Hey everyone, if you are doing a diy move and renting a truck, there may be less expensive options. I'm the relocation consultant for this page. If anyone needs help planning their escape from California, I'm a great resource and I do not charge anything. I'm just here to help.

Is paying for extra insurance worth it when moving? Moving companies are required by law to carry “standard cargo insurance” when moving your belongings. The standard in the industry is .60 cents per lb. It does not take into account the value of the item, it is strictly based on weight. Moving companies are also required to offer “full valuation protection”. That means you assign a value to your belongings, and they are insured for full value. This is referred to as “scratch and dent coverage”. While moving companies are required to offer it, there is no regulation governing the cost of the insurance nor the terms of the insurance. The bottom line is, if you hire a great moving company that has skilled workers, the extra insurance is probably not necessary. For example: If a premium is $900 for a cross country move and the deductible is $500, the company would have to cause more than $1,400 worth of damage in order to reclaim the value of any item. With a skilled moving company this almost never happens. But an unskilled moving company can cause thousands of dollars even on a small shipment. If you choose to get extra insurance, make sure you read and understand the terms and conditions as well as the claims process should you need to use it.

Beware of “moving brokers”. When people make the decision to move long distance, because it happens so infrequently, they often log onto the internet and begin searching for information. Perhaps they google “how much does it normally cost to move from Las Vegas, Nevada to say Houston, Texas. They will get pages of search results offering “move calculators” or online estimates. None of these results are actual moving companies. They are lead generation companies. They all require the end user to put in their contact information which they sell to moving brokers. Immediately their phone will begin to ring nonstop. If you have done this, you know exactly what I am talking about. These salespeople normally represent themselves as actual moving companies, or if they do disclose they are brokers they represent their services as a positive, that they have a lot of moving companies at their disposal and they can help their customers get the best rates. On the surface it sounds great, top-notch service at rock bottom prices. Who wouldn’t want that? The truth behind the broker service. First off, these people are good salespeople. They usually begin with a short inventory of what the customer needs to move cross country. Next, they throw out bigger numbers as a baseline to say what the move “normally would cost”. Then comes the discounts, “sir, today we are offering a 25% discount for all moves booked today”. Are you a senior citizen? Veteran? First responder? Government employee? Do you have green eyes? Brown hair? Man? Woman? Child? The discounts go on and on. Then comes the close… Mam, we are only able to offer all these discounts today. We need a deposit to hold your spot because tomorrow the rates will go way back up. You get the idea. That moving deposit is the only money that the broker gets out of the transaction. They send you the quote in writing with a big emphasis on the quote amount. It usually is the largest thing on the page and the most eye-catching. What they put in small print is that you’re contracting them per pound, or per cubic feet. The brokers then post your move on an internet load board specifically for moving companies. Any moving company can select your load and get transferred the contract. What that means to you is at the end of the day, you have no idea who is supposed to show up to your house to do your move.

If you are considering PODS for your relocation, you would be smart to consider this: There are several companies that do the exact same thing as PODS. Every 16' container holds 835 cubic feet worth of cargo. PODS limits their weight to 4,200 lbs Pack Rats limits their weight to 6,000 lbs. Units limits their weight to 8,000 lbs. They all use flat bed trucks for their shipments so the rate is always almost identical. Unless you know exactly how much your shipment weighs, it seems to be smart to use Units. Because Leaving CA sends them a lot of business, they also offer our members a discount. If you have any further questions about container shipping, do not hesitate to reach out.

Hello folks, I'm Jeff Stelter the relocation counselor for this page. I've been in the moving and logistics industry for 28 years. I realize it can be very overwhelming trying to figure out your relocation situation. Everyone has different needs and timelines. I am a free resource with tons of moving information that you will want to know. Feel free to message me, everyone can use someone in their corner when it comes to finding the best solution for your particular situation.