What does full value protection actually cover, and what can reduce it?

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Full value protection makes your mover liable for the replacement value of lost or damaged goods, with the option to repair the item, replace it, or settle in cash, rather than paying out by the pound. That is the strong version of mover liability. But the word “full” can mislead: deductibles, undeclared high-value items, and boxes you packed yourself can all shrink what you actually recover. Knowing both the coverage and the conditions that narrow it is what keeps the protection meaningful when you need it.

What the coverage does

On an interstate move under 49 CFR Part 375, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration makes full value protection the default unless you sign a waiver choosing released value. When it applies, the mover is responsible for the lost or damaged article at its current replacement value, and the mover generally chooses among three remedies: repairing the item to its pre-move condition, replacing it with a like item, or making a cash settlement.

Georgia applies the same idea to in-state moves. Under Department of Public Safety rules (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 570-38-3), an intrastate carrier must offer full value protection based on current replacement value up to the dollar amount you declare, and the carrier may charge for it within the limits of its maximum rate tariff. In both systems, the declared value you put on the paperwork sets the ceiling on what the plan will pay.

What can reduce it

Full value protection is not a blank guarantee, and several common conditions can lower a payout:

  • A deductible. Plans often let you choose a deductible level; a higher deductible lowers the premium but means you absorb more of any loss.
  • Undeclared high-value items. Articles worth more than $100 per pound must be listed in writing, or the mover can limit its liability on them even under a full value plan.
  • Self-packed boxes. If you pack a carton yourself and it is damaged inside, the mover can decline liability unless its own negligence, such as dropping or crushing the box, caused the harm, because it cannot verify how the contents were packed.
  • The declared value itself. Recovery is capped at the amount you declare, so a low declared figure caps a large loss.
  • Excluded categories. Items of extraordinary value generally are not covered unless they are specifically listed on the bill of lading.

None of this makes the coverage weak; it makes it conditional. The protection is real, but it follows the terms you agreed to and the documentation behind your claim.

Keeping the coverage intact

To preserve full value protection, treat the paperwork as part of the coverage. Ask the mover what deductible applies and whether a lower one is available, and confirm the figure in writing on the estimate and bill of lading. Declare any item worth more than $100 per pound in writing before the move, and list anything of extraordinary value where the bill of lading calls for it. For fragile, high-value items you might otherwise box yourself, consider professional packing so a damaged-inside claim is not defeated by the self-packing limit.

Read the valuation section before you sign, and set your declared value to reflect what your shipment would truly cost to replace. Full value protection is the stronger of the two federal and Georgia options, but it pays as written, not as hoped, so the goal is to enter the move with the deductible understood, the high-value items declared, and the documentation in order. For interstate moves those terms rest on FMCSA rules; within Georgia they rest on DPS rules.

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