Home Protection

Moving? 5 Ways To Keep Your Stuff Safe

March 19, 2026
By GEICO Team
6 min read
Editorial Guidelines
Young couple unpack moving boxes with their toddler who has just discovered a toy inside a box.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Most Moving Damage Happens Because of Last-Minute Packing, Not Bad Movers

The biggest risk to your belongings is not the moving truck or the crew carrying your boxes. It is the way you packed them. When packing gets pushed to the final week, items get thrown into boxes without padding, fragile things end up crushed under heavy ones, and labels get skipped entirely. Start weeks early. Go room by room with a donation box and a trash bag to declutter before you pack. Fill every empty space in a box with newsprint, towels, or socks so nothing shifts in transit. Use the rule that moving professionals live by: if it moves inside the box, it breaks. Reinforce cardboard boxes with tape, stack heavy items on the bottom, and pack one clearly labeled box of day-one essentials like toilet paper, linens, toiletries, and a wine opener so you are not digging through a wall of boxes on your first night.

Keep Your Most Valuable and Irreplaceable Items With You

Passports, bank documents, jewelry, family heirlooms, and anything that cannot be replaced should never go on the moving truck. Designate a spot in your home as a "no-go" area for items the movers are not allowed to touch, and transport those items yourself. For local moves, this is straightforward. For cross-country relocations, communicate clearly with your moving company about which items are excluded from their cargo. If something is valuable enough that losing it would cause real harm, it belongs in your car, your carry-on, or your hands.

Your Moving Company's Default Coverage Barely Covers Anything

Most people assume the moving company is liable if something breaks. Technically, they are, but the default coverage, called released value protection, only pays $0.60 per pound per item. That means a $1,000 television that weighs 20 pounds would pay out $12. Full value protection costs extra but covers repair, replacement, or current market value. Your homeowners or renters insurance may provide limited coverage during a move, but typically only for named perils like fire or theft, not for a dropped box. Before moving day, call your insurance provider and your moving company to understand exactly what is and is not covered, and consider purchasing third-party moving insurance if you have high-value belongings.

Moving is stressful enough. Worrying that your belongings might not make it in one piece? Completely avoidable, says Daniel Menchini, President and CEO of U.Santini Moving and Storage in Brooklyn, N.Y. Just follow his five smart tips.

1. Don’t Save Packing For The Last Week

Woman taping moving box closed while surrounded by other moving boxes.

That’s how you end up hurling stuff into boxes, damaging fragile items and losing track of your belongings. “The key is to prep well in advance,” Menchini says. First, pare down: About a month before moving day, go room to room with a box and garbage bag. Put donations in one, stuff to toss in the other. Next, pack each room, labeling boxes as you go; aim to meet a quota (say, 5 or 10 boxes packed every night) so that you’re not rushing at the end. Then pack one box of first-day essentials: toilet paper, paper towels, paper plates, linens, toiletries and, of course, a wine opener.

2. Know How To Pack Breakable Things

“A good moving company is like your personal moving consultant,” Menchini says. Once you hire a moving service, get the name and number of your dedicated consultant—someone you can bug for packing advice. Then use him: He’ll be on call to explain how to pack dishes, lamps, stemware and more. If you’re going to DIY, search online for specific tips on packing almost any breakable item: There are great YouTube and step-by-step how-to’s for packing fragile items like china and pictures.

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3. Consider Plastic Moving Boxes

Cardboard boxes can crumple when stacked, crushing whatever’s underneath. If you opt for cardboard boxes, make sure you tape them thoroughly and pack them with the heaviest, sturdiest stuff on the bottom of the box and the lightest things on top, Menchini says. Fill every cubic inch of a box, or else items will roll around. “The rule of thumb is, if it moves, it breaks,” he adds. To fill every inch of a box, jam in newsprint (it’s like newspaper but without the ink, since ink can stain—find it online or from your moving company) or something else you’ll need to transport anyway, like socks or dish towels.

4. Keep Valuables With You

Your important documents should never be packed away in a box. “We’ve gotten claims from people who’ve lost bank notes or passports or a will,” Menchini says. “That kind of thing shouldn’t be in the possession of the mover—it shouldn’t leave your side.” Same thing goes for small valuables, like an antique lamp, family heirlooms, jewelry or items of sentimental value. If you aren’t moving cross-country, carry it to your new home yourself. (And if you are relocating long-distance, clue the movers in early to this extra-special piece.) “Often when we do a full packing service, I recommend putting items we shouldn’t touch in a closet or safe spot that everyone knows is off-limits,” Menchini says.

5. Know Where You Stand With Insurance

Silhouette of a man removing a box from a moving truck.

Call your insurance company to figure out if your belongings are covered during a move. If you own an additional rider to your renters or homeowners policy for a valuable possession—say, a piece of fine art—it helps to understand if it’s covered no matter where it is, Menchini adds. Also keep in mind that a moving company’s basic liability is quite limited; for example, for a local move in New York, Menchini’s company is insured for a rate of 30 cents per pound. A 10-pound chair, then, is only insured for $3. “A reputable moving company is going to stand by its job and protect the customer if something breaks due to the movers’ negligence,” he says. “But when something valuable breaks, that’s when it’s important to understand your own insurance.”

All moved in? Congratulations! Now that you’re unpacked and your valuables are safely stowed away, it’s always good to review your homeowners or renters insurance coverage to ensure it fits your new home and protects your property inside. Get a quote from GEICO online or call 1-800-841-2964 to speak with a live agent about your coverage options.

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  • 1. Don’t Save Packing For The Last Week
  • 2. Know How To Pack Breakable Things
  • Ready to Help Protect Your Loved Ones?
  • 3. Consider Plastic Moving Boxes
  • 4. Keep Valuables With You
  • 5. Know Where You Stand With Insurance
  • Ready to Protect Your Home?

Please note that the information above is meant to help you better understand insurance coverage in general. This content is for educational purposes only and does not serve as an actual insurance policy, nor does it change any terms or details in your own policy. Because insurance options can vary depending on your insurer, where you live, and what's available, we recommend that you review your policy documents and speak with a licensed insurance expert if you have questions about your coverage. Any examples of premiums, losses, deductibles, or repair costs are just for illustration and might not reflect your personal situation. Whether an accident or loss is covered will depend on the specific rules and details in your policy. Also, if you click on any links to other websites, we are not responsible for their content.