Commercial Moving Insurance in Canada: What Is Covered?

Most businesses assume their belongings are fully insured during an office move. They are wrong. The standard liability included in a commercial moving contract covers a fraction of your actual loss exposure, and the gaps are significant enough to turn a minor incident into a major financial hit.

Understanding what is covered — and what is not — before signing a moving contract is the difference between adequate protection and a costly surprise.

How Mover's Liability Works in Canada

Basic Liability (Standard Inclusion)

Every licensed commercial mover in Canada includes basic liability coverage as part of their standard service. This coverage is calculated by weight, not by value.

The industry standard is $0.60 per pound per article.

That means a 40-pound monitor worth $800 is covered for $24. A 200-pound server rack with $50,000 worth of equipment inside is covered for $120. A $3,000 ergonomic chair weighing 50 pounds is covered for $30.

Basic liability is functionally useless for anything of value. It exists because it is the minimum legal requirement, not because it provides meaningful protection.

Full Value Protection (Declared Value)

Most commercial movers offer an upgraded coverage option called full value protection or declared value coverage. Under this option, you declare the total replacement value of your shipment, and the mover is responsible for repairing, replacing, or compensating you at that declared value for any item they damage or lose.

The cost is typically 1–3% of the declared value. For a $200,000 shipment, expect to pay $2,000–$6,000 for full value protection.

What Full Value Protection Actually Covers

• Physical damage caused by the moving crew during packing, loading, transport, or unloading
• Loss of items during transport (items that left the old space but never arrived at the new space)
• Damage caused by the mover's equipment (dollies, ramps, trucks)

What Full Value Protection Does Not Cover

This is where businesses get caught:

• Pre-existing damage — if it was damaged before the move, it is not covered
• Owner-packed items — if you packed the box yourself, the mover is not liable for damage to the contents (they are only liable for damage to items they packed)
• Data loss — if a hard drive is physically damaged, the hardware is covered but the data on it is not
• Acts of God — severe weather events, natural disasters during transport
• Items of extraordinary value not declared — artwork, antiques, or specialized equipment must be specifically listed and valued
• Consequential losses — if a damaged server causes a week of downtime, the mover covers the server replacement, not your lost revenue

That last exclusion is the big one. A $5,000 server that causes $50,000 in business disruption is covered at $5,000.

Your Company's Existing Insurance

Before purchasing any additional moving coverage, check what your existing policies already provide.

Commercial Property Insurance

Your standard commercial property policy may include coverage for property in transit. Many policies cover owned equipment during a move within the same city, subject to your existing deductible. Coverage limits and conditions vary by insurer and policy.

Call your broker and ask specifically:

• Does the policy cover property in transit?
• Is there a sub-limit for property in transit?
• Does the coverage apply during a professional move or only when you transport items yourself?
• Are there any exclusions for electronic equipment or data?

Inland Marine Insurance

For high-value moves or moves involving specialized equipment, inland marine insurance provides broader transit coverage. This is a separate policy (or rider on your existing policy) that specifically covers goods in transit.

Inland marine policies typically cover:

• All risks of physical loss or damage during transit
• Loading and unloading damage
• Temporary storage during the move
• Higher per-item limits than standard property policies

Cost varies by value and distance, but a typical short-term inland marine policy for a commercial move runs $500–$3,000.

Third-Party Moving Insurance

Several insurance providers sell standalone moving insurance policies that supplement or replace the mover's liability coverage. These policies are purchased directly by the business, independent of the moving company.

Advantages Over Mover's Coverage

• Claims paid directly to you, not filtered through the mover's claims process
• Broader coverage terms — may include items the mover's policy excludes
• Higher limits available for specialized equipment
• Faster claims resolution — moving company claims processes can take 60–120 days

Typical Terms

Third-party moving insurance costs 2–5% of the total declared value. Deductibles range from $250 to $2,500. Policies are available from several Canadian insurers and can be bound within 24–48 hours.

Coverage Gaps Most Businesses Miss

Employee Personal Property

Employees bring personal items to work — photos, plants, mugs, personal electronics. If an employee's laptop bag is lost during the move, whose insurance covers it? In most cases, neither the mover's liability nor your commercial property policy covers employee personal property.

Address this in your pre-move communication. Advise employees to take personal valuables home before the move. Items left at the workstation move at the employee's risk.

Leased and Rented Equipment

Copiers, printers, phone systems, and some IT equipment may be leased rather than owned. Damage to leased equipment during a move creates a complex liability situation. Your mover's coverage may not extend to property you do not own. The leasing company's coverage may not apply during a move you initiated.

Contact each lessor before the move. Confirm whether their equipment is covered during relocation and whether you need to arrange separate coverage or notify them in advance.

Furniture Purchased for the New Space

New furniture delivered directly to the new office is covered under the manufacturer's or retailer's delivery terms, not your moving insurance. If a $15,000 conference table arrives damaged from the furniture vendor, that is a separate claim from the move. Inspect all new deliveries independently and document condition on receipt.

Building Damage

If the movers damage an elevator, doorframe, wall, or floor in either the old or new building, the claim falls under the mover's commercial general liability insurance, not their cargo coverage. Verify that your mover carries a minimum of $5 million CGL and that the policy explicitly covers property damage at third-party premises.

Some landlords require a certificate of insurance from the mover naming the building as an additional insured before allowing the move to proceed. Ask your landlord about this requirement at least 30 days before the move date.

Documentation That Protects You

Insurance coverage is only as good as your ability to prove a claim. Before the move, create a documentation package:

Pre-Move Condition Report

Walk the entire office with the mover's project manager. Document the condition of every high-value item with timestamped photographs. Both parties sign the condition report. Any pre-existing damage is noted — this prevents disputes over whether damage occurred during the move.

Inventory List With Values

Create a complete inventory with:

• Item description
• Serial number (for electronics)
• Current replacement value
• Location at origin and destination
• Condition (new, good, fair)

This list serves as the basis for any claim and as the declared value for insurance purposes.

Post-Move Inspection

Inspect and document every item within 48 hours of delivery. Most moving insurance policies and mover liability terms require claims to be filed within a specific window — often 30–90 days for visible damage and 9 months for concealed damage.

Do not sign the mover's delivery receipt as "received in good condition" until you have actually verified the condition. Signing without inspection waives many of your claim rights.

The Bottom Line on Coverage

For a mid-size office move valued at $100,000–$300,000 in contents:

| Coverage Layer | Cost | What It Covers | |---|---|---| | Basic mover liability (included) | $0 | $0.60/lb — essentially nothing | | Full value protection from mover | $1,000–$9,000 | Physical damage/loss by mover | | Existing property policy (check) | $0 additional | May cover transit — verify | | Third-party moving insurance | $2,000–$15,000 | Broadest coverage, fastest claims |

The right combination depends on your risk tolerance, the value of your equipment, and what your existing insurance already provides. At minimum, upgrade from basic liability to full value protection. For moves involving more than $100,000 in equipment, a third-party policy is worth the premium.

No coverage strategy eliminates risk entirely. But understanding exactly what is and is not covered lets you make informed decisions about where to accept risk and where to transfer it. That clarity is worth the hour it takes to review your policies before the move begins.

For the full planning process that includes insurance as one component, see our complete office move checklist. And for specific guidance on protecting your most valuable assets, read about protecting IT equipment during moves. Contact us to discuss coverage options for your upcoming move.