Moving overseas: Insurance options

Moving overseas? Organising a holiday can be complicated enough, but it doesn't even come close to the hassle involved in permanently relocating abroad. The last thing you want to be worrying about is damage to your possessions during the moving process, which is why moving insurance is such a popular option.

With so many people handling your belongings, there is a greater risk of something being damaged when you compare it to a local move. The right moving insurance policy will cover your property for loss, theft and damage - providing you with the peace of mind that you need when organising such a stressful move.

Overseas removals insurance policies

What to look for

A local move will usually mean that only you and the removalists will be handling your belongings. With an international move there are the original removalists, customs officers, the removalists at the destination and storage workers. Basically, it leaves a lot more room for error and risk.

If you're unsure about the level of cover you should be investing in, have a read over the following list and enquire with various international moving companies about the points that are most important to you.

• As with local removalists, many international companies will not be held liable for your goods in the transit and storage stage. For this reason, it's a good idea to look into additional coverage for these parts of the journey. The transit insurance may also be referred to as a "marine insurance policy".
• Does the company have another branch or affiliates in the country that you're planning to move to? If so, it will be a much easier process than organising two different companies, especially one in a different country.
• Many moving companies will not offer full insurance on items packed by the owner. Most will only provide coverage for loss or theft. If this is the case, either hire the company for packing services as well, or shop around for a company that will offer full coverage for self-packed items.
• Ask about insurance on electrical items. Some companies will not offer proper coverage as there is no solid way to prove that they were in working condition prior to the journey.
• Find out exactly what your goods are covered for. For example, some policies will only offer water damage coverage in the storage period.
• Ensure that your possessions are also covered in the event of a natural disaster.

When organising the move it's also a good idea to keep any valuable documents and jewellery with you, rather than shipping them with your other belongings. Avoid shipping anything small that is worth a lot of monetary or sentimental value to you.