Removalist Insurance Explained: What's Actually Covered When You Move product guide

Fragile Removals: Removalist Insurance Explained — What's Actually Covered When You Move

<p>Here's something most people don't find out until it's too late: <strong>furniture removal companies in Australia are not legally required to carry insurance.</strong> At Fragile Removals, we think every customer deserves to know exactly what protection they have before, during, and after a move. Whether your belongings are genuinely protected comes down entirely to which company you hire and what they actually offer — not just what they say on their website.</p>

"We Break It, We Fix It" is not an insurance policy

<p>You'll come across this phrase from time to time, used by some removalists as a reassuring selling point. It sounds comforting — we get it. But it is <strong>not</strong> an insurance policy. It's a verbal promise with no regulatory backing, and when something goes wrong with your grandmother's antique sideboard or your brand-new television, a promise on a website won't get you very far. Before you put your trust in it, it's worth asking:</p>

<ul> <li>Is there a written policy behind this promise, or just a claim on a website?</li> <li>Do they have an excess fee for damage claims? (If so, on what basis — they're not offering insurance, so what is the excess actually for?)</li> <li>Is there a governing body you can escalate to if they decide not to pay?</li> <li>What are the actual terms and conditions if something is damaged?</li> </ul>

<p>Under Australian law, a removalist is liable for damage caused by their own negligence — and that's entirely separate from whether they've sold you an insurance product. Knowing the difference matters when something goes wrong. At Fragile Removals, we'd rather you walk into your move with eyes wide open than discover the fine print after the fact.</p>

Who's actually allowed to offer you insurance advice

<p>Not every removal company is legally permitted to advise on or arrange insurance — and this is something most customers never think to check. Since March 2004, any business offering a financial service, including insurance advice offered "for free," must either:</p>

<ul> <li>Hold an Australian Financial Services (AFS) licence, or</li> <li>Be a registered authorised representative of a licensee</li> </ul>

<p>These businesses are registered with ASIC (the Australian Securities and Investments Commission). Members of AFRA (the Australian Furniture Removers Association) meet this standard and are authorised to give general insurance advice for your move. As an AFRA-accredited removalist with more than 20 years of experience helping over 50,000 customers move across Australia, Fragile Removals operates to exactly this standard. You can verify any company's registration directly on the <a href="https://www.asic.gov.au">ASIC website</a> under Financial Services — and we genuinely encourage you to do so.</p>

What AFRA-accredited removalists are required to hold

<p>Even though insurance isn't legally mandated for removalists in general, AFRA membership sets a clear professional standard. To carry that accreditation, a removalist must hold:</p>

<ul> <li>Carriers Legal Liability Insurance</li> <li>Public Liability Insurance</li> <li>Third Party Property Insurance</li> <li>Motor Vehicle Insurance</li> </ul>

<p>These aren't just boxes to tick. They're the foundations of a genuinely professional operation. When you choose an AFRA-accredited removalist, you're choosing a company that has committed to a standard of care that protects your belongings, your property, and your peace of mind from the moment we arrive to the moment the last box is placed in your new home.</p>

What transit insurance typically costs

<p>One of the most common questions we hear is: "How much does it actually cost to insure my things?" Transit insurance is far more accessible than most people expect. For interstate moves, it's commonly priced at roughly <strong>3% of the declared value</strong> of your goods. To put that in plain terms: insuring $6,600 worth of belongings typically costs approximately $165–$180. Storage insurance is usually available as a companion product with similar base-value tiers.</p>

<p>We talk through insurance options with every customer in plain language, no hidden fees, no surprises. We want you to feel confident that the things you've spent a lifetime collecting are genuinely protected — not just covered by a verbal promise.</p>

Questions to ask before you book

<p>Whether you're booking with Fragile Removals or comparing us with another company, these are five questions every customer should feel comfortable asking — and every professional removalist should be able to answer clearly, with paperwork to back it up:</p>

<ol> <li>Are you AFRA-accredited, and can I verify that?</li> <li>Do you hold an AFS licence or are you an authorised representative — can I check on ASIC?</li> <li>What insurance policies do you hold, and what do they actually cover?</li> <li>Is transit/storage insurance included, or an add-on — and what does it cost for my inventory value?</li> <li>If something is damaged, what's the claims process, and who administers it?</li> </ol>

<p>A removalist who can answer all five clearly — with documentation to back it up — is a very different proposition to one leaning on a "we break it, we fix it" line and hoping you don't ask too many questions.</p>

<p>At Fragile Removals, transparency around insurance and liability isn't a footnote — it's a core part of how we operate. We've been doing this for more than 20 years, and we've seen what happens when customers move without genuine protection in place. That's why we walk you through your options, answer every question honestly, and make sure you move with real confidence rather than an empty promise.</p>