Illinois Mover Liability: 60 Cents per Pound Unless You Buy More

By James Brazil

James Brazil lives in Mérida, Mexico. He founded Swift Agent Sites and studied Classics at the University of Mississippi.

Published 12 November 2026 · Updated 12 November 2026

An Illinois household-goods mover is not liable for the full value of your property unless you pay an extra charge for that protection. The Illinois Commerce Commission's 2026 consumer guide says rates are based on 60 cents per pound per article.

If you release the goods at that level, the bill of lading has to say "60 cents per pound per article" or a total lump-sum value. A higher lump sum counts only if you paid the valuation charge. Otherwise you are treated as having chosen 60 cents. Carry jewelry, cash, documents, and medicine yourself. The ICC says movers have no additional liability for those items unless they are noted on the bill of lading.

What does 60 cents pay?

The guide's rule is per article, by weight. A 20-pound lamp released at 60 cents a pound is a $12 claim if it is destroyed. The replacement price does not enter the math. ICC Police describe the same choice another way: selecting the minimum of 60 cents per pound is the cheaper rate. If you declare a value, for example $10,000, an additional charge applies, and the mover is liable to repair the item or to settle at a depreciated value, whichever is less.

Insurance you buy from a third party is a different contract. The Police FAQ says a certificate of insurance is then in your records. That certificate is not the line on the bill of lading. Read both. A mover who says the load is "fully insured" has not told you whether you are at 60 cents, at a declared value, or on your own policy.

What has to be written down?

The consumer guide says the written estimate should include the mover's liability for loss or damage, and that you receive a signed copy. On the bill of lading, the election has to be stated. If you wanted a lump sum and you did not pay the charge, the guide says you are deemed to have elected 60 cents per pound per article. Do not initial a higher number you have not paid for and expect it to survive. Ask the driver to point at the sentence before you sign.

High-value items that do ride on the truck should be noted on the bill of lading. Items the Police FAQ tells you to carry are jewelry, money, documents, and medication. A carton of those, unlabeled, is the loss the FAQ is warning you about.

How does this sit next to the price of the move?

The estimate is not binding. If the bill exceeds it, you pay 110 percent at delivery and have 30 days for the rest. That payment rule does not raise the valuation. See the 110 percent rule. The company still needs an ICC household-goods license and a filed tariff. See how to check the license. Whether the job is priced by the hour or by weight does not change the 60-cent default. See hourly rates versus weight.

What if something breaks?

Note the damage before you sign the delivery papers. Tell the company in writing and keep the article if an adjuster needs to see it. If the company will not answer, file with the ICC and attach the bill of lading so the valuation line is in the file. See the ICC complaint. A homeowners or renters policy may or may not cover goods on a truck. Ask your agent in writing. That question is separate from the 60-cent release you signed with the mover.

A move that crosses a state line uses the federal full-value rule unless you waive it. Do not carry an Illinois 60-cent habit into that waiver without reading it.

How do I price the choice before moving day?

List the five heaviest or most expensive pieces and their approximate weights. Multiply each weight by 60 cents. If that total is acceptable, the release is a known number. If it is not, ask the mover what the extra valuation charge is for a lump sum you choose, and ask your own insurer whether the homeowners or renters policy covers goods on a for-hire truck. Get both answers before loading. A decision made while the truck is idling is how people initial 60 cents to "just get going." The guide says the lump sum is effective only when the charge is paid. Budget the charge in the same conversation as the hourly rate or the weight rate.

FAQ

Is 60 cents per pound the law for every Illinois move? The consumer guide says mover's rates are based on 60 cents per pound per article unless you pay for a higher released value. The bill of lading is where your election is written.

I wrote $10,000 on the form. Am I covered for $10,000? Only if you paid the valuation charge. If you did not, the guide says you elected 60 cents per pound per article.

Should jewelry go on the truck? The ICC says to carry jewelry, money, documents, and medication. Movers are not additionally liable for those unless they are noted on the bill of lading.

Is a declared value the same as replacement cost? ICC Police say a declared valuation is settled at repair or at depreciated value, whichever is less. Read the form for the words you are buying.

Who do I call about a denied damage claim? The mover first, in writing. Then the ICC household-goods complaint, with the bill of lading attached.

Next step

Before loading, decide whether 60 cents a pound is enough and pay the extra charge if it is not. Write the choice on the bill of lading. Put jewelry, cash, papers, and medicine in the car you are driving.

Sources: ICC 2026 consumer guide, ICC Police: household goods questions.