North American Van Lines Review | Moving Companies
North American Van Lines (NAVL) can accommodate nearly every moving situation, thanks to its vast experience and partner network. Whether you have a simple move or an outside-the-box one, look no further than North American. And its optional guaranteed pricing means no surprises at the end.
Service Area: 50 states, 130 countries
Can Pack For You: Yes
Deposit: Up to 50%
Licensing: Carrier, broker (USDOT 70851)
Does well:
- Full-service moves
- Long-distance moves
- Guaranteed quotes
- Real-time shipment tracking
Could improve:
- No container moving options
- Inadequate base insurance coverage
- Needs better third-party contractor oversight
What We Think About North American Van Lines
NAVL is one of the most wide-reaching movers in the country, with over 1,400 of its own drivers traveling over 30 million miles per year, according to its profile on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). It also maintains over 500 partner relationships, which helps it perform moves from and to every neighborhood in the U.S., including Alaska and Hawaii.
But can the company move you? In a word, yes.
Whether you want full-service packing, a partial DIY move, local, long-distance, or international, NAVL has you covered. It can also ship your car and valuable items, store your goods, and even disassemble and reassemble furniture on location.
You can also track your shipment in real time, thanks to NAVL’s WorldTrac® satellite system.
What we liked best about NAVL are its binding estimates. While this is an optional feature that costs more, it can bring peace of mind. Many moving companies are known to increase the price at the time of delivery. To avoid this situation, simply request “Bottom Line Pricing” with your quote, and that’s the price you’ll pay.
What about reputation? The company has an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and earned 4 out of 5 stars or better on sites like U.S. News and MarketWatch.
Downsides
Still, the company isn’t perfect. Online comments revolve around third-party companies used to complete some of its moves. Reviews describe drivers using rental trucks to perform the move or otherwise appearing unprofessional. “Brokering” the move, as this practice is known, is legal (NAVL is a licensed moving broker and carrier) and quite common in the industry since no single company can cover every inch of the U.S. by itself. Ask your rep before booking whether NAVL itself will complete the work or if all or part of it will be contracted out.
We found the base insurance coverage to be inadequate, providing just $0.60 per pound. For example, the payout on a 100-pound piece of furniture would be $60 – hardly enough to replace it. However, the company offers full replacement value coverage for an extra cost.
If there is an issue with any aspect of the service, the company offers 24/7 customer support. For damage, the company provides a quick and easy online claims process.
Despite issues common with nearly all movers, the vast majority of customers will find that North American Van Lines provides a great experience.
North American Van Lines Pros and Cons
- Available in 50 states and 130 countries
- Binding estimates
- Large owned fleet of 1,400 drivers and 1,300 trucks
- Easy online claims process
- Optional full-value replacement coverage
- 24/7 satellite-enabled shipment tracking
- Base insurance coverage likely won't pay the full replacement cost
- Brokers moves in some areas
- Higher pricing than other companies for full-service moves
North American Van Lines Services
It might be easier to describe what NAVL doesn’t do because that would be a very short list. From local to long-distance, personal or corporate, vehicle shipping to furniture assembly, the list of services goes on and on.
Long-distance and Interstate Moving
North American Van Lines can move you from any state to any other state (interstate moves), including Alaska and Hawaii. It has the licenses to perform moves across state lines, a claim not every moving company can make.
Local and In-state moving
Also known as intrastate moving, NAVL can move your belongings within your current state, whether that’s 200 miles away or just down the road.
International Moving
NAVL can move you to more than 130 countries. It offers convenient customs form downloads for Australia, the U.K., and the U.S., and has compiled customs information for most other countries.
Additional services
- Packing, unpacking, and supplies: NAVL offers three packing options: full-service packing, fragile-only packing, or self-packing. If you choose to self-pack, the company can provide you with a variety of boxes such as mirror and frame/picture boxes, special packaging for dishes, and stretch wrap for furniture.
- Loading, unloading, and assembly: The company can move heavy items, help you label boxes by location, disassemble and reassemble furniture, and even remove used boxes and moving supplies from your new home.
