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Allied Van Lines Review
By Susan Doktor MONEY RESEARCH COLLECTIVE
Founded in 1928, Allied Van Lines is one of the oldest moving companies in the United States. It’s also the fifth largest in the moving industry nationally. While it didn’t make it onto our list of the best moving companies, or of interstate moving companies, Allied offers a variety of service options, including international, local and interstate moving.
Table of contents
- Allied Van Lines overview
- Allied Van Lines’ moving services
- Allied Van Lines’ credentials
- Allied Van Lines’ accessibility
- Allied Van Lines’ customer satisfaction
- Allied Van Lines FAQ
- How we evaluated Allied Van Lines
- Summary of Allied Van Lines review
Allied Van Lines overview
- Services local, long-distance and international moves.
- Assists with household and corporate moves.
- Conducts in-home or virtual assessments.
- Offers free, no-obligation quotes.
- Has convenient packing services.
- Storage options are available to suit your moving schedule.
- Has average customer ratings.
- There were 22 complaints filed with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
Allied Van Lines offers a typical array of moving services, including packing and unpacking, auto transport and short- and long-term storage options. The company has earned some plaudits, along with some criticism; the complaints, though, aren’t necessarily more numerous or more serious than for other national van lines.
Allied Van Lines’ moving services
Allied is a full-service moving company that can help with all aspects of your move. The company employs drivers, packers, professional movers, moving coordinators, logistics specialists and a network of Allied agents to serve its customers.
What it offers
- Free, no-obligation quotes
- Household moving
- Corporate relocation services
- Local moves
- Long-distance moves
- International moves
- Packing supplies
- Packing and unpacking at your new home
- Storage services
- Extra protection for your shipment
- Online shipment tracking
- Portable moving container options with Allied Express
What it doesn’t offer
- Instant quotes online
- 24/7 claims support
Allied Van Lines moving cost
To find out how much your move will cost, you can contact Allied Van Lines by phone for a quote. Estimating a move accurately is best done through an in-home visit in which the company visits your home and assesses how much you need to move. It also offers virtual moving cost estimates by video.
Allied states that a long-distance move can cost as little as $3,500. That cost is based on belongings that weigh about 7,000 pounds (about average for a seven-room home) and a 1,000-mile moving distance.
Basic liability coverage is included with all Allied moves. As required by law, it covers a maximum of $0.60 per pound per item if damaged or lost. Allied also offers Full Extra Care Protection that you can purchase for additional cost, to help cover the cost of repairing or replacing damaged or lost items in excess of the basic coverage.
Allied Van Lines’ credentials
Allied Van Lines has been in business for more than 94 years and has handled 750,000 moves in the last 15 years. Allied owns a fleet of more than 3,500 long-haul and short-distance moving trucks and employs more than 4,200 drivers.
Licenses and registrations
Allied Van Lines is licensed to perform moves in all 50 states and can broker moves to more than 130 countries around the globe. The company is registered with the U.S. Department of Transportation under the number 076235. Its MC (Motor Carrier) number is 15735.
Awards and certifications
Newsweek has recognized Allied Van Lines as one of America’s Best Customer Service Providers. The company has also earned the Women’s Choice Award for America’s Most Recommended Moving Company for the past six years. In 2020, the company earned a Quest for Quality Award from Logistics Management, an organization that tracks the performance of carriers, ports and other logistics-driven business entities.
Allied Van Lines’ accessibility
Allied Van Lines offers moving services in all 50 states. The company can also coordinate a move to or from more than 130 overseas locations as a broker through its global network.
Contact information
The easiest ways to reach Allied Van Lines are via the company’s website or by calling the company’s toll-free number. Contact information is as follows:
- Website: https://allied.com
- Mailing address: One Parkview Plaza, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
- Toll-free number: (800) 689-8684
Allied Van Lines moving process
As with other movers, you initiate the moving process by reaching out to the company. An Allied agent will ask for details about the move you’re planning, including your pick-up and delivery locations, your preferred moving dates and the size and layout of your home. You’ll also tell the company which services you need.
