At A Glance
Goods in Transit insurance protects your belongings while they are being moved: It covers your things from the moment they are loaded until they are unloaded at your new home, and ESV carries £40,000 per vehicle on every move. When you compare Brighton and Sussex removals companies, ask for the Goods in Transit limit and the Public Liability figure in writing, rather than accepting a general "fully insured" promise.
Declare any single item worth £500 or more before moving day: Send a rough value and a photo with your quote request, so antiques, artwork, mirrors, designer furniture and large TVs are recorded, wrapped and loaded with a plan. The cover is included in every ESV quote as standard, so there is nothing extra to arrange, and declaring an item simply means it is documented before it leaves your home.
Public Liability covers your home, not just your belongings: Goods in Transit protects what we carry, while our £5 million Public Liability covers the property itself, from walls and banisters to communal stairs and lifts. Peter is your direct contact from quote to final box on 07552 555 820 or via www.eastsussexvan.com, and you can follow real move days on Instagram.
What Does Goods in Transit Insurance Cover On A Removal?
Goods in Transit insurance covers your belongings against loss or damage while they are in our care, from loading at your old home, through the journey, to unloading at the new one. ESV carries £40,000 of Goods in Transit cover per vehicle on every house and office move across Brighton and Sussex. Your belongings are memories and investments, not just objects, and the cover means that if something does go wrong, you are not the one left carrying the cost.
The limit is per vehicle, so each ESV van on your move carries its own £40,000 of cover for the load inside it. That matters most on bigger moves, where a family home is split across a Luton and a Sprinter. The cover comes as standard with all our house removals across Sussex, alongside the planning that aims for the best result of all: nothing to claim for.
Is £40,000 Of Goods in Transit Cover Enough?
For most homes, yes. AXA's contents research puts the average one bed flat at £15,713, an average property at £29,452 and a four bed house at £41,361, so £40,000 per van covers a typical flat or family home with room to spare. Larger homes moving in two vans have two limits, not one. Where a household has several valuable pieces, we confirm the declared values before moving day, so the cover matches what is actually on the van.
Local Pro Tip: Ask How a Claim Works, Not Just How Much Cover There Is
When you compare movers, the cover figure is only half the answer. Ask what happens on the day if something is damaged: who records it, whether photos are taken and how it is reported to the insurer. A mover with a real process can answer in one sentence. Ours is simple: tell us straight away, and we photograph the item, log exactly what happened and guide you through the next steps with the insurer.
Why Did We Raise Our Cover To £40,000?
We raised our Goods in Transit limit from £20,000 to £40,000 per vehicle in September 2026, because the homes we move increasingly include antiques, designer furniture and expensive electronics. Some booking platforms set £10,000 per vehicle as the minimum for the movers they list, which puts our cover at four times that benchmark. Four things drove the decision.
1. Peace of mind on moving day. Moving is stressful enough, and our guide on how to avoid a stressful house move shows how much of that comes down to planning. Higher cover takes one worry off the list, so you can focus on the new home rather than what is in the van.
2. Protection for high value items. Many of our Brighton and Sussex customers own antiques, designer furniture or expensive electronics. Cover at this level backs up how we move antique furniture and heirlooms, from the wrapping to where each piece sits in the van, so a valuable item gets planned care whether it is worth £500 or £5,000.
3. A professional standard. Cover at this level is something we choose to carry, and it sits alongside the other choices behind a careful crew. We pay every crew member at least the real Living Wage, because a valued team takes more care with every item, and the person who quotes your move is the person who runs it. That is what running Brighton removals properly looks like to us.
4. Bigger moves and longer journeys. Larger homes, office removals across Brighton and Sussex and long distance removals mean more on the van and more hours on the road, which is exactly when a higher limit matters. For most moves the standard cover is plenty, and for higher value households we confirm declared values in advance and plan which van each valuable piece travels in.
Is Insurance Included In Your Removals Quote?
Yes. Goods in Transit and Public Liability are included in every ESV quote as standard, so there is no insurance add-on to buy and nothing extra to arrange. That applies equally to a single room and a full three bedroom house move, including moves where you book our packing service alongside the removal. Whether you are moving across Sussex or into a block at Brighton Marina, the cover is in place before the first box is lifted.
Local Pro Tip: A Shorter Carry Beats Any Insurance Policy
In our experience, most knocks on a move happen on foot, not on the road: on stair landings, through door frames and on a long walk to the van. If you live in a Brighton and Hove permit area, the best thing you can do is get the van legally close to your door. A bay suspension from Brighton & Hove City Council needs 7 full working days' notice, so check your street early and tell us if the loading point looks awkward.
