Moving? Here's How to Protect Your Property

It’s May, which means warmer weather, outdoor activities, and maybe a dip or two in the pool if the temperature is right. But for millions of Americans, May also ushers in the beginning of the busiest moving season of the year. Welcome back, National Moving Month!

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 27 million Americans moved in 2021. Moving can be an exciting adventure. But it can also come with its fair share of headaches as millions of us box up our valuable property and ship them from as close as the next town over or as far away as a distant state. That’s why it’s important you protect your property, especially if a moving company will be handling your valuable possessions.

Here are some tips to help ensure your property is protected and you have a safe move:

• Research moving companies and make sure you identify a trusted company with a great reputation.
• Create a home inventory. Based on your inventory, you might need to adjust your homeowners insurance to ease the claims process if your property is stolen, damaged or lost. There are several home inventory apps available for those who want to take a digital inventory. 
• Get an insurance checkup. “Moving is a great time for an insurance checkup to not only protect your valuable property, but also to ensure your new home is adequately protected,” says Mark Thompson, Rockingham Insurance agent. “We like to advise our clients to contact us well in advance of their home closing so we can help them get the right coverage in place – this is an important step and one that can significantly reduce some of the stress that can come with moving.”
• Don’t forget about auto insurance. Your current auto insurance policy might only provide limited coverage if you use your vehicle to transport your property to your new home.  

You may also want to consider taking smaller valuable items like jewelry and family keepsakes with you. If you do, ensure you package them safely using special boxes meant for valuable goods and use bubble wrap or blankets to protect fragile items like grandma’s fine china. 

We want to help make your move a hassle-free experience. Your local Rockingham Insurance agent is ready to help ensure you get the right coverage you need to ensure the things you cherish most have the best protection.