NorthAmerican Van Lines: What to Know
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NorthAmerican Van Lines is a full-service moving company that serves all 50 states and more than 130 countries. Based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, it handles local, long-distance and international moves and has been in business for more than 80 years.
Here’s what to know before booking.
Services
NorthAmerican Van Lines and its sister company Allied Van Lines are owned by Sirva. Both moving companies work with an extensive network of independently owned and operated local agents and offer services for local, long-distance and international moves. An upfront deposit is not required by either company.
You can schedule northAmerican for:
Long-distance moves across state lines or to Canada.
International moves to more than 130 countries.
Local moves or moves within the same state.
Vehicle transport with guaranteed dates for pickup and drop-off.
In addition to loading, transport and unloading, you can also add other services, such as full-service packing, storage, cleaning, and installation and assembly of appliances and furniture.
For smaller long-distance moves for four furnished rooms or fewer across state lines, you can use northAmerican's moving container service, BlueExpress. With this service, movers load your belongings into large moving containers, then transport and unload them at your destination. The service is similar to the moving container company PODS, with a significant difference. As a full-service container mover, northAmerican includes loading and unloading services in the cost.
Check the status of your shipment online by entering your registration number and the first three letters of your last name.
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How to get a quote
Request a free, instant quote showing a range of prices you can expect on northAmerican's website by answering a short questionnaire. Instant quotes are available online for state-to-state moves only. You'll need to provide:
Street addresses or ZIP codes for your current home and destination.
Number of bedrooms.
Moving date.
Name, email and phone number.
You can also call 800-228-3092 to request a quote. Quotes for local moves and moves within the same state are handled by local agents.
For a finalized quote, an in-home survey may be needed. This can be done in-person or virtually through northAmerican's app.
According to northAmerican, estimates are calculated by figuring the:
Total weight of your belongings.
Quantity and size of items that fit into a moving vehicle.
Belongings that need to be crated, such as fragile items.
Options for accessing your home (also any issues the crew might encounter on moving day).
Layout of your rooms before moving day.
Getting a quote doesn't mean you have to use northAmerican’s services. Before hiring movers, it's best to get estimates from multiple companies.
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What’s included in the basic price?
Before your move, northAmerican will provide you with a written estimate. This is based on the information you provide when you request a quote, such as the type of move and selected services. Your relocation specialist will help finalize a guaranteed price.
A basic quote from northAmerican includes the following:
A move representative: This agent is assigned to coordinate the personal details of your move.
Full loading, transport, and unloading: Movers will create a packing and unloading checklist to ensure your belongings are transported to their intended destination.
Released Value Protection coverage: Federal law requires moving companies to offer this minimum protection for your belongings. If you want more protection, you can pay the additional fee and select Full Value Protection.
NorthAmerican’s website says the average cost of a move is $3,758. Your cost will depend on various factors, including how far you’re moving, the weight of your shipment, how much damage and loss protection you need for your belongings, and how much of the move you want to handle on your own.
NorthAmerican accepts cash, credit cards, certified checks and money orders. Your account must be paid in full for the movers to unload your belongings at your destination.
Loss and damage protection
Federal law requires interstate moving companies to offer two types of loss and damage coverage for your belongings: Released Value Protection, which covers only a small amount, and Full Value Protection, which provides more coverage.
Released Value Protection, which is included in northAmerican’s initial cost estimate, covers 60 cents per pound of your belongings, which equals $600 for every 1,000 pounds of your shipment. This might leave you in a tough financial position in the event the shipment is lost or damaged and you have to replace items. Consider paying extra for Full Value Protection, which gets you $6 of coverage for every pound, or $6,000 of coverage for every 1,000 pounds of your shipment.
If you choose Full Value Protection, let your personal move representative know if you have individual items worth more than $100 per pound, such as jewelry or electronics. These items will be added to your High-Value Inventory Form to ensure you receive more than minimal payout in case of loss or damage.
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Changes and cancellations
Change and cancellation policies vary by location. Contact your local northAmerican agent to ask what terms apply to your move.