Two Moves Where The Cover Mattered
On a house move in Kemptown, we moved a large glass display cabinet along with the collection of ornaments it held. The ornaments were wrapped and boxed separately, the cabinet was declared before moving day, and both arrived without a mark. It never needed the cover, but it is exactly the kind of piece that would be expensive to replace without it.
On a house move in Worthing, we moved a marble dining table and several large mirrors. Marble is heavy and surprisingly brittle, and a mirror is most at risk on a turn, so the table top came off its base using our furniture dismantling and reassembly service and the mirrors travelled wrapped and stood on edge. Both were declared before moving day, so they were planned into the load rather than squeezed in at the end.
Our house move across Lewes was made so easy by Peter. All our possessions were well looked after and couldn't recommend him highly enough. Will certainly use him again.
Damage on our moves is rare, and we would like to keep it that way. The cover is there for the day something goes wrong. The planning is there so that day never comes.
Local Pro Tip: Glass and Mirrors Go on the Van Last and Come Off First
Load glass, mirrors and display cabinets last and unload them first, so nothing heavy is ever packed against them. Before we arrive, clear the hallway, take down a few wall frames and keep one landing free, so a large mirror never has to be rested on a stair edge in a narrow Brighton or Sussex stairwell. If any piece is worth £500 or more, declare it, and we will plan exactly where it travels.
What Should You Declare Before Moving Day?
Declare any single item worth £500 or more on our valued inventory form before moving day. It takes a few minutes: list each item with a rough value, add a photo, then sign and date the form. That puts the item on record against our Goods in Transit cover before it leaves your home, rather than being worked out after the event.
Typical examples are antiques, artwork, designer furniture, large TVs and other high end electronics. Small valuables such as jewellery, cash, passports and important documents are best kept with you on the day rather than packed in the van. Once we know what is coming, we build the declared pieces into the plan, and if you book our removals packing service, they are wrapped by the same crew who will load them.
Local Pro Tip: Photograph Declared Items the Night Before
Take two photos of each declared item the night before the move: one of the whole piece and one close up of any existing marks or wear. For the value, use a sensible figure you can point to, such as a receipt, a recent valuation or the amount on your home contents insurance schedule. A photo and a figure you can back up are what make a valued inventory form clear, and together they take less than ten minutes.
How Can You Check A Removals Company's Insurance?
Ask to see the certificate, not just the promise. A genuine insurance certificate names the insurer, the policy dates, the Goods in Transit limit per vehicle and the Public Liability figure. We are happy to share ours before you book, because cover you can check is worth more than cover you are simply told about. It is the minimum you should expect from any Sussex removals company that takes your belongings as seriously as you do.
What To Compare Beyond The Cover Figure
Not every removals company carries the same cover, and the difference rarely shows on a website. Liability is also one of the real differences between a man and van job and a full removal, which our guide to man and van or full removals explains. When you compare quotes, put the Goods in Transit limit, the Public Liability figure and the claims process side by side. Then read how to choose a removals company, and why choosing a local Brighton removals company changes who answers the phone if something does go wrong.
How Do You Book A Fully Insured Move With ESV?
Request a free quote and list anything worth £500 or more at the same time, so the cover and the plan are built together from the start. It works the same way for house removals in Brighton and Hove, from a one bedroom flat to a family home, and for moves anywhere else in Sussex.
Call Peter on 07552 555 820, send your details on WhatsApp or request a quote online, and mention any fragile items, anything worth £500 or more, or tight access. You can also see real Brighton move days and packing tips on Instagram.
£40,000 per vehicle, £5 million Public Liability, a £500 declaration threshold and a certificate you can check before you book: that is the cover behind every ESV move, and the planning behind it is what keeps it unused.
Key Terms
Goods in Transit Limit
The most a removals company's insurance will pay for belongings on any one vehicle. ESV's limit is £40,000 per vehicle, so on a two van move each van carries its own £40,000, which is why our Ford Transit Luton and Sprinter loads are planned around where valuables sit.
Public Liability
Insurance that covers accidental damage to property and third parties during a move, such as walls, banisters, communal hallways and lifts. ESV carries £5 million.
Valued Inventory Form
The signed form listing any single item worth £500 or more, with a rough value and a photo, completed before moving day.
Declared Value
The value you give an item on the valued inventory form. It shapes how the item is wrapped, where it travels in the van and how it is recorded against the cover.
Insurance Certificate
The document that proves a removals company's cover, naming the insurer, the policy dates, the Goods in Transit limit and the Public Liability figure. Ask to see it before you book.
Claims Process
What happens if something is damaged. At ESV, you tell us straight away, and we photograph the item, log what happened and guide you through the next steps with the insurer.
Frequently Asked Questions About Goods in Transit Cover
What do Goods in Transit and Public Liability cover on a removal?
