Insuring a Safe and What Is Inside It

A safe move involves the safe, the contents, and your property. People ask whether a mover is insured, hear yes, and assume all three are covered. They are covered by different things, and one of them may not be covered at all.

Just-In-Time Moving moves safes across St. George and Washington County. We are licensed in Utah and carry general liability insurance.

Damage to your house

The most likely thing to go wrong on a safe move, and the one properly covered.

Floors, doorframes, stair treads, walls and thresholds all take load on this kind of job. That is what a mover's general liability insurance is for, and it is the main practical reason not to attempt a safe with friends and an appliance dolly.

Photographs of the route are taken before work starts so condition is established rather than argued.

Damage to the safe itself

Covered by the mover's liability for goods, which comes at a level you choose.

Worth knowing that the basic level, included at no charge, is settled by weight rather than value. For a safe this produces an odd result, since a safe weighs a great deal, but it is still not the same as being covered for what the safe cost. Ask which level applies and what full value protection would cost.

In practice, cosmetic damage is the realistic risk. Safes are built to resist attack and are not easily hurt; the finish is another matter.

The contents, which is the different answer

The safe travels empty. We do not transport firearms or ammunition, and valuables, documents and jewellery should not be in a container being handled by anybody.

So the contents are with you, which means the relevant cover is your own. This is the part worth a call to your insurer.

Ask whether firearms, jewellery or collections are covered away from the property and while in a vehicle, since many homeowners policies limit or exclude that. Ask whether items are scheduled individually and whether the sums are still realistic. Ask what happens to cover during a move between two addresses.

People frequently discover at this point that a collection has grown well past what was insured years ago.

Practical steps

Photograph and inventory the contents while the safe is empty, with serial numbers where they exist. Store that record somewhere other than in the safe.

Transport contents yourself, secured and in accordance with the law, which differs by jurisdiction and is not something a moving company should advise on.

Tell us if the safe is anchored, and confirm the combination works before the day.

Call (435) 862-3080 or email office@movingjustintime.com.