Full Value Protection or Released Value: which moving protection should you choose?
An interstate mover's plain-language guide to the two liability options your carrier is required to offer, what each one actually pays after a loss, and the paperwork steps that decide whether a future claim survives.
For an interstate move, Full Value Protection is the only option that pays anything close to what your belongings are actually worth. Released Value is free, but it caps the mover's liability at 60 cents per pound per article — a 25-pound television is worth $15 on a claim, a 100-pound antique dresser is worth $60. Choose Full Value Protection unless you can absorb that gap, and put any item worth more than $100 per pound in writing on the shipping documents before the truck leaves.
When you hire an interstate household goods carrier, federal rules require the company to offer you exactly two liability choices for the goods in transit: Full Value Protection and Released Value Protection. What you pick — and what you don't pick — determines how much money shows up if something is lost, broken, or simply never delivered. The two options look like a coverage menu, but they behave very differently once a claim is filed.
Insurance and valuation are not the same product, and confusing them is the most common reason a household goods claim is denied or underpaid.
What each option actually pays
Full Value Protection makes the mover responsible for the replacement value of any lost or damaged item in the shipment. If a 100-pound dresser that would cost $1,000 to replace is destroyed, the mover must repair it, replace it with a comparable item, or settle for the current market replacement value. Many carriers offer deductible levels that lower the upfront cost in exchange for a small out-of-pocket amount per claim.
Released Value Protection costs nothing extra, but the protection is essentially weight-based. The mover is liable for no more than 60 cents per pound per article, regardless of what the item is worth. A 25-pound flat-screen television pays $15. A 100-pound antique dresser worth $2,000 pays $60. The mover does not consider the original purchase price, the replacement cost, or the sentimental value — only the weight.
Full Value Protection vs. Released Value Protection
Dimension
Full Value Protection
Released Value Protection
Cost to you
Additional fee, varies by mover and deductible
Included free with every interstate shipment
Maximum payout per item
Repair, replacement, or current market value
$0.60 per pound, per article
Real-world example: 25-lb TV
Replacement TV or full repair cost
$15.00 total
Real-world example: 100-lb dresser (worth $1,000)
Repair, replacement, or cash settlement near full value
$60.00 total
Default if you do nothing
Yes — applied automatically and charged
No — must be signed for on the bill of lading
Items over $100 per pound
Covered only if specifically listed on shipping documents
Not covered at replacement value
A pre-move conversation is the right place to ask for the mover's Full Value Protection plan in writing, including the deductible options and any per-pound limits.
The $100-per-pound rule most people miss
Even with Full Value Protection, federal rules let a mover cap its responsibility for items of "extraordinary value" — anything worth more than $100 per pound. That includes the usual list of jewelry, silverware, china, furs, and original artwork, but it also catches anything dense and valuable: a high-end laptop, a professional camera, a rare coin or stamp collection, a musical instrument, a designer handbag collection. The cap is not a denial; it is a default ceiling.
How to keep extraordinary-value items covered
List each item on the shipping documents before the truck is loaded, with a written declared value.
Ask the mover for a written explanation of how the cap works and what documentation they require for high-value pieces.
For anything truly irreplaceable — family heirlooms, original art, signed memorabilia — carry it yourself or use a specialty third-party policy instead of trusting it to the truck.
Photograph every high-value item from multiple angles, with serial numbers and any certificates of authenticity, before the move.
When the federal rules do not apply to your move
Choices that quietly shrink or kill a future claim
A few routine-looking decisions on moving day can give the mover a legal reason to reduce or refuse payment later. These are the ones that show up again and again in denied claims.
Actions that can reduce or void your payout
✓
Signing for Released Value when your goods are worth more than 60 cents per pound
Read the per-article math before you initial. If the dresser is worth more than $0.60 per pound, Released Value underpays by definition.
✓
Packing your own boxes
You are allowed to, but if a self-packed box breaks internally, it is much harder to prove the mover was at fault. The mover's responsibility for the outside of the box does not automatically extend to what is inside.
✓
Forgetting to declare extraordinary-value items in writing
Without a written declaration, even Full Value Protection can be capped at the $100-per-pound threshold for that piece.
✓
Accepting a delivery receipt that releases the mover from liability
Cross out any language that releases or discharges the mover or its agents before you sign. The federal rule allows you to do this.
✓
Packing perishables, flammables, or hazardous materials without telling the mover
These can be excluded from coverage entirely, and they create real safety risk in the truck.
Treat the walkthrough and the loading as the start of the claim file, not just the start of the move — every note and photo taken here is evidence later.
How to keep a claim alive if something goes wrong
Preserving a future loss-and-damage claim
01
Note every issue on the bill of lading at delivery, before you sign
Boxes crushed, items missing, visible damage — all of it goes on the receipt at the door, not three days later. Photos and short videos taken on the spot are ideal supporting evidence.
02
Keep damaged items until the claim is resolved
The mover's adjuster will normally want to inspect the item. Throwing it away is one of the fastest ways to lose a claim.
03
File a written claim within nine months of delivery
Federal rules give interstate customers nine months from the date of delivery to submit a written claim. The mover then has 120 days to acknowledge it and 120 days to settle or deny.
04
Ask about the mover's dispute resolution program
Interstate movers are required to participate in an arbitration program for loss and damage disputes. If your mover does not volunteer that information, ask for the written summary — they are required to provide one.
05
Consider separate third-party insurance for the rest
Valuation is not insurance and movers cannot legally sell you an insurance policy. If you want coverage for things valuation excludes — self-packed boxes, natural disasters, full replacement cost without depreciation — buy a separate moving insurance policy from a third-party provider and confirm what your homeowners or renters policy already covers.
SUMMARY
The bottom line
For any interstate move where the household goods are worth more than a few hundred dollars per item, Full Value Protection is the only liability option that pays anywhere close to replacement cost, and the extra fee is small compared to the gap. Pair it with a written list of any item worth more than $100 per pound, photos of everything valuable before the truck arrives, and a habit of crossing out any release language on the delivery receipt. If you are moving within a single state, the federal defaults do not apply — confirm the rules and the claim deadlines with your state regulator before you sign anything.
Common questions
Before you move on
If I do nothing, what level of protection do I get?+
Full Value Protection. Federal rules make it the default for interstate moves, which means you will be charged for it on the bill of lading. Released Value is only applied if you specifically sign for it.
Do I need a separate moving insurance policy?+
Valuation is not insurance, and movers cannot legally sell insurance. A third-party moving insurance policy can cover self-packed boxes, full replacement cost without depreciation, and events that valuation often excludes such as natural disasters. Check your homeowners or renters policy first, since some cover moves at a fraction of your personal property limit.
What is the deadline for filing a loss and damage claim?+
For interstate moves, you have nine months from the date of delivery to file a written claim with the mover. The mover then has 120 days to acknowledge it and another 120 days to settle or deny. In-state deadlines vary — check with your state regulator.
Can the mover really cap its responsibility for jewelry, art, and other valuables?+
Yes, even under Full Value Protection. Items worth more than $100 per pound — including jewelry, china, furs, and anything similarly dense and valuable — can be capped unless you list them specifically on the shipping documents with a written declared value before the move.