Goods in Transit covers your belongings against accidental loss or damage while we load, drive and unload, and ESV carries £40,000 per vehicle. Public Liability is separate and covers accidental damage to property and third parties, such as walls, banisters, communal hallways and lifts, and ESV carries £5 million. Both matter most in Brighton and Hove flats, where more of the route runs through shared spaces. When you compare removals companies, ask for both figures in writing rather than accepting a general "fully insured" promise.
Is Goods in Transit insurance a legal requirement for removals companies?
No. There is no legal requirement in the UK for a removals company to carry Goods in Transit insurance, so cover varies widely from one mover to the next, and some carry very little. That is why it is worth asking every company you are considering for its Goods in Transit limit per vehicle, its Public Liability figure and a copy of the certificate. ESV carries £40,000 Goods in Transit per vehicle and £5 million Public Liability on every move.
Is £40,000 of Goods in Transit cover enough for a typical house move?
For most homes, yes. AXA's figures put the average one bed flat's contents at £15,713 and a four bed house at £41,361, so £40,000 per vehicle covers a typical flat or family home with room to spare. It needs more thought for large homes, office moves and households with several valuable pieces. In those cases we confirm declared values before moving day and spread the valuables across the load, because the limit applies per vehicle rather than per job.
Does the same cover apply to man and van jobs?
Yes. Every ESV job, from a single item collection to a full house move, carries the same £40,000 Goods in Transit per vehicle and £5 million Public Liability. The difference between man and van and full removals is the type of job, not the cover. Man and van suits smaller, hourly work such as collections, storage runs and simple loads, while full removals are planned house moves that can include packing, key handovers and an overtime clause. If you are not sure which you need, tell us what is moving and we will tell you which fits.
Which items should I declare on the valued inventory form?
Declare any single item worth £500 or more before moving day. Typical examples are antiques, artwork, designer furniture, large TVs and other high end electronics, and if you are unsure whether something qualifies, list it anyway. Each entry needs the item name, a rough value and a photo, and the signed form takes a few minutes. Declared items then get a planned position in the van, extra protection and, where needed, specialist packing.
Are my belongings insured while they are in storage?
Our Goods in Transit cover applies while we load your belongings, drive them and unload them into storage. Once they are inside a Big Yellow unit, Big Yellow's own storage protection takes over, so ask Big Yellow for the details of that cover when the unit is booked. When we collect from storage and deliver to your new home, our cover applies again for that part of the move. If a gap between completion dates looks likely, tell us at quote stage so the storage and both legs of the move are planned together.
What happens if something is damaged during an ESV move?
Tell us straight away, and we will photograph the item, log exactly what happened and guide you through the next steps with the insurer. The sooner damage is recorded, the easier it is to confirm how and when it happened, so check your most valuable pieces as they come off the van rather than weeks later when the last box is unpacked. Items declared on the valued inventory form already have a value and a photo on record, which takes the guesswork out of the process.
Who insures ESV, and can I see the certificate?
ESV's removals cover is backed by Admiral Platinum, with £40,000 Goods in Transit per vehicle and £5 million Public Liability on every move. We are happy to share a copy of the certificate before you book, so you can check the insurer, the policy dates and both figures for yourself. Ask for it when you request your quote, or message Peter on WhatsApp and we will send it over.
Do I still need my own home contents insurance when I move?
Yes, keep it in place. Our Goods in Transit and Public Liability cover the move itself, but your home contents insurance still protects your belongings before we arrive and after we leave, and some policies also include cover during a house move. Check your policy before moving day, tell your insurer your moving date and new address, and make sure your new home is covered from the day you get the keys.
About The Author...
Peter Hawes is the director of ESV Removals Ltd, a family run Brighton and Sussex removals team known for calm planning, careful handling and clear prices. Peter first worked in removals in 2019, started running his own van in 2022 and incorporated ESV Removals Ltd in 2025. He holds a 2:1 BA (Hons) in English Literature and Digital Media from the University of Brighton. Peter oversees every job from first message to the last box and brings local know how for permit zones, tight stairwells and seafront buildings. ESV is fully insured with £40,000 Goods in Transit per vehicle and £5 million Public Liability, backed by hundreds of five star Google reviews and was a double winner at the SME Southern Enterprise Awards 2025, with a further nomination for 2026. The company's eco pledge covers a Euro 6, ULEZ compliant Luton, Esso Ethos+ renewable diesel where available, box reuse and paperless bookings. ESV is signed up to the Brighton & Hove Living Wage Campaign, led by Brighton Chamber, and pays every crew member at least the real Living Wage, because a valued team takes more care on every move. Learn more at www.eastsussexvan.com or follow real move days on Instagram.
