Renting A Moving Truck: 3 Tips To Protecting Yourself Financially And To Protecting The Truck From Damages
Posted on: 28 December 2016
The numbers don't lie. Most Americans don't enjoy staying in one place for long, especially when other states and countries have so much to offer as well. Approximately 14.9% of the population move each and every year. Renting a moving truck to help with the move is a good idea. If you can fit all of your belongings in the back of the truck, you can save a lot of money and effort. With that said, you're responsible for the moving truck after you've signed on the dotted lines of the rental contract. This means that you are liable to pay for any damages that incur. Here are 3 ways to protect yourself financially and to protect the truck from any damages.
Purchase Damage Insurance Coverage for the Truck
When renting a moving truck, most moving companies will give you the option of purchasing additional insurance. You should first take a look at any pre-existing insurance policy you might have under your name to determine whether the insurance policy provides coverage that extends to moving trucks as well. Just because your insurance might cover you if you were driving a friend's car, it might not cover you if you were driving a moving truck, as it might be considered to be a commercial vehicle or a larger vehicle.
In the event that your insurance policy does not cover the moving truck or in the event that you do not have any insurance under your name, consider purchasing damage insurance coverage for the moving truck. If you don't, you will be held responsible for paying for any damages incurred out of your own pockets. If you do, you can claim the cost of the damages under the insurance plan.
Place a Secure Lock on the Back Doors
If you plan on renting the moving truck for an extended period of time and will be driving it around for awhile, you really need to consider whether the moving truck is secure or not. Moving trucks are often easy targets for burglars and criminals. Knowing that you probably have your whole life stored within the back of the moving truck, most burglars tend to target them in hopes of finding lots of valuable goods.
Your best bet at protecting yourself financially from theft is to be prepared. Keep a secure lock on the back doors that cannot be easily broken or damaged. Disc locks with minimal shackle space are the most ideal, as they are difficult to remove. If you don't have the keys to the lock, you're actually going to have to physically grind it off. Look for disc locks that are made from stainless steel as well, as they tend to last longer and are more resistant to elemental and environmental conditions and factors.
Park the Truck in Well-Lit, Visible Areas
In addition to protecting the moving truck from getting broken into, you should also take preventative measures to prevent the truck from being an easy target to begin with. You should really consider parking the truck in well-lit and visible areas whenever possible. Keeping the moving truck in high traffic areas will increase the chances of a witness leaving their contact information and testimony should anyone accidentally back into your truck when you're not around.
Well-lit and visible areas also deter burglars and criminals from attempting to break into your moving truck. There's simply too many people around for them to get away with it.
Conclusion
As you are responsible for the moving truck after you've rented it, make sure to protect and secure it as much as possible. You want to keep an eye out on your moving truck.
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