Since beginning my moving blog, I’ve always recommended purchasing moving insurance for your household goods. This week, I want to take a “deep dive” and provide you tips about moving insurance and why it’s so important.
Insurance is one of the most important things you need to take care of and ensure you are covered before you leave overseas. I’m talking about personal insurance for you and your family members as well as insurance to protect your household goods.

Employer insurance
If you are relocating abroad with your home-country employer, check the insurance provisions your employer may have on a corporate basis to cover employees who relocate internationally. Sometimes companies with large numbers of internationally located employees have negotiated group policies. Some of the provisions may be applicable and useful to your circumstances and sometimes, you will need to make your own arrangements to ensure you are covered.

Fully covered?
If you are moving overseas for work, be sure to know who is making the insurance arrangements for your personal items. Your employer may provide insurance for some of your household goods but then again, maybe not. Also, if you are shipping pricey items and over-sized belongings which may be excluded from coverage, make sure your employer knows this so that if items need to be insured, either by you or your employer, it will be covered.

Shipping insurance
Find out if shipping insurance, for example, is being arranged through your corporate office or through an agent abroad, and whom you should contact in the event of a problem. You will also want to know exactly what each policy covers; when coverage begins and ends; and what the claims procedure and the deadlines are.

Have you covered
By taking steps and knowing what your employer will or will not cover, you’ll be in a great position to ensure your items are covered. If you use our international moving service, we will be happy to guide you through the process and provide you with peace-of-mind knowing that everything will be taken care of when you move to your new country.

Safe moving!

Last week, I covered tips on staying connected. When you are moving, connectivity is important but more importantly is your health.
Here are some simple tips to keep healthy when moving especially overseas:
• Check-up – Make sure you and every family member has a full medical check-up before departing. This needs to be done months in advance to ensure if someone has an underlying illness so it’s detected now before leaving. Include dental check-ups as well.
• Copy medical records – After seeing your physician and dentist, be sure to have medical records for each family member. The records almost certainly will be required by schools and will ease the transition to a new physician.
• Wristband – It’s good to make a little wristband or medical bracelet for a family member that is allergic to certain drugs, has allergies, or any other type of health issue. If he or she is treated at a clinic or hospital for an emergency, health technicians will be aware of any health-related issues. Also, be sure to have a list of your family’s medicines and their generic names so an overseas pharmacist can provide something equivalent.
• Translate medical information – English is widely spoken in many countries, but it is important that you translate the medical information to the language of your destination. This will ensure you will be given the correct and right dosages of the medicines you or your family take.
Always prepare for the unexpected so you and your family will be fully prepared if a minor or major health concern happens when moving, especially to another country.

Safe moving!

If you are moving internationally and taking your desktop or laptop with you, you’ll want to be sure to stay connected especially if your move is work-related. There are many things to keep in mind and be aware of before you leave the U.S. so your connection to your computer with the local system is completely compatible.

Many countries are not digitally connected yet like here at home. And something you won’t want to forget, electric-compatible connectors and adapters so your high-tech equipment can work.

Tips staying connected:
• Voltage – As mentioned, find out what the country’s voltage is and what type of built-in adapters you need to take with you. Ask if the telephone plugs are hard-wired directly into the wall or is it digital. Digital signals vary and your modem may not work. Purchase a modem and voltage adapter based on the power voltage of your new country of origin.
• Surge protector – To avoid having a full meltdown of your computer if for some reason a power surge occurs and you don’t have a surge protector, find out if the power or electricity is reliable and what specific power protector you should have.
• Modem – There are some modems that don’t run properly in certain countries. Make sure to find out what type of modem that is compatible.
• ISP – Make sure to find out what local Internet Service Provider (ISP) is best to use. Local ISPs are much cheaper than the granddaddy ones and more reliable too.
• Software – Check to ensure you have all the correct software and programs that are compatible in your new home. In addition, there are some local software packages that makes it easier to use your programs in another country.

It’s easy to take for granted when living in the states how everyone is connected especially with smartphones and smart TVs. Digital has made things much better but not every country is up-to-par yet. Do a little research, purchase pertinent adapters and you’ll be able to stay connected before moving out of the country.

Safe moving!

In recent blog posts, I have provided tips on how to move a piano, motorcycles and other important items. This week, I’m going to give you tips moving your golf clubs. Hey, they are expensive and need attention when you are moving especially if it’s overseas.

Stiff Arm
Believe it or not, golf clubs can be damaged despite the way they look and feel. Make sure to purchase a Stiff Arm, an adjustable 3-piece telescopic stick that fits in any golf travel bag and will absorb any moving force of impact during the move. You might know it as a golf protection device that eliminates damage during a move.

Tips packing golf clubs
Club heads – The head of your golf clubs are the most important pieces to cover. Purchase head covers at your sporting goods store, they should have plenty to choose from. If not, then wrap them in towels or even use small pillows between each club.
Secure each club – Bubble wrap is one of the best packaging materials to put over each individual golf club. This is one of the best ways to protect each club during transit. Also, use zip ties or something similar to keep each club securely in place in your Stiff Arm.
Soft bag – I would recommending using a soft bag to put all of your bundled clubs together. Use additional bubble wrap, towels or sheets to fill up the bag so that your clubs are secure.
Rattle and roll – Once in the soft bag, rattle the clubs and shake them to be sure they are not moving inside the travel bag.
Close it – Once the clubs are packed, close and zip up the bag and it’s then ready to be packed in your household goods. When your assessor arrives to go over the goods you need moved, make sure to let him or her know that you have golf clubs. They will then pack it in a crate or box that will further protect them during the move.

Use these tips to protect your valuable golf tips so you will be ready to play the game in your new town or city of destination.

Safe moving!

Even though many of us receive packages via FedEx or by other means, we still have important snail-mail to collect. When moving overseas, you want to ensure you receive it at your new home or residence. With technology today, you can now manage your mail from abroad by using mail forwarding services.

Moving can be stressful especially moving overseas, but be sure to select a mail servicing company before heading out so that important letters, correspondences and yes, even bills are still sent to you.

Tips and types of mail-forwarding:
• Mail sent monthly, bi-monthly or as requested
• Add an Internet account so you can view the status of your mail and specify specific shipping dates
• Shipping and customs documents can be handled by the shipping service you choose
• Categorize or select which parcels of mail you want to receive overseas

The U.S. Postal Services regulates commercial receiving agencies (CRMAs) and requires a form to be filled out (you can download it here: https://about.usps.com/forms/ps1583.pdf) and have identification documents handy when filling out the form. If you have a significant other and you’re not married, each person will need to fill out a separate form.

Mail-forwarding services eases a lot of worries when heading overseas and this is just another convenient service to use when moving overseas.

Safe moving!