Gaining Financial Protection While Moving in Washington State

Congratulations! You’re in the process of moving from Seattle to Spokane. Or from Spokane to Seattle. Or venturing from the Olympic Peninsula to the Cascade Range. Or coming to the Evergreen State from elsewhere. Or… 

Wherever your new home is located, be sure to first visit your insurance agent and have the right homeowners insurance in place. Make sure this policy also protects your personal possessions during the move. Even your auto insurance policy can help in some situations. 

Let’s dig deeper. 

Is There Such a Thing as U-Haul Insurance?

Yes… sort of. Some people think of it as that. Others might prefer terms like Washington moving insurance or moving truck insurance. It’s actually known as homeowners insurance or renters coverage. 

All of those forms of financial protection mean the same thing. You’re financially protected while your valuable possessions are on the road from one home to the next.  

You probably know that your homeowners or renters policy covers your belongings when you’ve got them set up where you live. In the case of fire or smoke damage, burst water pipes, theft, vandalism, or other mishaps that damage, destroy, or result in the loss of your stuff, you’ll be reimbursed based on your deductible and coverage limits. 

What you might not know is that your valuables are covered even while in transit. Therefore, you’ve got a form of U-Haul insurance, if you have the proper policy and haven’t made these common mistakes when buying homeowners insurance.  

What about Storage Unit Insurance?

Yep. Call it that, or insurance for public storage, or self-storage insurance. Insuring your belongings in a storage unit is part of your insurance options in Washington. 

It can cover such events as fire, smoke, water damage, harsh weather, theft, vandalism, and other sources of damage or loss while at your storage facility. You’re financially protected even when your belongings are off-site. 

Your Auto Insurance Policy Can Protect Your Moved Stuff Too

Anyone who has moved before or helped a friend move knows that boxes of stuff end up in your car. When there’s just no more room in the moving van or U-Haul trailer, it’s no problem: You take a bunch of packed boxes and a stray lamp in your vehicle. 

What could go wrong? 

Unfortunately, damage can occur to your car when you travel. How about a break-in at a rest stop? Or a serious accident that leaves your ride (and your stuff) totaled? Or someone steals the car in your new driveway or parking lot as you’re unloading. 

As long as you didn’t do anything dumb, such as leaving your car unattended with the engine running and a ‘Please steal me’ sign on the windshield, your auto insurance policy might well pay for the goods in your vehicle. 

This is a separate claim from the loss or damage of the vehicle itself. It’s an additional form of coverage for the items you’re in the process of moving to your new home in Washington state. 

Just Make Sure Your ‘Covered Perils’ Are Covered

Your personal goods are only covered while moving or in storage if your homeowners or renters insurance policy includes such covered perils. 

Covered perils are the accidents and incidents the policy covers. Make sure you read and understand your auto insurance policy (and your other policies, too). Make sure to ask your independent insurance agent to review your existing policy or get help shopping for affordable coverage that will protect you. 

Independent agents don’t just work for one insurer. They represent numerous auto, homeowners, and renters insurance providers, so they can help you find the best coverage at the cheapest rates. 

Call Us Before Your Next Big Move

You’ve got a lot of work to do and plenty of decisions to make before your move to (or around) the Evergreen State. Let your insurance coverage help your move and your wallet. 

Reach out to Vern Fonk Insurance at (800) 455-8276. You can also get a quick quote online or meet with an independent Vern Fonk Insurance agent at a Washington office location near you.