Colorado moving valuation
Moving valuation in Colorado: released value vs full value
Every Colorado moving contract must offer two levels of protection. Released value pays at most 60 cents per pound for a lost or damaged item. Full replacement value pays up to the value you declare for the shipment. At 60 cents a pound, a 40-pound TV worth $800 is covered for $24. Interstate moves follow federal rules, with Full Value Protection as the default.
Rules from Colorado PUC rule 6608 and 49 CFR Part 375, read 2026-09-29 and 2026-09-29. We are a publisher, not a mover or insurer.
We are an independent publisher, not a moving company. Facts last checked . How we source.
The two options, side by side
"Valuation" is the mover's liability for your goods. It is not an insurance policy, even though movers and customers often call it moving insurance. The option you choose sets the most the mover owes you if something is lost or damaged.
Released value
- Pays up to 60 cents per pound, per article
- Based on the item's weight, not its price
- Usually no extra charge
- Fine for heavy, low-value items; poor for light, expensive ones
Full replacement value
- You declare a value for the shipment
- The mover repairs, replaces or pays for lost or damaged items, up to that value
- Usually costs extra in Colorado; ask for the price
- Read the deductible and any limits on high-value items
Inside Colorado: what the PUC rules say
The contract must offer two cargo valuation options: released value, at the lesser of sixty cents per pound per lost or damaged article, or full replacement cost, where you declare the value of the shipment. (4 CCR 723-6-6608, read 2026-09-29.)
The choice belongs in the contract. Before work starts the mover must leave a contract that states its PUC permit number, itemizes costs and names at least two accepted forms of payment, and must have you sign a consumer advisement. (C.R.S. 40-10.1-505, read 2026-09-29.) If the contract doesn't say which option you chose, ask before the crew starts. If you sign without choosing, you may end up with released value.
The rules we read set the two options. They do not set a price for full replacement value, a deductible, or how a mover must value a declared shipment. Those are the mover's terms, so get them in writing.
Interstate moves: federal rules
On an interstate move, Full Value Protection is the default and must be included in the first estimate; the minimum valuation is $6.00 per pound times the shipment weight. Waiving it leaves released value: no more than 60 cents per pound per article, at no charge. (49 CFR Part 375, Appendix A, read 2026-09-29.)
| Question | Inside Colorado | Out of Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| Rule | PUC rule 4 CCR 723-6-6608 | 49 CFR Part 375 |
| Default | The rule requires both options to be offered; it does not name a default | Full Value Protection, in the first estimate |
| Released value | The lesser of 60 cents per pound per article | No more than 60 cents per pound per article, at no charge, if you waive full value in writing |
| Full value minimum | Not set in the rule we read; you declare the value | $6.00 per pound times the shipment weight |
For everything else about interstate moves, including binding estimates and brokers, see the long-distance guide.
Worked-numbers calculator
Enter one item's weight and what it would cost to replace. The calculator multiplies the weight by the 60-cent released-value rate and compares the result with the value you enter. It does not know your mover's deductible or terms.
Released value vs your item's value
Worked examples
The item weights and values below are examples we chose to show the arithmetic. They are not measured weights or prices; weigh and value your own items.
| Example item | Example weight | Example value | Released value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55-inch TV | 40 lb | $800 | $24.00 |
| Sofa | 150 lb | $1,500 | $90.00 |
| Box of kitchen dishes | 30 lb | $400 | $18.00 |
| Laptop in a packed box | 8 lb | $1,200 | $4.80 |
The pattern is clear: released value works against light, valuable items. A laptop packed in a box is the extreme case. Many people carry laptops, jewelry, documents and medicines themselves rather than putting them on the truck.
For an interstate shipment, the federal minimum for Full Value Protection is $6.00 per pound of the shipment. A 4,000-pound shipment would have a minimum declared value of $24,000 (4,000 × $6.00). If your belongings are worth more, declare more.
The mover's insurance is not your valuation
Colorado movers must carry general liability insurance or a surety bond of at least $500,000, and cargo coverage of at least $10,000 per vehicle or sixty cents per pound per article, whichever is greater. (4 CCR 723-6-6008, read 2026-09-29.)
Those are minimums the mover must carry to operate. They don't change what the mover owes you for a broken lamp; your valuation choice does. Third-party moving insurance and your homeowner's or renter's policy are separate products. Ask your insurer before the move whether goods in transit or in a mover's storage are covered.
How to choose
- List high-value itemsElectronics, art, instruments, antiques: light and expensive.
- Price full valueAsk each mover for the cost and the deductible in writing.
- Check your policyAsk your insurer about goods in transit.
- Choose in the contractMake sure the option and declared value are written down.
Include the valuation cost when you compare estimates. A lower price with released value only is not the same offer as a higher price with full value. The quote worksheet has a line for it.
If something is lost or damaged
- Note visible damage on the delivery paperwork before the crew leaves, and take photos.
- Ask the mover for its claims process in writing, and keep copies of everything you send.
- For a Colorado move, refund disputes go to binding arbitration. Refund disputes with a mover go to binding arbitration. (C.R.S. 40-10.1-506/507, read 2026-09-29.) The PUC also takes complaints at 303-894-2070.
- For an interstate move, follow the federal claims process described in the "Your Rights and Responsibilities" booklet your mover must give you.
Common questions about moving valuation
What is released value on a Colorado move?
It is the basic level of mover liability: no more than 60 cents per pound for each lost or damaged article. A 40-pound item is covered for at most $24, whatever it cost.
Is full value protection required in Colorado?
The PUC rule requires the contract to offer both released value and full replacement cost. You choose. For interstate moves, federal rules make Full Value Protection the default unless you waive it in writing.
Is valuation the same as moving insurance?
No. Valuation is the mover's liability under the contract. Insurance is a separate policy, from a third party or your homeowner's or renter's insurer. Ask your insurer what it covers during a move.
What is the minimum full value for an interstate move?
$6.00 per pound times the shipment weight. A 4,000-pound shipment has a minimum declared value of $24,000.
What should I keep off the truck?
Anything light and valuable that released value would barely cover, plus things you can't replace: documents, jewelry, medicines and laptops. Colorado law also bars a mover from holding back medicines, medical equipment and children's items.
Related guides
Request Denver moving quotes
Free, no obligation. We are signing our first partner movers; if none covers your ZIP and date yet, we tell you by email instead of passing your details on.