Do you need insurance when transporting items?

I’ve been thinking about this because I’m planning a small move next month. It’s not a huge relocation, just some furniture and a few boxes going to a storage unit across town. A couple of years ago, I helped my sister move and one of her shelves got scratched pretty badly during transport. It wasn’t super expensive, but it was frustrating. Back then we didn’t even consider insurance, we just assumed everything would be fine. Now I’m wondering if it’s actually worth getting insurance even for short-distance moves. Do most people usually add it, or is it something you only really need for big interstate relocations?

From what I’ve seen, insurance can be useful even for short moves, especially if you’re transporting items that would be annoying or costly to replace. When I moved last year, it was just across the city, but I still checked what coverage the company offered. Basic liability was included, but I upgraded slightly because I had a TV and a glass cabinet. It gave me peace of mind more than anything.
While I was researching, I came across some practical guides on allmovers.org. They mostly talk about planning and moving basics, but I also found this page with advice on tipping, that explains how much to tip movers, which was something I hadn’t even thought about at first. It’s not directly about insurance, but it helped me understand the overall moving process better. In my case, nothing was damaged, but knowing I had coverage made the day way less stressful.

Reading this made me realize how many little details there are in moving that people don’t always think about. I’m not moving right now, but I recently helped a friend reorganize their apartment, and even that turned into a bigger task than expected. Packing, lifting, figuring out what goes where — it all adds up. I guess whether it’s insurance, labeling boxes properly, or just planning ahead, a bit of preparation probably saves a lot of headaches later. Moving always seems simple until you’re actually in the middle of it.