- Vehicle shipping: NAVL can ship your everyday driver, vintage car, boat, or almost any other vehicle in 3-7 business days. If delivery is late, the company will rent you a car. It offers $100,000 in vehicle insurance with no deductible, standard.
- Storage: In many cases, the company can store your items in a convenient location. That might be close to your current home if you want to declutter for home staging and selling. Or, your new home may not be ready. In either case, NAVL can store some or all of your items until you’re ready to move them to a permanent location.
- Corporate services: The company can even handle employee relocation or moving your business from one office building to another.
How Much Does North American Van Lines Cost?
Our research found that NAVL is an affordable option for many move types but can be on the higher side for full-service, long-distance moves. The company’s website says the average long-distance move over the past 12 months was $3,758. However, further research indicates that it costs around $5,000 for a 1,000-mile move.
Your cost will vary widely from the above ballpark figures depending on many factors, such as:
- Whether you choose full-service or self-packing
- Insurance coverage
- Distance
- Number of bedrooms in your household
- Heavy and specialty items
- Time of year
We liked NAVL’s pricing options. Those who don’t want surprises at the end can pay more for a guaranteed price, known as Bottom Line Pricing.
Bottom Line Pricing: Their binding estimate. This is a guaranteed price.
Not-To-Exceed Pricing: Your final cost might be lower, but never higher.
Customized Pricing: A combination of a binding estimate with the option to add services later.
With any company, moving isn’t cheap. But with NAVL, at least you’ll know how to budget without added costs upon arrival.
North American Van Lines Vs. Other Moving Companies
| Company | Money Rating | BBB Rating | Can Pack For You | Deposit | State Availability |
| United Van Lines | Best Full Value Protection | A+ | Yes | None | 46 states |
| JK Moving Services | Best Full-Service Packing | A+ | Yes | $250 | 50 states |
| North American Van Lines | Most Predictable Pricing | A+ | Yes | Up to 50% | 50 states |
| International Van Lines | Most Flexible Mover | B | Yes | 25% | 50 states |
| U-Pack | Best DIY Mover | A+ | No | None | 50 states |
| American Van Lines | Best for High-Value Moves | A | Yes | 10-50% | 48 states |
| Moving APT | Best Moving Broker | B | Yes | Required, amount varies | 50 states |
| Mayflower Transit | Best Technology | A+ | Yes | None | 50 states |
North American Van Lines FAQ
Is North American Van Lines a reputable company?
North American Van Lines is a reputable company licensed by the FMCSA as a moving carrier and broker. It traveled over 30 million miles in 2021 (the most recent data available) and owns 1,400 trucks. It was founded in 1933 and has an A+ rating with the BBB, where it is also an accredited company.
Is North American Van Lines licensed?
Yes, this company is licensed to perform in-state and interstate moves by the FMCSA under USDOT 70851.
Is North American Van Lines a broker?
The company is licensed as an interstate mover as a carrier and broker, meaning it can use its own drivers and trucks to move your items or contract with third parties to perform jobs. It has a vast network of owned vehicles and equipment, but may use a separate company to complete your move if it does not have drivers or trucks available in your area at the time of your move.
Should You Use North American Van Lines For Your Move?
North American Van Lines is a reputable company that can handle nearly any move with precision. It’s always a good idea to get multiple quotes for your move, but if you decide on NAVL, you can rest assured you’re in good hands.
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Our Methodology
At Money.com, we prioritize providing our readers with thorough, trustworthy reviews.
In order to give you the best advice about moving companies, we’ve reviewed individual companies using these metrics:
- Services: We analyze each moving company based on the types of services and features they offer, comparing them to other providers in the industry.
- Availability: We also factor in each company’s state availability, highlighting the areas in which they’re licensed to serve.
- Pricing: In our analysis, we also zero in on pricing and compare quotes across multiple moving companies. That includes evaluating how transparent a company is about its cost structure, additional fees, and cancellation policy.
- Reputation: We pay close attention to each moving company’s brand reputation by reading third-party reviews and checking for proper licensing and accreditation through the DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration database.
- Customer experience: We reviewed dozens of negative reviews from real customers for each moving company. We incorporated comments into our ratings and addressed common themes in each review.