Maryland has 304 moving companies based in the state that hold active federal authority to carry household goods across state lines. In the 12 months before October 17, 2026, 64 of them had a cargo insurance policy cancelled on their Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) record. That works out to 21.1 percent. Nationally the figure is 11.1 percent (943 of 8,473 licensed movers), so Maryland's rate is close to double. Among the 48 states MovePricer ranked, Maryland had the second-highest share.
As of October 17, one licensed Maryland mover had no cargo policy on file with FMCSA at all.
MovePricer compiled these figures from FMCSA's licensing and insurance, revocation and out-of-service datasets, which are published on data.transportation.gov. A cancellation on the record doesn't prove a mover ever went without coverage. It can mean the company switched insurers, and a new policy can be filed to replace the old one. Still, it's worth checking before you hand a company everything you own.
What cargo insurance is
FMCSA requires household-goods movers to file proof of cargo insurance on Form BMC-34 or BMC-83. The minimum is $5,000 per vehicle and $10,000 per occurrence. The insurance company has to file the form with FMCSA directly, and FMCSA does not hand out copies.
This policy belongs to the mover. It backs up the mover's duty to pay for goods that are lost or damaged while in its care. If the policy is cancelled and not replaced, a truck fire, a theft or a company shutting down while your claim is open could leave no insurer behind the mover. Also, the federal minimum is small next to what most households own.
Cargo insurance is not your valuation coverage
Your own protection comes from what federal rules call valuation. Interstate movers must offer you two options: Full Value Protection or Released Value. According to FMCSA, neither one is an insurance policy under state insurance law. Both are levels of liability set by federal contract and tariff.
- Released Value means the mover owes no more than 60 cents per pound per article. A 50-pound TV would get you $30, whatever you paid for it.
- Full Value Protection is the option you get unless you waive it in writing. The mover must repair or replace a lost or damaged item so it matches its original kind and quality.
- If you pick Released Value, the mover may offer to sell you separate third-party insurance. That costs extra.
When something goes wrong, you claim against the mover under the option you chose. The mover's cargo policy is one of the things that lets it pay. Full Value Protection only works if the company can actually pay what it owes.
Maryland's own rules
- Moves within Maryland: The Attorney General's office says movers must give a written estimate. They can't charge more than 125 percent of a non-binding estimate or anything above a binding estimate. Once your goods are on the truck, the mover can't refuse to deliver them.
- Moves into or out of Maryland: Federal law applies, not the state rules above.
- State registration: Since March 1, 2026, the Maryland Department of Labor has required movers to register before charging for in-state moves that use a commercial motor vehicle. To register, a mover must show proof of liability, cargo and workers' compensation insurance. The department said it would publish a searchable database of registered movers.
- Complaints: Testimony to the legislature in 2024 said the Attorney General's office received 248 complaints about moving companies between October 2019 and February 2023.
What enforcement has looked like
We didn't find any new Maryland enforcement actions against movers from the past year. Earlier cases show the patterns regulators go after:
- 2016: The Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division issued a final order against Best Offer Moving Co. of Gaithersburg and the people who ran it. It found they broke the Consumer Protection Act and the Household Goods Movers Act on 391 moves and ordered $549,226 in payments to consumers and penalties. The office said the company gave low estimates over the phone and then raised its charges illegally.
- 2018: An administrative law judge ruled that Swift Van Lines LLC broke the law by charging customers more than 125 percent of their estimates and holding their goods. The case followed civil charges brought by the Attorney General.
- Federal case: Twelve people were charged with running a racketeering scheme through moving companies, and WMAR-2 reported the case was in Baltimore. Federal officials said the movers gave low binding estimates, demanded more money once the trucks were loaded, and held people's belongings if they didn't pay. These are accusations from an indictment.
This article is not legal advice. If you have a dispute, contact FMCSA or the Maryland Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division.
How to check a mover before you sign
- Enter the mover's USDOT number at movepricer.com/check. This free lookup shows whether its federal authority is active, whether a cargo policy is on file and whether any coverage was recently cancelled.
- Ask for a certificate of insurance that shows the cargo limits and the dates the policy covers.
- If you're moving within Maryland, make sure the company is registered with the Maryland Department of Labor.
- Get your valuation choice, Full Value Protection or Released Value, in writing on the bill of lading. Read FMCSA's valuation guide before you sign.
- Check again shortly before moving day. Insurance filings can change.