Technically, a moving company can move anything because they have the capacity — the people, machines, and transportation — to lift or transport things, but there are some things that they are not willing to move. These are things that are not on their list of serviceable items.
There are a few reasons moving companies refuse to move items that are not on the list of serviceable items, but the two main ones are insurance liability and safety. Moving companies have strict guidelines about what they can and cannot move, and if they do not follow those guidelines, they risk ruining their insurance coverage. Another reason moving companies will not move certain items is because of safety issues.
Things Most Moving Companies Won’t Move
Moving Companies Will Move Nothing That Is Corrosive, Flammable, or Explosive
The U.S. Department of Transportation prohibits movers from transporting anything that is corrosive, flammable, or explosive. Besides not transporting anything that fits these criteria, this list also includes but is not limited to paint, gasoline, propane tanks, and even batteries.
Moving Companies Will Not Move Perishable Foods
Many moving companies will not accept responsibility for taking care of perishable items like fruits, vegetables, or meat. They prefer to move transport things that cannot be easily moved by the customer.
It is always more cost-effective and convenient to take some perishable food in your car rather than ask a moving company to do it. However, you should not forget the importance of proper safety precautions to avoid breaking boxes or spilling containers with food.
One way of taking care of any perishable food that you have in your car is to freeze them. This way, they will be safe for up to six months and will still taste great.
Moving Companies Will Not Move Your Personal Valuables
Many things are considered to be of high value such as financial instruments like credit cards or delicate objects like family heirlooms are considered “sensitive personal information.”
Moving companies are required by law to disclose their policies and procedures in the moving process, which includes how they handle items that are considered “sensitive personal information.”
To stay clear of any liability issues, they will move nothing that could be considered of great value to the owner.
Moving Companies Will Not Move Plants
Moving plants can be a difficult task because many plants need special care in order to survive. Moving plants over 150 miles can cause serious health problems. Moving plants without a permit is also a crime in most states.
Moving Companies Will Not Move Your Pets
Many people are unaware that animals cannot be transported in a moving truck. There are certain rules and regulations that apply to the transportation of pets. One such regulation is that if you ship your pet via air or by sea, you need to pay an extra fee for the shipment.
Moving from one state to another might not be so easy, but it does not mean your animals can’t come with you! You just need to know about the pet relocation options which include crate service, cargo airline shipping, and cargo car shipping.
Conclusion
Movers won’t move everything that you own. While they have the capacity to move almost anything, there are certain things that they will that they won’t move because of legal, financial liability, or safety reasons.
This shortlist is neither comprehensive nor universal, so if in doubt about what can or cannot be moved, contact the moving company for the list of things that they will not move.
It is your responsibility to make sure that you do not pack things that are dangerous, illegal, or highly valuable and that will not be covered by insurance.
If you cannot transport something yourself, there may be certain specialized moving companies that will move some things for you if it is legal and they have special transportation options to do it.
In most cases, you must move the hazardous, perishable, sensitive belongings, and biological materials in your own car.
