Allied Van Lines Review (2023)

Founded in 1928, Allied Van Lines is one of the moving industry’s oldest and most experienced companies. Available throughout the United States and 130 countries, Allied provides customer-centered moving packages that can be fully customized to fit your individual needs.

If you’re planning to move out of state, across the country, or to the other side of the globe, read our review of Allied Van Lines, one of our picks for best moving companies. This review will highlight Allied’s services to see how the company stacks up against its competitors.

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Fast Facts About Allied Van Lines

• Founded: 1928
• State Availability: 50 
• Service Model: Full service
• Standout Service: Mobile app
• Get a Quick Quote: Visit Allied Van Lines’ site

 

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Benefits and Drawbacks of Allied Van Lines

Review key pros and cons for Allied Van Lines:

Benefits	Drawbacks
Assigns a personal moving coordinator to each move	Does not provide instant online quotes for homes larger than three bedrooms
Has an accurate and detailed online shipment tracking tool to check the status of your belongings 24/7	Does not have 24/7 customer support for claims
Offers moving containers that, unlike companies like PODS and U-Pack, come with a moving crew to assist with loading and unloading	–

 

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Allied Van Lines Services

Allied Van Lines moves about 100,000 families domestically and worldwide each year. The company operates a fleet of more than 3,500 long-haul trucks, regional trucks, and vans driven by more than 4,200 trained drivers.

Allied Van Lines offers full- and partial-service options for local, long-distance, international, and interstate moves, all supported by an assigned Allied agent. Allied crews can pack and wrap some or all your belongings, load them onto a moving truck, and unload them for you at your new home. In addition, you can track your shipment 24/7 using Allied’s online shipment tracking tool.

Standard full-service moving packages include loading, transporting, and unloading your items, as well as basic liability coverage. Allied can accommodate household and corporate relocations.

Below are highlights of some of Allied Van Lines’ primary moving services.

• Packing and Unpacking: Allied Van Lines can provide packing services for your entire home for you or wrap and box up just your fragile items. Customers who prefer to handle their own packing can do so and still receive loading and unloading assistance from Allied. DIY packers can purchase their supplies directly through Allied’s website, which also contains moving checklists, packing tips, and other resources.
• Custom Crates: Allied can build customized crates made to the correct dimensions to hold your fine art, antiques, sculptures, electronics, and other high-end, oddly shaped household goods that need protection but do not fit into standard moving boxes.
• Disassembly and Reassembly: Allied crews can take apart your furniture and carefully pad and wrap all pieces for safe transport. After unloading items at your new home, crews can put your furniture back together for you in the rooms you specify.
• Mobile App: Allied Van Lines’ mobile app can be used to conduct a virtual walk-through of your home, aided by a moving coordinator who will walk you through the process. The app also allows you to conveniently conduct, save, and submit a digital inventory of your household belongings and store any necessary or helpful moving documents.
• Third-Party Assistance: Allied Van Lines can connect you to a third-party agent within its network for more specialized assistance with the disassembly and reassembly of particularly large, old, or high-end items. In addition, the company offers third-party help with disconnection and reconnection of appliances and cleaning services, including debris removal.
• Vehicle Shipping: Allied Van Lines has its own fleet of vehicle carriers to move cars, SUVs, vans, trucks, boats, motorcycles, and RVs. Allied’s fleet includes both open and enclosed carriers. Open carriers can stack and carry multiple vehicles at once, but they are exposed to weather conditions and potential roadway hazards during transport. Since enclosed carriers fully protect your vehicle from the outside, they are the better option for classic or high-value vehicles. Allied offers a protection plan that covers your vehicle at its full value, up to $100,000, with no deductible. This means you will have assurance that you will be fairly compensated should anything happen to your car, truck, boat, or other vehicle during the shipping process.
• Shuttles: If there is restricted access to your home or condominium, or you live in a high-rise building with limited on-street parking, Allied can provide a shuttle to move your belongings from your home to a moving truck located offsite.
• Moving Containers: Allied Van Lines has its own line of portable moving and storage containers called Allied Express. Allied Express offers an alternative to companies like 1-800-PACK-RAT, PODS, and U-Pack by providing steel containers—delivered to your door—that can be used for small moving needs or for short- or long-term storage. A perk of Allied Express is that all container rentals include a two- to four-member moving crew to assist you with loading and unloading. Moving crews with competitor companies are only available through a third-party agent and at an additional cost.
• Storage Services: Using a network of providers throughout the United States, Allied allows you to store items for up to 90 days or long-term. The company’s storage-in-transit option allows you to have your belongings housed in a short-term storage unit if, for example, your new home is undergoing a renovation. Allied will remove them and deliver them to your new home when requested. Allied will find a partner storage facility near you to house your items for storage needs longer than three months.
• Contents Protection Plans: Allied’s Extra Care Protection Plan is one of the most comprehensive contents protection plans in the moving industry. The plan pays for the full cost of repairing or replacing any damaged items. A highlight of the plan is that coverage extends to pairs and sets. This means if one of a pair of matching side table lamps is damaged, Allied will pay for a comparable quality replacement. If you notify Allied about any high-end lightweight items worth $100 or more per pound, like fine jewelry, the company will note this in advance to ensure they are protected at their full value. If you don’t want added insurance, Allied provides basic liability coverage—the minimum required under federal law—at no cost to you. Basic liability coverage provides reimbursement for repair or replacement of damaged items at 60 cents per pound. This means you would receive $180 for a broken 20-pound sculpture valued at $3,000.

