North American Van Lines Review 2024: Real Customer Experiences
Here’s the bottom line: Our readers say they love North American Van Lines for its premium moving services that can be catered to suit any move. With quality moves at guaranteed prices that won’t keep you guessing, North American Van Lines (NAVL) is on our list of the best moving companies.
- Custom crates for electronics & art
- Satellite shipment tracking
- 1,500 local agents covering all 50 states
- Self-packing option
- No deposit required
We talked to Marcie about her move with NAVL from Los Angeles to Colorado Springs, Colorado. While North American Van Lines wasn’t her first pick, she knew she wanted to hire a full-service moving company, and her top choice wasn’t available for her move date.
North American Van Lines presented Marcie with the cheapest quote of the six full-service moving companies she researched. She loved their tracking options and guaranteed pricing. Her move was overall a success, and she was glad she trusted NAVL with her move.
Marcie’s story is one of dozens we’ve compiled for our Better Moves Project to give you first-hand insights into today’s top moving companies. Read on to determine if North American Van Lines is the right fit for your upcoming move.
Pros & cons of North American Van Lines
- All moves are customizable, so you only pay for services you need
- No upfront deposit required to book your move
- State-of-the-art shipment tracking lets you check on your items during the move
- Custom crating options are available for specialty and fragile items
- Offers corporate relocation services
- You can’t get a quote online, having to speak on the phone for an estimate
- Claims process can be difficult, based on some consumer feedback
- Binding quotes require an in-home walkthrough
Jump to the North American Van Lines info you’re looking for:
Our track record
Each year, 400,000+ people trust our moving recommendations. Here are a few reasons why:
- Founded in 2015
- 2,500+ moving companies analyzed
- $50,000 in moving & auto transport grants delivered
- Up-to-date pricing info & industry data
- Fact-checked for accuracy
What customers had to say about North American Van Lines
After initially planning to book with JK Moving Services, Marcie and her husband ultimately chose NAVL as their backup choice because of their full-service options and the approximately $11,500 quote they received.
Marcie knew moving was stressful, and she wanted professional movers who could disassemble, load, and transport her items to her new home. She opted to save money by packing herself, but she contracted NAVL to protectively wrap her furniture before loading it in the truck.
Marcie reports that her move with NAVL was 100% on time, and she would give them an A+ rating. She especially loved that NAVL took the time to protect the walls and floors of her new home before they began unloading her boxes and furniture.
In Marcie’s case, her items made it from California to Colorado in 12 days, which is what she was quoted. Marcie’s binding quote of $11,439 included every aspect of her move, plus insurance coverage.
After the moving process, she paid a slightly higher final price of $11,503, but she noted that the extra $64 was worth it. She loved working with NAVL and would do so again.
It’s wise to look at multiple customer reviews when you’re considering hiring a moving company since every moving experience is different.
Here’s what other customers had to say about moving with North American Van Lines:
North American Van Lines pricing: How much it costs to move
One of the best parts of using North American Van Lines is their free quotes and guaranteed pricing. While pricing varies depending on the services you choose for your move, once you sign a binding quote with NAVL, you can rest easy knowing there won’t be any surprise hidden costs.
While your exact moving costs will vary based on factors unique to your move, NAVL’s prices tend to align with the industry average.
Following an in-home estimate, you’ll be given a flat-rate price based on the size and distance of your move and which add-on services you need. NAVL’s “Bottom Line Pricing” is guaranteed and won’t change.
You can also select not-to-exceed pricing, which means your cost could end up lower (but never higher) than the quote based on the weight of your move.
Alexander got quotes from a range of moving companies before choosing NAVL for his move. Here are the estimates he received for his 980-mile, one-bedroom move:
| Company | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| North American Van Lines | $5,789 |
| United Van Lines | $7,031 |
| Safeway Moving | $3,664 |
| Mayzlin Relocation | $4,446 |
| International Van Lines | $5,200 |
| Two Men and a Truck | $14,676 |
As you can see, moving costs can vary pretty drastically from one company to the next, so it’s crucial to compare quotes.
Your NAVL moving cost will depend on factors such as the size of your move, the distance, how far ahead you book, and the time of year you choose to move.
