Wardrobes, pianos and stairs
Every move brings a new set of awkward lifts. Sofas round tight corners, American fridge freezers down steep drives, boxes of books up three flights of stairs. Even with good technique and the right kit, the strain adds up across a working week.
Slipped discs, torn rotator cuffs, hernias and knee problems are the injuries removal workers talk about most. Crushed fingers between furniture and door frames, and heavy items dropped on feet, happen too. Any one of them can put you out of action for weeks in the busiest part of the year.
- Lower back injuries from lifting and twisting
- Shoulder and knee damage
- Hernias from heavy loads
- Hand and foot injuries
Busy summers, quiet winters
Removals is a seasonal trade, with spring and summer far busier than the weeks after Christmas. Many porters are paid by the day or on casual contracts and may not qualify for statutory sick pay if their earnings dip below the threshold in a quiet spell. An injury in June can cost you the best earning weeks of the year.
Drivers who hold a C1 or C licence for larger removal lorries also need to meet the DVLA's Group 2 medical standards. A health issue such as a heart problem or poorly controlled diabetes can stop them driving the lorry even if they could still carry boxes, which may mean fewer days or lower pay.
Owners carry the van and the risk
If you run your own removal firm, you are often the lead porter as well as the person taking bookings and quoting jobs. An injury means turning work away or paying others to cover, while lorry finance, storage rent and insurance continue.
Personal income protection pays you, not the business, but it can stop you dipping into the firm's cash to cover your mortgage. Some owners also look at key person cover if the business relies on them to bring in work.
Choosing the claim test that suits heavy work
Insurers group jobs into risk classes, and heavy manual work like removals sits towards the higher end. That affects price, and it can also affect the definition of incapacity. An own occupation policy pays if you cannot do your own job. Some insurers only offer heavy manual workers a test based on suited work or daily activities, which is harder to meet.
It is worth comparing these definitions before you look at price alone, because the wording decides whether a claim is paid. A cheaper policy with a harder test can turn out to be poor value if you cannot meet it when your back gives out.
Where Hi Tomorrow comes in
We compare insurers on our panel to find the best definition we can for removal work at a price you can live with. We also help you set the deferred period around any sick pay or savings you have and arrange life insurance for your mortgage or family.
If you have had back or joint trouble before, we help you describe it accurately so the insurer can make a fair decision, which might be an exclusion rather than a refusal. Final terms always rest with the insurer's underwriters.