Full Value Protection vs. Released Value: What's the Real Difference?
Every long-distance mover is legally required to offer two protection options, and by default you're automatically enrolled in the cheaper one — whether you realize it or not. The gap between the two isn't small. As the illustration above shows, a $400 lamp can settle for $400 under one option and about $2.40 under the other. Same item, same damage, wildly different outcome.
The default matters: if you don't actively choose Full Value Protection, you're automatically covered under Released Value — the free, minimum option required by federal law.
What is Released Value?
Released Value is the baseline protection every carrier must offer at no extra cost. It doesn't pay based on what your belongings are actually worth — it pays a flat rate of about 60 cents per pound, per item, regardless of the item's value. A 4-pound lamp worth $400 settles for roughly $2.40. A 30-pound TV worth $1,200 settles for about $18.
It's technically coverage, but for anything with real value — electronics, furniture, antiques — it functions closer to no coverage at all.
What is Full Value Protection (FVP)?
Full Value Protection is the option that actually reflects what your things are worth. If an item is lost, damaged, or destroyed while covered under FVP, the mover has to repair it, replace it with a similar item, or pay you a cash settlement based on its current market value — not its weight.
FVP usually comes with a cost, priced as a percentage of your total shipment value, and it's often available with a deductible option to lower that cost — similar to how a car insurance deductible works.
| Full Value Protection | Released Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Usually a paid add-on | Free, included by default |
| Payout basis | Actual item value | ~$0.60 per pound |
| Settlement type | Repair, replace, or cash | Flat weight-based cash only |
| Best for | Electronics, furniture, anything valuable | Low-value or already-insured items |
| Deductible option | Often available | Not applicable |
How to decide which one you need
For most long-distance moves, Full Value Protection is worth the added cost the moment you own anything electronics-grade, antique, or simply hard to replace. Released Value tends to make sense only if your total shipment value is genuinely low, or if your homeowner's or renter's insurance already extends coverage during a move — which is worth confirming with your insurer before you rely on it.
Questions to ask before you pick
- 1What's the actual per-pound rate for Released Value with this specific mover?
- 2Is Full Value Protection priced as a flat rate or a percentage of declared value?
- 3Is a deductible available on FVP, and how much does it lower the cost?
- 4Are high-value items (jewelry, art, electronics over a certain value) excluded unless declared separately?
Our take: we offer Full Value Protection on every move and walk you through the declared value and deductible options up front — no guessing what you're covered for until something goes wrong.
Coverage explained before you book, not after
We'll walk you through Full Value Protection and what it actually covers for your shipment.
Frequently asked questions
Is Released Value really free?
Yes. It's the minimum coverage federal regulations require movers to include at no cost. The trade-off is the payout, which is based on weight, not value.
Can I declare a higher value than my shipment weighs to get more coverage?
With Full Value Protection, you typically declare the value of your shipment yourself, and your cost is based on that declared amount — so accurate, honest valuation matters both for adequate coverage and for a fair price.
Does Full Value Protection cover everything, no exceptions?
Most movers exclude or cap coverage on particularly high-value items — jewelry, cash, art — unless you list them separately on a high-value inventory form. Always ask specifically about anything valuable before moving day.
What does New Horizon Movers offer?
We offer Full Value Protection on every move, with the declared value and deductible options explained clearly at quote time — not buried in paperwork you see for the first time on moving day.