Allied Van Lines Review: Costs, Services, and Reputation

Here’s the bottom line: Allied Van Lines (AVL) is a moving company that has been helping Americans move for 95 years. With a wide range of full-service moving and storage options in every U.S. state and 130 countries, it’s no surprise that more than 100,000 families choose Allied Van Lines to help with their move each year.

Allied is arguable one of the best moving companies in the industry. On the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website, the company stands out an A+ rating while also holding strong 3- to 4-star ratings on other review websites. Customers love AVL’s quick full-service moves — which include packing and unpacking services — and excellent customer service. As both a carrier and a broker, Allied handles moves through its own movers or a local agent within its vast nationwide network.

They do have some negative reviews, however, mostly connected to damaged items, but customers who purchased the extra care protection insurance are often covered for the cost to replace the damaged property.

Before you can decide if they’re the right choice for your next move, you’ll need to take a look at Allied Van Lines’ services and customers’ common pain points. Here at MoveBuddha, we are committed to helping you pick the best moving company for your relocation.

So, let’s take a look at everything you need to know about moving with Allied Van Lines.

Pros/Cons

Key takeaways

• Allied Van Lines (US DOT #: 76235) provides full-service long-distance and local moves and also provides interstate moving services. However, customers report their pricing can be quite high, according to Allied Van Lines reviews.
• AVL offers everything from packing supplies, crating and storage solutions.
• Customers report that moves with Allied Van Lines are quick and efficient, but many also report broken items.
• It isn’t possible to get a quote with Allied Van Lines instantly, but the quotes are accurate and it’s rare they have to pay more than the original quote, according to customer reviews.

How does Allied Van Lines compare to other professional movers?

Jump to the Allied Van Lines review section that you’re looking for:

• Allied Van Lines pricing: how much it costs to move
• Allied Van Lines offers a wide variety of services
• How Allied Van Lines stacks up against the competition
• How moving with Allied Van Lines works
• Allied Van Lines is perfect for people who
• FAQ

Allied Van Lines pricing: How much it costs to move

Customers don’t always love the free quote process with Allied Van Lines, but they are happy to report that almost all moves come in at the amount quoted. This means a quote given by Allied Van Lines is usually accurate, something that isn’t always common in the moving industry. Rather than give you an online estimate, Allied will schedule an in-person or virtual survey of your home to get a better idea of the amount and type of household items you plan to move, as well as the layout of your house.

Allied Van Lines specializes in moving packages designed to meet your specific moving needs through the help of a personal relocation consultant. This means the price per move varies widely from customer to customer.

If you prefer to pack and load everything yourself, Allied Van Lines offers a solution, similar to PODS or 1-800-PACK-RAT, where a storage container is delivered to your home. You load it up and call Allied when it is time for the container to be moved.

On the other hand, Allied also offers full-service options where packers will come to your home and pack all of your items before loading them in their truck. They will then drive the items to your new home while you follow along on their shipment tracking app by SIRVA. When they arrive, all of your items will be unloaded and unpacked for you.

Your moving costs will vary depending on which Allied Van Lines services you choose. Allied charges by the total weight of pieces of furniture you are moving and the moving truck size needed to transport your household goods. Specialty services will come at an additional fee.

Customers report that quotes from an Allied agent can be high, but there are no hidden fees or costs that show up later.

Something unique about Allied Van Lines is they offer a variety of insurance packages. Some of these protection plans are costly but have a zero-dollar deductible, making it easy on you if you do have to make a claim. Customers who purchase more than the basic liability coverage when using Allied Moving tend to be more satisfied, as they report the basic package doesn’t often cover the full cost if items are damaged during your move.

Of course, the cost of a move varies widely from household to household, so it’s a good idea to use our moving cost calculator to see if Allied Movers might be a good option for you.

Allied Van Lines offers a wide variety of services

• Household moving: The company’s Allied Personal Moving Plan program is customized specifically for the needs of each customer. Household moves include basic furniture disassembly and reassembly. For locations where a standard transport container is inaccessible, a smaller shuttle vehicle may be used.
• International moving: AVL has completed moves within 130 countries and offers the Allied International Advantage plan that includes shipment tracking and a streamlined process for clearing customs. An assigned international relocation coordinator monitors the customs process for you. Allied also specializes in providing moving and storage solutions for those immigrating to the U.S. from abroad.
• Cross-country moving: Allied offers residential and commercial interstate moves and long-distance moves in all U.S. states.
• Packing & loading: Allied can provide labor for packing your belongings and loading them on shipping or storage containers.
• Corporate relocation: Allied Van Lines offers a wide variety of corporate moving packages with additional services like full-service packing or temporary storage units. Corporate options vary depending on the availability of local providers.
• Storage services: Temporary storage is available in transit, where the belongings remain in a trailer for up to 90 days. After 90 days, they offer permanent storage options when necessary.
• Vehicle transportation: Cars, boats, and other vehicles can be safely transported, and the moving process is generally completed in three to seven days.
• Moving containers: Allied Express is a storage container unit option similar to those offered by PODS and U-Pack. The difference between Allied Express and its competitors is AVL’s containers include two to four professional movers to load and unload your belongings.
• Packing & supplies: Specialized supplies for are available to transport specific items like mirrors and mattresses that can be large or bulky to move. You can purchase packing supplies even if you don’t opt for packing services.
• Insurance coverage options: Like all full-service moving companies, Allied Van Lines offers basic insurance coverage to partially reimburse you for any lost, damaged, or broken items. Basic liability protection will compensate you $0.60 per pound per item. You can also get more comprehensive insurance for full-valuation coverage at an extra cost.

