Due to the design and/or construction of certain items, as well as moving company policies and government regulations, there are items which are not covered under basic cargo coverage, increased valuation coverage, or third part moving insurance. Also, please note that Elephant Moving’s liability is limited to $50.00 for damage to floors, walls, doors, and painted surfaces.

Elephant Moving assumes no liability for the following items:

Customer Packed Boxes (PBO-Packed By Owner) – VERY IMPORTANT
- the contents of your boxes are not covered unless they have been packed by Elephant Moving company employees
- in the event that a customer-packed box is lost or destroyed, compensation will be computed based on an average weight of 50 pounds per box, REGARDLESS of actual box contents

Pressboard Furniture
- disassemble pressboard furniture if possible, package fasteners separately (see our section on pressed wood furniture for further explanation)

Halogen Pole Lamps
- disassemble and box halogen pole lamps to protect them, always remove bulbs

Live Plants or Perishables
- avoid packing food or plants if at all possible, use open-top boxes or wardrobes for plants

Electronics & Musical Instruments (Internal Mechanisms)
- includes the internal workings of all electronic items such as televisions, stereos, computers, computer accessories and all musical instruments (unless you have specifically purchased full coverage insurance with the mechanical and electrical derangement add-on coverage)
- have your electronics and musical instruments professionally prepared for moving beforehand

Unpackaged Glass
- includes glass framed artwork, fish-tanks, tabletops, and mirror glass
- glass must be pre-packaged by an Elephant Moving employee to be fully covered

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Depending upon your agreement with your Austin mover, you may be doing some of the preparation for the move. If you are doing your own packing, be careful about overloading your moving boxes. Be sure to use appropriate boxes so your goods will arrive safely. Box tops should be flat and taped securely for easy handling and safe stacking in the truck. Never pack liquids with other items - be sure to label the boxes as liquids to ensure proper handling. To avoid damage, do not pack fragile items and heavy items in the same carton. Clearly mark fragile cartons. DO NOT pack valuables (such as jewelry, money, etc.), medication, or important papers to be taken on the moving truck. The mover is not responsible for these items. Remember, it’s first in, last out when loading any truck. Keep items such as toiletries, medicines, and other necessities with you. Be sure to check out our other helpful hints and tips to help you with your move.

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The basic insurance that Austin movers carry is $.60 per pound per article. Liability is limited to $100.00 for damage to floors, walls, doors, and painted surfaces. You may wish to purchase additional transit insurance to cover loss or damage to your goods; additional coverage is not available for damage to premises. Elephant Moving works with MovingInsurance.com to bring you increased insurance options. MovingInsurance.com offers Total Loss Only, Full Replacement – Valued Inventory and Full Replacement – Lump Sum coverages. Additional options include Pairs and Sets coverage and Mechanical and Electrical Derangement coverage. MovingInsurance.com allows you to insure one high value item, your entire shipment, or anything in between. You can also choose your deductible. The average cost for a policy purchased on MovingInsurance.com is less than 1% of the value of the goods.

MovingInsurance.com uses a number of factors to determine which moving companies they include in their network. Each moving company that applies to become an affiliate is checked for relevant state and federal moving licenses, valid liability, auto, cargo, and warehousemen insurance policies, previous loss history (in terms of past claims), Better Business Bureau record, and general moving experience. The claims loss ratio and frequency with affiliate moving companies on MovingInsurance.com is 50% lower than the nation’s average.

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According to TX Department of Transportation regulations, “your mover has a basic liability of 60 cents per pound per article. This means if your 50-pound television is damaged, your mover is liable for a maximum of only $30. Although your mover cannot reduce his liability below 60 cents per pound per article, he may agree in writing to assume a higher level of liability. Your shipment will be valued at 60 cents per pound per article unless you and your mover agree to a higher level of liability on your moving services contract. Your mover may assess an additional fee (sometimes referred to as a valuation fee) for assuming the higher level of liability. Noting a higher level of mover liability (valuation) is not the same as purchasing transit insurance.”

Reservations for move appointments are accepted on a first come first served basis. Simply receiving an estimate does not guarantee that an appointment is available on the desired day. Time slots are not guaranteed until customer has officially booked a move. Valid credit card information may be required to hold a reservation. Reference numbers and/or confirmation emails are given to every customer who books a move – KEEP THIS INFORMATION, IT IS IMPORTANT!

Moves must be cancelled at least 48 hours in advance of appointment time to avoid a cancellation fee. Failure to do so will result in a $75 nonrefundable cancellation fee. An additional fee will be assessed if customer fails to notify the office of intent to cancel prior to a crew being sent to the pickup location. The additional fee for a crew being sent to a location but unable to perform move due to customer cancellation will be equal to 50% of the estimated move total. Fees will be charged to credit card on file. In the event no credit card is on file the customer will be billed for the additional fees. Failure to pay cancellation fees within 30 days will result in account being sent to collection.

Should you have any questions about reservations or cancellations please do not hesitate to call our office directly at 512.442.6622 any day between 9am and 7pm.

Additional insurance must be purchased prior to the scheduled move date by the customer directly from www.movinginsurance.com and is subject to the terms and conditions set forth by movinginsurance.com; if no additional insurance is purchased all items in the shipment will be covered at the basic valuation of $.60 per pound as outlined on the contract for moving services (please see our section on Regulations and Insurance for exclusions and limitations of that coverage). Elephant Moving’s liability is limited to $100.00 for damage to floors, walls, doors, and painted surfaces.

As you prepare for your Austin residential move or Austin commercial move, there are some things you should be prepared to move yourself or leave behind. Moving companies are not legally permitted to transport any hazardous materials! This includes items that are flammable, corrosive or combustible. What does this mean for you? If you have a gas barbeque grill you will need to disconnect the tank and take it with you or the grill stays where it is. Your lawnmower and other power lawn tools must be emptied of fuel or they do not go on the truck. You should also be sure to disconnect gas hookups for grills, dryers, water heaters and anything else that you plan to have your movers take; moving companies cannot handle gas connections.

Non-allowable items include: Sterno, Fire Extinguishers, Household Batteries, Matches, Aerosols, Chemistry Sets, Kerosene, Cleaning Solvents, Darkroom Chemicals, Gasoline, Ammonia, Pool Chemicals, Propane/Propane Tanks, Nail Polish, Nail Polish Remover, Motor Oil, Fireworks, Car Batteries, Charcoal, Charcoal Lighter, Liquid Bleach, Fertilizer, Paints (latex & oil-based), Paint Thinner, Pesticides, Firearms, Ammunition, Poisons (such as weed killer), Lamp Oils, Fuels.

Customers must make other arrangements to transport these items.

**If you ship any of these goods without our knowledge, you immediately void any and all liability by our company for any and all loss or damages, and you will be held responsible for any damages, fines, warehousing costs, and delays incurred by our company resulting from the transport of these materials.

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