Best Antique Moving Companies (2023 Review)

If you’re a collector of antique furniture, art, or decor, you already know the rarity and value of the items you have amassed over the years. But can you trust your moving company will?

To ensure your household treasures are handled with the care they deserve, you’ll want to find antique movers that offer specialized services for handling fragile and high-end pieces like family heirlooms. We’ve helped make your search easier by selecting the best moving companies for antiques.

Our best antique moving companies ratings

Here are our top-rated antique moving companies:

• Best overall for antiques: American Van Lines
• Best antique furniture movers: JK Moving Services
• Best for HOAs and condos: Safeway Moving
• Best long-distance antique movers: International Van Lines
• Best DIY option: U-Pack

Comparing the best antique movers

Take a look at how our picks for best antique movers stack up in terms of services.

Our reviews of the best movers for antiques

Best overall for antiques: American Van Lines

With its highly trained staff and specialty offerings, American Van Lines (AVL) is our top pick for professional antique movers.

AVL has been around since 1933 and fully vets its moving crew members, who have an average of 10 years of experience. Crews are required to complete annual courses in the company’s training facility. The company also has movers certified specifically in antiques and pianos, so you can rest assured your fragile household pieces will be properly packed and safely moved to your new home.

AVL can handle full-service moves with white-glove antique moving services—such as custom crates for large, fragile, or oddly shaped pieces—in every US state except for Alaska and Hawaii.

Like most moving companies, AVL offers two types of contents coverage plans: basic carrier liability and full-value protection. Federal law requires moving companies to carry basic carrier liability coverage, which covers any broken, damaged, or lost items at $0.60 per pound each. Available at an additional cost, the optional full-value protection offers the more comprehensive coverage of at least $6 per pound.

To compare these plans, you’d get $6 in reimbursement for a broken 10-pound antique lamp under the basic coverage. You’d receive a minimum of $60 for the same lamp with full-value protection.

American Van Lines pros and cons

Best antique furniture movers: JK Moving Services

If your moving needs include antique furniture, JK Moving Services might be your best choice.

As part of the company’s full-service moving package, trained crews will take apart your furniture and reassemble it at your new home. This will take care of the logistical headache of moving large pieces and ensure your furniture is transported safely and with the proper protection. It also makes relocating your heirlooms and collector’s items a stress-free experience, since JK Moving specializes in handling high-value and fragile items.

Once your furniture and household goods are loaded on the truck, you can keep track of where they are with a GPS tracking system available through JK Moving’s easy-to-use app. A personal moving coordinator will also be there to answer any questions or address concerns you may have during the process.

JK Moving Services pros and cons

Best for HOAs and condos: Safeway Moving

Moving into or out of a neighborhood with a homeowners association (HOA) or condo association comes with its own unique set of headaches. Safeway Moving makes the process of handling your antiques in condos and apartments

HOAs and condo associations typically have guidelines and requirements for moving companies, and Safeway is well-equipped to meet them all. In fact, one of Safeway’s specialties is its knowledgeable approach to HOA and condo association moves.

Safeway is both a carrier and a broker, meaning it will partner with other moving companies in certain locations. But Safeway requires that each of its partners carries a $1 million liability insurance policy, which is the standard amount most HOAs require. And Safeway and all its partners carry the licenses required by HOA and condo associations.

If you’re moving to a new state, you’re in good hands with Safeway as we’ve rated them #1 on our best interstate moving companies guide.

Safeway Moving pros and cons

Best long-distance antique movers: International Van Lines

We like International Van Lines (IVL) for interstate and cross-country moves. While IVL handles local and international moves, the company offers a wealth of services aimed specifically at long-distance moves (400 miles or more).

In addition to loading and unloading, IVL can pack up your items and disassemble and reassemble your furniture. The company also has specialty moving services for antiques and fine arts to ensure your fragile and valuable pieces are properly wrapped, packed, and secured in the moving truck.

You can track your shipment in real-time while en route, and IVL’s insurance options allow you to customize the kind of protection that best suits your antiques’ value. This should give you peace and mind that you’re covered if anything happens to your items.

While most movers provide basic and full-value protection, IVL also has all-risk and named-perils insurance. All-risk insurance covers any amount of damage or loss to your moving shipment and is handled directly by an insurance company, rather than IVL’s claims department. Named-perils is a third-party insurance policy that essentially pays out a claim in the event that you experience a total loss of your shipment.

IVL is a great option for antiques and one of the best long distance moving companies we’ve rated.

International Van Lines pros and cons

Best DIY option: U-Pack

U-Pack is our pick for those who prefer to handle the bulk of the moving process on their own, and perhaps want to save some money in the process.

The company’s ReloCubes and trailers offer DIY movers the opportunity to pack and load their antiques on their own—without having to pay for bells and whistles they don’t want or need. For that reason, U-Pack is the most affordable antique mover on our list.