How Allied Van Lines stacks up against the competition

There are many reasons people choose Allied Van Lines for their local, long-distance, or cross-country move over other moving companies like Safeway Moving and American Van Lines, two of our best interstate moving companies. Allied Van Lines is owned by SIRVA, the same parent company that owns North American Van Lines. Both Allied and North American made our list of the best long-distance movers.

One Consumer Affairs reviewer, Steve, chose Allied because he was moving from Alaska to Montana, a route that not all moving companies can accommodate (many professional movers don’t operate in Alaska or Hawaii).

Steve noted that the Allied movers showed up on time, packed his items quickly and efficiently, and got everything to his new home right on schedule. This was a difficult move for the reviewer, but he reports that despite the high Allied Van Lines cost, it was worth it to have assistance with his move,

Another Consumer Affairs reviewer, Lisa, chose Allied because she needed to move locally in the Chicago area. In her case, the quote from Allied actually came in under the competition.She felt that Allied maintained excellent customer service through the entirety of her move and would definitely use them again!

Neither of these customers experienced damaged items during their move, but many of the reviews mention it. Most customers, even those with damaged items, still rank Allied Van Lines highly, they just recommend purchasing additional insurance, especially if you are planning to move high-value items.

How moving with Allied Van Lines works

Allied Van Lines’ customer service works as hard as possible to customize your move to suit your exact needs. Let’s take a quick glance at what moving with Allied Van Lines looks like.

Getting a quote

The Allied Van Lines website has a free quote tool, but it isn’t instant. You will put in your phone number and a customer service representative will call you to give you an estimate.

Allied specializes in moving packages, meaning every move booked with them is tailored and unique. This is one of the reasons they do not provide instant quotes on their website.

If you live in an area with an Allied Van Lines agent, they may need to come to your home in order to provide a binding quote. Otherwise, an agent can schedule a virtual walkthrough of your home to give you a binding quote.

Once you sign a binding quote, your move is booked. Most customers report that the binding quote is the accurate price for the move and it is rare that customers end up paying more upon completing their move.

You don’t have to put down a deposit when you hire Allied Van Lines.

Moving with Allied Van Lines

Allied Van Lines will arrive to pack your belongings on the day before your move. If you are packing your own things, the truck will arrive on your moving day with a team ready to load your belongings. They will catalog all your items as they are loaded to ensure nothing gets lost.

Once everything is loaded, your items will begin their journey to your new home. Depending on your storage needs, they will head to your new home directly or go to a temporary storage facility. While your truck is in transit, you will be able to track your items on their tracking app anytime of the day or night.

When the delivery day comes, your truck will arrive at your new home and all items will be recorded as they are offloaded, ensuring you receive everything which was put on the truck at your old home. If you booked unpacking services, the moving team will help you unpack.

Most customers who move with Allied Van Lines report that their items arrived early or on-time, but Allied does not have a specific delivery date guarantee. Some customers reported working with the same team for the entire move, but those who used the short-term storage options often had different teams helping them load and unload their belongings.

Allied Van Lines is perfect for people who want a full-service long-distance moving experience

People preparing for a long-distance or international move that want help every step of the way may want to hire Allied Van Lines for their move.

Allied is also a great option for customers who:

• Are making local or international moves
• Might need short- or long-term storage
• Want a company that provides packing solutions and loading and unloading services
• Need to ship a car along with their belongings

Allied Van Lines acts as a carrier for all local and long-distance moves. This means you will deal directly with AVL throughout your relocation instead of a partner moving company.

While Allied Van Lines isn’t always the cheapest option, they provide an excellent moving experience by making a package that is just for your move, no matter what the situation.

FAQ

Does Allied Van Lines serve all 50 states?

Allied Van Lines is one of the few moving companies which can help with your move to Alaska or Hawaii. They even have local offices, so an agent can come out in person to give a quote in most of the major cities. In Hawaii, Allied Van Lines can help with both local moves, and shipping items to the mainland.

Are Allied Van Lines and North American Van Lines the same company?

No, Allied Van Lines and North American Van Lines are not the same company. They are both owned by Sirva but maintain separate fleets.

What is considered a long distance move?

A long-distance move is a move that spans more than 400 miles. But moving 200 miles can also feel like a long-distance move and you may want to look at a long-haul moving company for any move over 200 miles.

Is Allied Van Lines a broker?

No, Allied Van Lines is not a broker. The company acts as a carrier, meaning you will deal directly with the company for the entirety of your move, not a third-party provider. However, in some international situations, Allied may partner with another moving company to help complete your relocation.