Moving long distance is a big event in a family's life. Among the many things that you will need to do is find a good long-distance moving company. Before you decide to hire any particular company, there are several questions you need to ask. The following are three of the most important.

Ask about free, on-site estimates

A good, professional moving company will always come to your house to give you an estimate in writing. They do this so they know how large a load of household goods they will have to move. They need to know the size of the truck needed as well as about other types of ancillary equipment. Examples include dollies, carts, large blankets, and other padding. Heavy-duty dollies are likely needed for large appliances such as a washer, dryer, and refrigerator. You should avoid companies that only want to provide quotations on the phone. There are simply too many variables involved to give a good quotation over the phone.

Ask about insurance

Although moving companies will carry a certain amount of liability and property-damage insurance, the amount involved will often be much lower than you might desire. You should ask about the basic coverage, but you will need to ask about additional insurance and the specific plans available. Make sure that you can get a policy that covers the replacement value of your items. There are some policies that only offer reimbursement by the pound. In addition, make sure you know what type of inventory requirements will be needed for your insurance coverage.

Ask about items that the company will not move

If you pack your own stuff, you will save money, and you will be assured that your fragile items are packed in a way that you are comfortable with. But not every item is allowed by a moving company. You need to make sure you understand what is allowed and what is not allowed. One of the reasons for this is that if some of your belongings are damaged during the move, and it is discovered that the damage was due to something not allowed, your insurance claim could be rejected.

Keep in mind that the questions above are not the only ones that you are likely to have. There are no bad questions to ask a long-distance moving company, so anything you believe to be important, you should ask about before hiring a company such as Christos & Christos Moving and Storage for this important job.