ABA Miami Movers is a fully insured moving company with extensive experience in obtaining Certificates Of Insurance (COI) for our South Florida customers. Even with the most complex building management requirements we’ve got you covered – literally.
With us, your COI is already included in our competitive flat fee. We will also take care of the COI process. We will send you a COI Request which you can send to the building and then forward their response back to us. Our COI team will then send the appropriate certificate for your building to you, and to the building if their email address is provided in the sample.
What is a Certificate of Insurance (COI) and why do you need it
If you are planning an Miami move, or are moving from or into an apartment building or condo, you most likely will need a Certificate of Insurance (COI). Property and building management companies in Miami require these certificates as proof that your moving company is insured so that they are not held liable for any damage that could happen during a move.
The COI is an exercise in detail, including the specific location you are moving to – or from – what is covered and how it should be used. Some buildings will want to see your COI before they approve your moving day and elevator booking. Choose a mover you can have confidence in, with the experience and commitment to ensuring it’s done right.
Our simple COI process & steps
- Prior to planning your move contact your Building Management and confirm if they require a COI, ask if they have a template and what they require. You will need to contact both your move out and move in building management team.
- Provide the received details and any additional information to your ABA Miami Movers Consultant or our COI Department and authorize us to prepare your Insurance paperwork. Buildings can have their own preferred format for the COI and each one needs to be made out with specific details, like who it should be mailed to. This is the planning work that limits delays from corrections and changes that we will take care of for you.
- We will ensure all requirements are met including: the minimum insurance value, the right timing to ensure it’s finalized well before your move and we double check all the details and format of the COI so it’s acceptable to your Building Management requirements.
- We will also send your COI via email for your own records and confirm it’s approved
- Your approved COI will insure you for any accidental building damage that may occur in your move, which means you are not out of pocket if that happens.
Certificate of Insurance FAQ
Does Everyone Need a Certificate of Insurance to Move in South Florida?
The short answer is, it’s best to ask. You will need to confirm with your building’s property management to see if a COI is required for your move.
Most buildings in Miami and Fort Lauderdale need one in order to protect their property for damages. You can also check your move-in paperwork to see if one is required. Your building management team may provide you with a COI template that outlines the information they want included.
When you call us to schedule your move, make sure you mention that a COI is required but it will be one of our top questions when finalizing your booking (You will also receive a COI Request from your moving consultant after booking your job). This is one factor that can cause an unnecessary delay as your movers will not be allowed to enter the building on the day without it. Be proactive and find out if you need a COI to make sure the day goes off without a hitch.
Do I need a Certificate of insurance for my move out and move in address?
As it’s mentioned in the previous part, it’s best to ask both of your building’s property managements, just to avoid potential delays on the date of move.
What’s in a Certificate of Insurance?
Your COI has the following key information:
1.Confirmation your moving company is insured and an outline of their insurance for that specific building.
2.The address of the property you are either moving into or out of.
3.Additional details on what is covered if any damages occur and how the certificate should be used.
What Happens if There is Damage on Moving Day?
ABA Miami movers are experienced professionals who are well trained in avoiding accidental property damage during a move, however sometimes mishaps do occur.
These incidents could be a scrape on a wall, or a mark on a floor. Once our movers see that damage has occurred, we take responsibility as a fully insured moving company.
Be assured we meet the minimum state requirements for liability so if there is any problem, you or your building manager can contact us and we will address it. We may choose to pay for repairs directly, or we might submit an insurance claim. Either way, we’ve got it covered.
What types of insurance will I be offered?
Limited liability: This is the basic coverage required by law and doesn’t cost you anything. Under limited liability, the mover is responsible for 60 cents per pound per item for an interstate move.
Added valuation: This type allows you to collect the amount based on the current replacement value of the item, minus depreciation. The amount you pay for this coverage depends on how much you declare your goods are worth.
Full value: This insurance costs the most and covers the actual cost of an item’s replacement or repair, without any deduction for depreciation. Before purchasing coverage from the moving company, check your homeowner’s insurance policy to see if it will cover your goods during a move and compare plans.
If I do my own packing, is the mover still responsible if something is lost or broken
Yes. The mover usually has a tariff provision that allows it to repack boxes or cartons if they feel they have been improperly packed—or if they will cause harm to the rest of the shipment.
The mover is also liable for any loss or damage caused during transit unless the sole cause for the loss or damage was due to any of these common law defenses:
* An act of nature
* An act of—or omission by—the shipper
* An act of public enemy
* An act of public authority
* Inherent vice
Improper packing falls under an act or omission. Since the sole cause for the damage must be the act of the shipper, any contributory damage by the mover would void the common law defense—and the mover would be responsible.
In other words, pack carefully.
How to Get the Certificate of Insurance
There are a couple of steps to this process, and we will support you but first, you need to ask your building or property manager for the buildings you are leaving and moving into for a sample COI. There is usually one kept on hand in their office, but if they don’t supply it, you can just get the details of the certificate holder with the address, and any additional entities insured.
This is when ABA Miami Moving can step in. ABA Miami Moving provides optimum services for you COI. We have them issued directly from our insurance company and we give a copy to our clients as well. Just in case, we’ll arrive with a hard copy on moving day as well. We’ll have all the bases covered, so there are no last minute hassles because this is not a negotiable area of your building management’s policies.
Certificate of Insurance Red Flags?
If any mover quotes or charges you a fee to produce a COI, that is an obvious red flag that you may not be dealing with a reputable company. Most South Florida insurance companies do not charge the moving companies when COIs need to be produced. That means there is no cost to pass on to the customer.
One measure you can introduce to make extra sure your COI gets where it needs to go, is to request it be emailed to you. That way, if your building manager says they never received it, you have a copy to show.
The other thing you want to do is to double check the COI coverage amount. If a moving company’s insurance doesn’t cover the amount required for your building, that could also be a deal breaker on moving day.
How do I get a Certificate of Insurance from ABA Miami Moving & Storage?
Just say the word, or in this case, the 3 letters! Your ABA Miami Moving Consultant will prompt you in an event, by asking if you need a COI and then will forward your details to our specialist COI department, who are dedicated solely to looking after COIs.
Contact your Building Management and confirm if they require a COI, ask if they have a template and what they require. As our COI request says, we need to obtain information about Certificate Holder (with address) and Additional Insured. We will ensure all requirements are met including: the minimum insurance value, the right timing to ensure it’s finalized well before your move and we double check all the details and format of the COI so it’s acceptable to your Building Management requirements.
There is absolutely no charge for a certificate of insurance.
What happens if I don’t request the necessary Certificate of Insurance (COI) when I plan my move?
There is no flexibility on this policy when it comes to building management requirements so you should always ask your building whether a moving company Certificate of Insurance is needed when you are planning your move. Ideally, Piece of Cake Moving would like to know whether a COI is needed at the time of booking, that way they can square away all your move details right away, and you’ll have nothing to worry about leading up to move day!
If Piece of Cake is not made aware that a COI is necessary, the consequences can be costly. The crew could show up on move day only to have your building management refuse to let us in! The crew then has to wait around for the building, our COI department, and insurance company to sort out the certificate of insurance so they can come inside and begin the work. If they have another booking arranged immediately after yours, it may mean a rescheduling of your well planned relocation.
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