 

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Allied Van Lines Cost

Allied Van Lines provides instant quotes online and by phone, but only for long-distance moves and homes up to three bedrooms. For accurate pricing on larger homes, you must schedule a virtual walk-through of your home.

During the walk-through, a moving coordinator will review your home’s layout and help you take inventory of your belongings. The size of your home—including the number of staircases and any narrow hallways or entry points—and the total weight of your belongings will be used to determine the total cost of your move. Other factors that affect pricing include the distance and date of your move.

Allied Van Lines provides customers with a binding estimate, meaning the cost you are quoted will be the cost you pay on moving day. You do not have to pay a deposit to secure your moving date. Allied accepts credit cards, cash, and certified checks.

 

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Allied Van Lines Reviews

Allied Van Lines has received several national accolades, including being named one of America’s Best Customer Providers among moving companies in 2020 and 2021. The Women’s Choice Award has also named Allied America’s Most Recommended Moving Company.

In terms of customer satisfaction, Allied receives mixed reviews. Positive feedback on customer review websites mention the company’s efficiency and professionalism. Customers who were not happy with Allied’s service often note delivery delays and missing or broken items.

Below are some sample reviews about Allied Van Lines from Google Reviews and Yelp.

This is a great company to move you. We recently moved from Seattle to Jacksonville, Florida. [The] communication was superb. The company communicated via phone and email. I especially like email, as there is something in writing. The contract was clear and concise. The movers contacted us to let us know when they would arrive, and they were on time. They were polite and efficient. This is a professional company, and we were at ease with all the people we worked with. We had contacted three other moving companies; two never got back to us, and the other constantly changed their price, though nothing was changing on our part. Allied is reliable. —Anne M. via Yelp

Employees were friendly and efficient. We were not informed that our load was overweight until after the unload at the warehouse. We were not asked what should stay or go. The overload was delivered two weeks after the first delivery. We are missing at least one piece of furniture. Overall, [it was] a good experience, but [I] would have liked more communication. —Joan Gambino via Google Reviews

We needed to move our two large storage rooms that had been stored for months.  We called Allied … and they responded right away. They were courteous and the men who drove all our precious belongings cross-country were fantastic. We didn’t have to move a thing and our belongings were all in good shape. They were courteous and respectful and kept calling to make sure we were satisfied with the results. [I] would highly recommend this company! —Laraine T. via Yelp

All of the people that I worked with at Allied were wonderful. My quote was smooth, my move coordinator was responsive, and the person responsible for loading my belongings was very pleasant. However, I was very disappointed when I found out that even with an eight-day delivery window, they were not going to deliver my belongings within the promised window. I do have the opportunity to submit additional expenses incurred in the days beyond the promised timeline, but that really doesn’t make up for the fact that I’ve been unable to settle into my new home for 10 days. I wish that there was more accountability to require delivery within the promised timeline. —Melinda Latas via Google Reviews

 

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How Allied Van Lines Compares to the Competition

Review how Allied Van Lines compares to other moving company options:

 

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Our Recommendation

As an experienced professional mover, Allied Van Lines provides a variety of services to support a full-service moving experience through an á la carte menu of add-on options. Customers can opt for full or fragile-only packing and customize their move with offerings like specialty crates, furniture disassembly and reassembly, and coordinated house cleaning and debris removal.

Allied Van Lines is an excellent choice for long-distance and cross-country moves since it operates a large fleet of trucks operated by its own drivers and provides storage options. While many moving companies outsource all their moves, Allied can handle many requests directly, depending on your location. Allied’s enclosed vehicle carriers and full-valuation coverage policy ensure your antique or high-end car or boat will be safe during transit.

As with any moving company, we recommend you compare Allied Van Lines to at least two other providers to compare services and pricing structure before making your decision.

 

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How We Chose the Top Moving Providers

We researched and analyzed dozens of full- and self-service moving companies and formulated a moving review methodology based on a number of factors, including package options, pricing, and reputation. We also identified customer pain points based on customer-review analysis, proprietary consumer surveys, and interviews with former and current moving professionals.

Speaking directly to a representative at each company, we determined the number of package options available, the coverage provided, the types of moves available (long-distance, local, and international), and any extra perks offered, such as mobile apps, moving checklists, and 24/7 customer service.

We also gathered pricing data from each of the companies and determined whether they provide ballpark estimates or binding quotes. To determine reputation, we evaluated companies based on their rating with the Better Business Bureau as well as their overall score on Yelp.