The policies a moving business carries
Movers have the highest commercial auto and workers' comp averages in the Insureon figures on this site. Damage to furniture, walls and floors, and injuries from lifting, are daily risks.
| Policy | Average a month |
|---|---|
| General liability | $120 |
| Commercial auto | $876 |
| Workers' compensation | $755 |
Averages are what Insureon's customers who are moving companies pay, from Insureon's cost page; most of its customers have fewer than five employees. Across all its small business customers, general liability runs $265 to $3,030 a year.
Claims movers plan for
- A dresser is dropped down a stair
- A wall and door frame are dented
- A mover is hurt lifting
- The truck is in an accident with a full load
Ask your agent, in these words:
- Would my policy pay if a dresser is dropped down a stair?
- Would my policy pay if a wall and door frame are dented?
- Would my policy pay if a mover is hurt lifting?
- Would my policy pay if the truck is in an accident with a full load?
Name the work you sell
A policy covers the work you describe on the application. From the moving services list, name each of these and ask whether any is excluded: two movers and a truck; three movers and a truck; labor-only loading or unloading; full packing service; partial packing; boxes and materials; piano moving; safe moving; furniture assembly.
The truck is the biggest asset and the biggest risk. On the tools list, the items to list on the policy are lift straps and a stair climber hand truck; piano board; wardrobe boxes and mattress bags in bulk; second truck, and from the starter kit, box truck, owned or leased; moving pads; furniture dollies; hand truck and appliance dolly; ratchet straps and load bars.
State rules in the license
Most states do not license moving work as a trade of its own, so there is usually no state insurance minimum tied to a license. Cities and commercial customers can still set their own.
Workers' comp and bonds
The SBA says every business with employees must carry workers' compensation, unemployment and disability insurance. Insureon's average for moving companies is $755 a month, priced per $100 of payroll. A bond protects the state or the customer, not you; Insureon puts its yearly cost at a share of the bond amount:
| Bond amount | Estimated yearly cost |
|---|---|
| $5,000 | $25 to $500 |
| $10,000 | $50 to $1,000 |
| $50,000 | $250 to $5,000 |
Certificates of insurance
Apartment buildings and offices often ask for a certificate before move day. Keep a PDF on your phone so you can send it the day they ask.
Sources
- Insureon: Insurance cost for moving companies, checked October 9, 2026
- Insureon: General liability insurance cost, checked October 9, 2026
- Insureon: Workers' compensation insurance cost, checked October 9, 2026
- Insureon: Surety bond cost, checked October 9, 2026
- SBA: Get business insurance, checked October 9, 2026
Last checked October 9, 2026. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change and differ by state and city, so confirm with the agency named before you act.