What Licensed and Insured Actually Means for Your Move
Every moving company in New York City will tell you it is licensed and insured. It is worth knowing what the phrase is supposed to mean, because it is the difference between a company that is accountable for your belongings and one that is not.
Licensed means the company is registered to operate as a household goods mover and answers to a regulator for how it does that. It is not a formality. A licensed mover holds an operating authority that can be suspended, which is precisely why it is worth having.
Insured means that if something goes wrong on moving day there is a policy behind the company rather than a promise. It also means your building can be given proof of that policy before the crew arrives, which is what a Certificate of Insurance is for. We have held both, continuously, since 1979.
What Our Insurance Covers on Moving Day
Three things are covered from the moment we start loading, and all three are included in the price we quote you rather than sold separately at the door.
That matters most in a city where the building is as likely to be damaged as the furniture. A scraped lobby wall or a marked lift door is the kind of thing a managing agent notices immediately, and it is the reason they ask for paperwork before they let anyone upstairs.
Your belongings in transit
Your things are covered while they are in our care, being carried, loaded, driven and unloaded. You do not buy this separately and it is not an add-on at the door.
The buildings at both ends
Damage to the building itself, at the address you are leaving and the one you are moving into, is covered. This is the cover your managing agent is asking about when they request paperwork.
The crew doing the work
Our movers are covered while they are working in your home. If someone is hurt on the job, that is our responsibility to carry, not yours.
Certificates of Insurance for New York City Buildings
Most co-ops, condos and managed rentals in New York City will not let a moving crew through the door without a Certificate of Insurance on file. It is a one-page document naming your building as the party protected by our policy, and buildings are strict about it. No certificate, no elevator, no move.
We prepare it for you. There is no charge for it, we handle it directly with your building or managing agent, and it is usually issued the same business day you ask. If your building has an unusual requirement we would rather find that out a week early than on the morning itself.
The Movers Who Show Up Are Ours
When you book us, you get our crew and our trucks. The people who arrive at your door work for Big Apple Moving, wear our uniform, and have done this in New York City buildings many times before.
That matters more than it sounds. A crew that knows how a pre-war service elevator gets booked, how a walk-up on a narrow stair actually gets emptied, and what a managing agent expects to see before nine in the morning is the difference between a move that runs to time and one that does not.
If Something Is Damaged
Most moves finish without a mark on anything. When something does go wrong, we have a claims department and an actual process for handling it.
Tell your crew leader on the day if you can, or call the office afterwards. It goes to our claims team, who look at what happened. Where the damage is ours, we put it right, whether that means repair, replacement or settlement. You will be dealing with people whose job this is rather than chasing a general inbox.
We describe this because it is what people are actually worried about when they ask whether a mover is insured, and it is the part most moving companies leave off their websites entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions — Licensed and Insured Movers
Yes. We are a fully licensed and insured household goods moving company and we have been operating in New York City since 1979. Our licence details are listed at the bottom of every page on this site.
It is included. The cover described on this page is part of what you are quoted, not something added later. If you own something unusually valuable and want cover beyond the standard, tell us when you book and we will talk it through before your move rather than on the day.
Yes, at no charge, and usually the same business day you ask. Send us your building’s requirements, or your managing agent’s contact details, and we deal with them directly. We do this for New York City buildings every week.
Yes. Buildings ask to be named on the certificate, and often ask for the managing agent or the owner to be named as well. Send us exactly what they have asked for and we will have it issued that way.
Yes. Our own crew, our own trucks. You will not have strangers turning up in an unmarked van.
Tell the crew leader on the day if you can, or call the office afterwards. We have a claims department and your report goes to them. They look at what happened and, where the damage is ours, we put it right, whether that means repair, replacement or settlement.
For most moves, no. The cover is already there. If you are moving art, instruments or anything with a high individual value, mention it when you book so we can advise you properly before moving day.
Yes. We handle moves out of New York to other states as well as moves within the city and the surrounding counties.
A real moving company will hold an operating authority, will carry insurance it can show your building, and will put a price in writing before the day. Be wary of anyone who will not give you a written quote, cannot provide a Certificate of Insurance, or asks for a large cash deposit up front.
Sooner is better, particularly at the end of a month when buildings and elevators are heavily booked. If you need something at short notice, call us, because we can often help.
Licensed, Insured, and Moving New York Since 1979
Get a free quote for your move. No obligation, and the certificate your building needs is included.