Here are a few more sample moving costs from the NAVL customers we talked to:
| Better Moves Participant | Approximate Distance | Route | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marcie | 1,089 miles | Los Angeles to Colorado Springs | $11,503 |
| Kyle | 270 miles | Washington, D.C., to Chapel Hill, NC | $5,330 |
| Michele | 1,242 miles | San Jose, CA, to Loveland, CO | $13,462 |
While North American Van Lines’ costs will vary from move to move, you can use our moving cost calculator to see if it might be an affordable option.
North American Van Lines services
Like our other top long-distance moving companies, NAVL has an extensive list of standard and add-on options, including:
- Household moving: Household moves can include basic furniture disassembly and reassembly as well as loading and unloading services. You can customize your move by selecting which services you want to use for local and long-distance moves.
- Interstate moves: NAVL is on our list of the best interstate moving companies. It excels at providing customizable cross-country moves at competitive prices.
- International moving: NAVL works with several partner companies to make your international move successful. Not all of their service offerings are available for international moves, so you’ll need to speak to a move coordinator to find out which options are available.
- Packing and loading: North American Van Lines can provide contract labor for packing and loading your belongings on shipping or storage containers. They even offer fragile-only packing to ensure your most valuable items arrive safely.
- Corporate relocation: NAVL offers various corporate moving packages with additional services like full-service packing or temporary storage units.
- Storage services: You can arrange temporary and long-term storage options with NAVL.
- Vehicle transportation: Cars, boats, and other vehicles can be safely transported by a contract mover through NAVL.
- Packing and supplies: Specialized supplies are available to transport large, fragile, or bulky items like mirrors and mattresses. You can purchase packing supplies even if you don’t opt for packing services.
rating
4.5 / 5
89% of users select this mover
How does North American Van Lines stack up against the competition?
North American Van Lines is a solid choice of mover, but it might not be the right fit for every move. Here’s a closer look at how NAVL compares to some of our other top moving companies.
| Company | Our rating | BBB Score | State Availability | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North American Van Lines | 4.5/5 | A+ | All 50 | Customized plans |
| Safeway Moving | 4.85/5 | B- | All 50 | High-end moves |
| Mayzlin Relocation | 4.9/5 | A- | All 50 | Personalized service |
| JK Moving | 4.6/5 | A+ | All 50 | Overall value |
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rating
4.25 / 5
Licensed
Insured
Price
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NAVL vs. Safeway Moving
NAVL and Safeway Moving are similar because they’re both long-distance movers that offer stress-free moving with add-on services like packing and unpacking. These two companies offer competitive pricing, though customers report it can be difficult to find Safeway’s pricing on their website.
While Safeway is more highly rated for customer service than NAVL for long-distance moves, Safeway has minimal availability for moves of 50 miles or less, making NAVL a better pick for local moves.
Safeway offers 30 days of free storage with every move. While NAVL does have storage options, they aren’t free. You might get a better deal with Safeway if you need short-term storage with your long-distance move.
When Laurel moved from California to Texas with Safeway, she was impressed with the team’s careful handling of her belongings and timely delivery.
NAVL vs. Mayzlin Relocation
Similar to NAVL, Mayzlin Relocation earns high marks for its transparent, upfront pricing, though you have to speak to a representative by phone to get a quote. This full-service mover offers 24/7 customer service and full refunds for cancellations made seven days before the move.
As a family-owned business, Mayzlin can deliver more consistent service quality. However, this also means its availability can be more limited.
This is especially true of local moves, where Mayzlin isn’t as readily available as NAVL. For local moves in particular, NAVL is likely to be the better option.
Mayzlin helped simplify Jana’s cross-country move, carefully handling her belongings and communicating clearly leading up to and during the move.
NAVL vs. JK Moving
JK Moving and NAVL both offer transparent pricing and many add-on service options when customizing your move. However, JK Moving usually costs more than NAVL.
It’s important to note that JK Moving has a higher overall customer service rating than NAVL, and customers report that it’s very easy to contact a representative when working with JK Moving.
JK Moving is a moving carrier, however, and as a result, they have a limited number of trucks available. Some customers want to choose JK Moving for their move only to find that their move dates aren’t available. In these cases, NAVL is an excellent alternative.
Chloe praised JK Moving for going above and beyond in pinning down the details of her move in advance to streamline the process on moving day.
How moving with North American Van Lines works
Every move is unique, and North American Van Lines offers packages to fit any move. Let’s take a look at how moving with NAVL works.
