada?
No law requires you to buy extra coverage, but movers have a basic liability that is based on weight. In BC it is tied to the Specified Conditions of Carriage, with a signed release limiting it to $0.60 per pound per article. Most people add replacement value protection or confirm that their own insurance applies.
Does home insurance cover my belongings while they are moved?
It depends on the insurer and the policy. Some cover items in transit for a limited number of days and still exclude damage such as scratches, dents and fragile-item breakage. Ask your insurer in writing whether your policy applies and for how long.
How much does basic mover liability pay?
Without replacement value protection, it is generally $0.60 per pound ($1.32 per kilogram) per item. In BC the default maximum is the greater of declared value or $2.00 per pound, unless you sign the release to the lower figure. Check which one is on your bill of lading.
How long do I have to file a claim?
Claims often must be made within 30 days for local moves and 60 days for long-distance moves. Your contract sets the exact deadline, so read it before move day. Photograph damage right away and notify the mover in writing.
What should I declare before a move?
Any item of extraordinary value, such as antiques, artwork, a piano or high-end electronics. Movers are not responsible for goods of extraordinary value unless you declare them, so list them with a value on the paperwork.
Sources
- Moving advice, Office of Consumer Affairs
- Stay Covered While You Move, TD Insurance
- Conditions of Carriage for Household Goods, DWF Canada
- Liability, Canadian Association of Movers
- Civil Resolution Tribunal of BC decision on limitation-of-liability clauses