INSURANCE


Customers are required to choose between two options:
(1.) So-called "Free Standard Insurance" and
(2.) Replacement Value Insurance.

1. The "Free Standard Insurance", in fact, offers very little coverage. This form of insurance is a legal relic from the 70’s. Under this insurance, your furniture is covered at 30 cents per pound per article. This amounts to only about $30 coverage in the case of a couch, and $150 coverage for an upright piano. This option may be taken if (a.) the customer has a homeowner’s policy which covers his or her goods for breakage during a move, (b.) most of the items being moved fall under the category of exceptions - see below, or (c.) goods are all not expensive. In all other cases, we recommend taking Replacement Value Insurance.

2. Replacement Value Insurance (also know as "Extra Insurance") covers goods for the cost of replacing them with an identical or very similar item. In the rare event that something is damaged, as a first step our company determines whether a satisfactory repair can be made. If not, the customer fills out a claim and our insurance company, CHUBB (one of only a few insurance companies with a reputation for fairness) processes the claim. Time limits set to first notifying us of the claim are indicated on your contract.

The cost of Replacement Value Insurance is $5.00 per $1,000 declared value, with a $500 deductible. The amount submitted to be covered, according to CHUBB'S requirements, must "reasonably" reflect the total worth of the goods the customer is shipping. For example, if your furniture is worth about $100,000, taking a policy of $20,000 would be considered underinsuring, and CHUBB reserves the right to reduce any settlement in proportion to the fraction by which the goods were underinsured - in this example, by 4/5. There is a $60 ($12,000 coverage) minimum purchase on a move.

Exceptions not covered by Replacement Value Insurance are:
A. Items packed by the customer, or otherwise not packed by the mover.
B. Items made of particle board, pressboard, or engineered wood, e.g. Ikea furniture.
C. Electronic and mechanical devices that do not work, but show no external evidence of damage.
D. Cash and items of extraordinary value (e.g. diamonds).
E. Plants.

For any questions, speak to a Brownstone Brothers representative.

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