Getting a quote
Movers can get a free quote from North American Van Lines by filling out a form on their website. However, you won’t actually get a quote until you speak with an agent over the phone.
Often, NAVL will send local agents to your property to conduct a full walkthrough of your home and its contents. This helps ensure the quote you are given is exactly what you pay for your move.
When you speak with your agent, be sure to discuss every piece of furniture you plan to move, as well as any additional services you require, so NAVL can give you the most accurate quote possible.
NAVL has three types of quotes:
- “Bottom Line” pricing: This offers a binding fixed cost based on your initial estimate.
- “Guaranteed not-to-exceed” quotes: This could lower your cost if your belongings weigh less than expected (but won’t increase costs if the weight is more).
- Customized pricing: This allows you to tailor your quote by combining one of these fixed pricing options with separate charges for additional services.
All NAVL quotes include basic insurance coverage. If you need extra value protection for your household, adding coverage is easy and affordable. Full-service packages booked with NAVL automatically include this extra insurance at the package price.
Booking and moving
Once you commit to NAVL, you’ll sign and agree to the binding quote, but you don’t have to pay an upfront deposit to book your move. After your booking is confirmed, NAVL will give you an estimated arrival date and time.
After helping you pack (if you opt for this service), movers will use checklists to inventory your household goods before loading them into the moving truck. When loading is completed, your items will begin their journey to your new home.
Your items may share a truck with another customer’s belongings, so delivery dates aren’t guaranteed. You’ll likely be given a delivery range of three to five days. The day before they deliver, the driver will call to let you know what time to expect the truck.
Our reader Alexander was given an eight-day delivery timeline. NAVL updated him twice during the move and arrived on time at his new home.
If you’re curious about the location of your items, you can use NAVL’s tracking app, which employs satellite technology, to check on their progress.
Many online complaints about North American Van Lines involve items broken during transit. One way to remedy this is to opt for NAVL’s fragile-only packing plan, which means anything packed by NAVL and their insurance will cover the replacement of the item if it’s damaged in transit.
FAQ
Is North American Van Lines the same as American Van Lines?
No. Even though they have similar names, North American Van Lines and American Van Lines are two different companies. They both facilitate full-service long-distance and cross-country moves. If you are comparing quotes for your move, it’s worth getting a quote from both companies.
What is North American Van Lines’ cancellation policy?
Once you book your move and pay a 10% deposit, that deposit is non-refundable. If you decide to cancel your move later, you won’t receive your deposit back. In some cases, you may be able to reschedule your move without losing your deposit. The full price for your move will be charged within two days of your item pickup.
Who owns North American Van Lines?
North American Van Lines is owned by the parent company SIRVA, which also owns Allied Van Lines.
Are Allied and NAVL the same company?
Though they aren’t the same company, Allied and NAVL both operate under the parent company SIRVA. NAVL acquired Allied in 1999, but the brands and their operations remain distinct from each other.
Our rating methodology
At moveBuddha, we’re committed to providing accurate and reliable ratings and information so you can select the best moving company for your needs. Our rigorous moving company methodology is designed to help you confidently make your decision.
Here’s how we evaluate North American Van Lines and other full-service movers:
- Customer satisfaction (30%): We rely heavily on the first-hand experiences of our Better Moves Project participants, as they have no incentive to make positive or negative comments. We also evaluate third-party reviews from the BBB, Google, TrustPilot, and other trusted sites.
- Standard services (20%): We look at which offerings a full-service mover provides as part of its base contract, in comparison to which services will result in an extra fee.
- Reputation (15%): We investigate the company’s industry ratings with the BBB and other services, as well as whether it is properly registered with the U.S. Department of Transportation. We also look at how accurate the company’s estimating process is.
- Add-on services (10%): This covers any add-on services a company offers to streamline a move, such as packing and unpacking, custom crating, or storage options.
- Availability (10%): We look at whether a moving company offers nationwide service, or if it is only available in select states. We also evaluate the availability of its local and long-distance moving services.
- Type of mover (5%): The type of mover you work with (such as a full-service mover or a moving container company) will impact the services it can provide.
- Payment (5%): Does the company make it easy to submit payment, preferably by offering multiple payment options?
- Scheduling (5%): How easy is it to schedule your move, and how much lead time is needed? How a mover handles delivery windows and delays is also considered.
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