To provide a binding estimate upfront, Allied Van Lines will have to do an in-home or virtual assessment of your belongings, during which the company will create a detailed inventory of your possessions.
Once you’ve decided on your move, you work out the details with the company and schedule it. Allied says that your driver will contact you one day before your belongings will be delivered to their destination. Allied will also assign a customer service representative to you and you will have 24/7 online shipment tracking.
If you’re not quite ready to move your household goods into your new home on their delivery date, you can choose from various storage options and have your belongings delivered when you want.
User experience
You can request a free, no-obligation quote on Allied’s website. You won’t be able to get a quote instantly, but you can submit details, and a representative will follow up with you. Accurate cost assessments from Allied Van Services require an in-home or virtual evaluation.
Allied.com offers a wide range of resources to educate you on the moving process, including information on how moving quotes are created, checklists to help organize your move, moving company liability insurance, factors that influence moving costs and much more.
Limitations
Like every other moving company out there, Allied Van Lines can’t move everything. Government regulations dictate that some items can’t be transported via moving truck for safety’s sake. Allied.com provides a list of prohibited items so you can plan your move accordingly.
- Nail polish remover
- Paints and paint thinners
- Lighter fluid
- Gasoline
- Fireworks
- Oxygen bottles
- Propane cylinders
- Automotive repair and maintenance chemicals
- Radio-pharmaceuticals
- Matches
- Firearms
- Food in glass jars and perishable foods
- Prescription drugs needed for immediate use
The company also recommends that you avoid packing these items:
- Cash
- Collections (i.e., coins)
- Family photos
- Important personal papers (i.e., deeds, wills)
- Negotiable papers (i.e., bonds, stocks, certificates)
- Jewelry
- Moving documents
Allied Van Lines’ customer satisfaction
Allied Van Lines is an accredited business with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) but, as with most movers, customers have lodged some complaints against the company.
Customer complaints
There have been a total of 22 complaints registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in 2022. Most of these complaints have to do with lost or damaged items and claims settlement. There were 45 such complaints against Allied Van Lines filed in 2021.
The Better Business Bureau reports that 85 complaints have been filed against the company. Scanning the text of these complaints, we found that many had to do with unresolved claims for lost or damaged items. Other customers complained about their moving dates, delayed delivery dates and experiencing communication issues.
Third-party ratings
Allied Van Lines is accredited by the BBB and earns an A+ rating with the organization. Trustpilot gives the company an average score of 2.9 (out of 5), but this is based on just two customer reviews. Allied Van Lines advertises that 96% of customers report that they are satisfied with their moving experiences.
Allied Van Lines FAQs
Who is Allied Van Lines owned by?
SIRVA, Inc., a private moving industry holding company, owns Allied Van Lines. SIRVA (formerly Allied Worldwide) was formed when Allied Van Lines merged with North American Van Lines in 1999.
Is Allied Van Lines a good mover?
Allied Van Lines has been in business since 1928. The company has a "satisfactory" safety record with the FMCSA and earns an A+ rating from the BBB. Allied offers various services, including international, local, intrastate, and cross-country moving. Packing and unpacking, storage and vehicle transport are also available through the company.
How long does Allied Van Lines take to move long-distance?
A timeline for a long-distance move depends on how far you are moving and how much work Allied Van Lines has scheduled at the time of your move. According to Allied, your driver will contact you 24 hours before delivery. You will also be assigned a customer service representative who can provide regular delivery updates as your possessions make their way across the country.
How we evaluated Allied Van Lines
We based this review on what customers value most in a moving company. These factors include:
- Services offered
- Reputation
- Cost
- Moving process
- Safety record
- Delivery schedule
- Types of insurance offered
- Communication, customer service and transparency
Summary of Allied Van Lines review
Allied Van Lines is one of the largest and oldest full-service packing and moving companies in the U.S. It offers a variety of moving services for different needs. The company has a satisfactory safety record and earns an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. All in all, Allied Van Lines fares a little worse than other interstate movers but better than most moving brokers.