U-Pack’s offerings include six-foot ReloCubes (similar to PODS containers) and trailers in four sizes: 13, 17, 28, and 25 feet. The great thing about using a U-Pack trailer is you only pay for the space you use, not for the entire trailer. That makes U-Pack a good option for smaller antique moves or for those making last-minute relocations.

Although you’ll have to do the heavy lifting, you won’t have to worry about hauling your items yourself. U-Pack has drivers that will move your ReloCube or trailer once it’s loaded. They’ll drop off your container or trailer, pick it up for you, and transport it to your new home or to a storage facility, if needed.

Keep in mind, though, that U-Pack requires a quick turnaround—three days—when it comes to loading and unloading, so if you want a little more time to move, this company might not be the best fit.

U-Pack pros and cons

Summary of the best antique moving companies

Choosing the right antique moving company

To choose the right antique company, the best starting point is reviewing online customer feedback. You can read first-hand accounts of experiences with movers in our review through our Better Moves Project. You can also check reviews on consumer sites like Yelp and the Better Business Bureau to see what customers have to say about movers’ attention to detail, careful handling of household items, professional service, and cost.

Here are some other key factors to consider when selecting an antique moving company.

Services

While full-service moving companies provide packing and unpacking, loading and unloading, and, often, furniture assembly and disassembly, you’ll want to look for a professional mover that has specialty services. Experienced movers who provide white-glove moving services specifically for antiques may give you some extra assurance that your precious items will be treated with the utmost care.

Experience

When it comes to antique movers, experience matters. Companies like American Van Lines have certified antique and piano movers, which means they are more knowledgeable about how to properly relocate those items.

It’s also a good rule of thumb to inquire about a moving company’s hiring process. Do they do background screenings? Do movers receive routine training in best moving practices, particularly when it comes to fragile and high-value items?

You should always check to ensure a company is licensed and approved for interstate moving by confirming and verifying the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) number through the USDOT online database.

Coverage

If you have a lot of antiques, it might be a good idea to hire a mover that offers contents protection plans beyond the bare minimum. Moving companies are required to offer basic coverage at no cost, but this plan will provide very minor reimbursements if any of your antiques are broken, damaged, or lost during the move.

Moving companies—like International Van Lines—that have multiple options for insurance will give you the choice of protecting your precious antiques at or near their full value.

How antiques affect moving costs

It’s important to get moving quotes from at least three moving companies to get an accurate picture of the cost to move and any add-on options you might need to ensure your antiques are carefully handled. Specialized services like white-glove treatment of your antiques and customized crates will impact the total cost of your move. Some moving companies, like JK Moving, will give you a free quote for any custom crating you need based on the size and weight of your valuable items.

Additionally, keep in mind that extra contents coverage (beyond the minimum provided at no cost by movers) will increase your moving costs. You’ll want to discuss this when obtaining quotes to see if the added cost is worth it to protect your antique pieces.

Safely relocating your antiques

Although mistakes happen and issues can arise during any move, the antique movers in our review are all well-equipped to take all possible precautions to protect your belongings. Most moving companies use special packing supplies for fragile items and take extra care to ensure your antiques won’t be harmed in transit.

Additionally, many full-service movers can build custom crates to safely house bulkier pieces and fine art, so you don’t have to worry they will get dinged up in the truck.

Antique movers FAQs

Do antique movers offer storage?

Some antique movers offer short- and long-term storage options. However, not all moving companies provide storage, and some that do have limited availability depending on location. If you need storage for your antiques, it’s best to look for a company like International Van Lines, which has climate-controlled units that will best protect your old and fragile pieces from the elements.

Do all moving companies offer services for antiques?

Not all moving companies offer services for antiques. Full-service movers can pack and load any household items, but some—like those in our review—offer specialty packing services when it comes to antiques and fragile and high-value items.

Do movers disassemble antique furniture before moving it?

Most full-service movers can disassemble antique furniture before moving it. However, keep in mind that this service may only be offered as an add-on option, which means you will have to pay extra.

Do movers assemble antique furniture after moving it?

Full-service movers that offer disassembly of antique furniture before moving it will also assemble your antique furniture after moving it. Just remember that you may have to pay a little extra for this service.

Will I get my money back if my antiques are damaged while moving?

You may get some or all money back if your antiques are damaged while moving, depending on the contents coverage plan you select. Basic insurance is free but only covers your items at $0.60 per pound per item. So, if you have a heavy, high-value piece like a 30-pound statue worth $1,000, you’ll only receive $18 ($0.60 X 30 pounds) if the item is damaged.

Full-value protection plans provide more coverage—$6 per pound for each item. Some moving companies, such as International Van Lines, offer third-party insurance that will protect your items at their actual value. The amount you pay for these plans is typically 3%–4% of the total value of your belongings. You may have to shell out more for these plans, but you will be able to get at least most of your money back if something happens to your antiques.

Should I get an appraisal before moving my antiques?

You do not need to get an appraisal before moving your antiques unless you purchase full-valuation coverage of your items. Most moving companies will actually require you to have your antiques appraised before you can buy a full-value plan. Typically, the appraisal can be done as part of the moving estimate process.