Beginning a new job across state, national, or continental lines can be exciting. It’s an opportunity to begin fresh and familiarize yourself with another culture. But while you might look forward to your travels, it’s unlikely that you are looking forward to moving your household goods hundreds or even thousands of miles.

Even with relocation stipends afforded under your company’s HR policy, moving a house full of furniture and personal effects can be quite expensive—not to mention everything that could go wrong during your move. Delays, damage, and hidden fees are just some of the perils of household goods relocations that many first-time movers are unfamiliar with.

Here are a few ways to reduce your costs and mitigate risk during your move:

Eliminate Unnecessary Third-Party Expenses

Crating, appliance service, and the like can contribute up to ten percent of the cost of your move in “hidden” fees that you may not need. What makes them hidden? Typically, these prices are not including in the total freighting cost, and can simply be eliminated if they are unnecessary.

Crating in particular can be even more expensive than the items you are moving, and may not even provide necessary protection for you furniture and other effects. Pool tables, appliances, large pieces of stone or glass, and antique hardwood furniture can usually benefit from the extra protection, but, for everything else, you can reduce your moving costs dramatically by choosing a carrier that can help you eliminate these third-party expenses.

Assure Yourself With Insurance  

While many carriers offer insurance on your household goods during the move, but their default coverage may not be enough to replace your furniture if it becomes damaged. Moving insurance is often offered at a depreciated value rather than actual replacement value, leaving you with no recourse to recover your damaged items.

Look for Replacement Value Protection of at least $100,000 to guarantee that all your household goods are covered by your carrier’s insurance.

Combine Purchasing Power  

With tariffs, discounts, inter- and intrastate regulations, packing, unpacking, shuttles, crating, and other third-party charges, the costs associated with moving across jurisdictional boundaries can be complex and staggering. Your company can save hundreds of thousands of dollars in moving expenses by consolidating the management of all of these procedures into a single moving service. At Westerberg Global Moving Services, we can leverage global supply chain networks to coordinate your move punctually, reduce costs, and fulfill all your HR policy requirements.