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International Van Lines scored on the lower end compared to other companies we reviewed. Although the company stands out for its ability to handle international moves, several competitors have better payment policies and customer service records.
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Headquartered in Coral Springs, FL, International Van Lines started in the early 2000s, making it a relatively young company compared to some of the other movers we reviewed. Here are some of the company’s major offerings and what we think you should know.
International Van Lines loads, transports and unloads for cross-town, interstate and cross-country moves in all 50 states. However, few of this company’s moves are local (only about 20%); this is mostly a long-distance mover.
We don’t like some of International Van Lines’ payment policies. First, the company requires a 25% deposit, which is unusual compared to other competitors we reviewed. The deposit isn’t refundable if you cancel within 48 hours of your move date. Second, for domestic moves you can pay for the deposit with a credit card, but you can’t pay for the rest of the move with one (check, cashier’s check or ACH payment only).
You can contact customer service via phone, chat and email, which will probably work in most situations, though some competitors also offer customer service via app and online forms or portals.
International Van Lines works in more than 140 countries. You get a dedicated moving specialist to help you through the process, which we think is helpful.
International moving costs are $2,000 to $12,000 on average, according to the company.
Destination | One Bedroom | Two Bedrooms | Three Bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|
Asia. | $2,500-$4,000. | $4,500-$7,000. | $8,000-$13,000. |
Africa. | $3,000-$5,000. | $5,000-$9,500. | $8,500-$14,000. |
South America. | $2,800-$4,000. | $4,800-$8,000. | $9,000-$13,500. |
Europe. | $2,500-$4,500. | $4,000-$7,000. | $8,000-$13,000. |
Canada. | $2,500-$3,500. | $4,500-$7,000. | $7,500-$12,500. |
Australia or New Zealand. | $3,500-$5,000. | $5,000-$8,000. | $9,000-$14,000. |
Pricing provided by International Van Lines Moving Company. | |||
We don’t like that the company charges a 4% to 5% fee to pay with a credit card, and you have to sign away your right to initiate a chargeback if you’re not happy with the services.
For international moves, movers typically load your packed items and take them to the departure point (where that is depends on whether you’re sending your things via land, sea or air). Ocean freight takes three to five weeks; air freight is only one to two weeks but costs about twice as much, according to the company. Once your things get to the international destination, customs processes the shipment and clears it for transfer to a moving crew that delivers and unloads your items.
If you have a one-bedroom or less to move, your stuff will likely share space with somebody else’s stuff in the international moving container. That can be less expensive, but it can also take a long time (six to eight weeks, according to the company).
International Van Lines offers a free month of storage.
After that, the price is $0.65 per cubic foot per month.
For international moves, the company offers short-term storage (storage in transit, or SIT) for $0.50 per cubic foot per month.
It also offers regular and climate-controlled storage units from $74 to $266 per month.
For an extra fee, International Van Lines sends people to your house to build boxes, disassemble items (if needed), wrap items, seal boxes and label boxes.
Packing runs about 10% of the total cost of your move, according to the company. If you want, you can have the company only pack or unpack certain rooms or certain things. This can reduce the cost.
International Van Lines can pack antiques, pianos, fragile items and similar things that need special protection.
International Van Lines can ship vehicles, which is useful if you can’t or don’t want to drive a particular vehicle to your new home. This service also costs extra.
To ship a car or truck, the company loads it onto an open-sided or enclosed car carrier. Open-sided is usually cheaper; enclosed is mostly for high-value or antique vehicles. It also ships vehicles internationally.
Shipping a car can be expensive; be sure to let the agent know what you want during the estimation process so that your quote is accurate.
Example of open car carrier. Courtesy Getty Images.
Like most moving companies, International Van Lines doesn’t provide reliable price quotes online. But you can request a binding quote, which guarantees your costs won't exceed the estimate. The quote takes several factors into account, including how far you're moving and how much stuff you have.
Getting a quote from International Van Lines typically starts with making an appointment for a walkthrough in your home so the company can see what you’re moving and how hard it is to get those things out of the house and onto the truck. You can do this part virtually if you want.
Beware of websites that claim to tell you how much your move is going to cost. None of the full-service moving companies we reviewed provide reliable price quotes online. Virtually every moving company requires contact with a salesperson and a visual survey of your belongings to provide a reliable cost estimate.
International Van Lines will pack and ship fragile items such as pianos, but it won’t pack and ship some items, including:
Address books.
Aerosol cans.
Airline tickets.
Aerosol cans.
Alcohol/wine/beverages.
Ammonia.
Ammunition.
Car batteries.
Car titles.
Cash.
Cell phones/laptops/tablets.
Checkbooks/debit cards/IDs.
Charcoal/lighter fluid.
Charged scuba tanks.
Chemistry sets.
Cleaning solvents.
Computer data.
Darkroom chemicals.
Fertilizer.
Firearms of any kind.
Fire extinguishers.
Fireworks.
Fuels/oils.
Home videos.
Household batteries.
Jewelry.
Kerosene.
Liquid bleach.
Matches.
Medical equipment.
Medical/dental records.
Medication.
Nail polish/remover.
Paint thinners.
Paints/varnishes.
Passports/financial documents.
Pesticides/weed killer/poisons/pool chemicals.
Propane tanks (must have gauge showing empty).
Rubbing alcohol.
International Van Lines allows customers to track shipments in real-time. We like this feature because moving is already very stressful, and not knowing where your things are or how close they are to your new place can be nerve-wracking, especially if you need your things within a certain window.
Moving companies are liable for loss or damage to your stuff during transportation. But the extent of that liability depends on which kind of liability coverage you choose. Federal law requires movers to offer you two liability options:
Released Value. This protection is free but only pays you 60 cents per pound for damage. So if the movers ruin your 300-pound couch, you only get $180.
Full Value Protection. Under this option, the mover is liable for the replacement value of items that it loses, damages or destroys. You have to pay extra for this option, but unless you explicitly choose the Released Value option, movers must automatically move your stuff under the Full Value Protection level of liability. In this scenario, if the movers ruin your 300-pound couch, they have to repair the couch or pay the replacement value of the couch.
For international moves, you can buy insurance through a third party. The cost averages between 2% to 4% of the value of your stuff according to International Van Lines. For example, if you’re moving abroad and your belongings are worth $100,000, international moving insurance could cost between $2,000 and $4,000.
Another option is to get third-party insurance for your move. Sometimes movers will sell you a policy. Your homeowners insurance might also provide some coverage.
Liability coverage isn’t the same thing as insurance, so state insurance laws don’t apply to the coverage.
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