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Bekins Van Lines Review
By Aja McClanahan MONEY RESEARCH COLLECTIVE
In the last few years, many Americans have begun to rethink where and how they want to live. The availability of new technologies makes it possible now for people to reside in one place while attending a school or working a job located far, far away. People are now thinking less about where they have to live and more about where they’d like to live.
As a result, the country has seen one of the largest upsurges in relocation in living memory. More moving means that more people than ever are in need of competent, capable moving companies. So we’re going to take a look at a 130-year-old moving company that operates out of the midwest and facilitates all types of moves: Bekins Van Lines, Inc. Here’s a breakdown of their offerings and ratings so you can decide if they might be the right moving company for you.
Table of contents
Bekins Van Lines’ services
Bekins Van Lines’ credentials
Bekins Van Lines’ accessibility
Bekins Van Lines’ customer satisfaction
Bekins Van Lines FAQ
How we evaluated Bekins Van Lines
Summary of Miami Herald’s Bekins Van Lines review
Bekins Van Lines’ services
Bekins Van Lines is based in Indianapolis, Indiana, and offers residential and commercial moving services for national, international, regional and interstate moves. The company has been in business since 1891 and today has over 350 agents on staff to handle its customers’ moving requests.
What it offers
According to the Bekins website, the company offers the following moving services:
- Household and residential moves. Household and residential moves involve moving the contents of people’s homes and household items.
- International moves. Bekins Van Lines partners with Crown Relations for international moves.
- Employee relocation. Bekins Van Lines also offers moving services for employees for work-related moves. If your company has an existing relationship with Bekins, you could be entitled to additional relocation benefits.
- Government and military relocation. Bekins Van Lines provides services to the General Services Administration (GSA), helping the government to move personnel and military shipments.
- Specialized moves. The company can also move special items such as medical and industrial equipment, art, large furniture, art, instruments, and more.
One notable feature of Bekins Van Lines moving services is its ability to provide instant ballpark estimates for an upcoming move by using its online quote form. This may be especially helpful to people who are just beginning to investigate what will be involved with their move and approximately how much it might cost. Prospective customers can simply enter the size of their home, where the move is starting and ending, their moving date, and their personal information.
Once this form has been submitted, consumers will receive an estimate with a low-to-high price range. Depending on the details of your move, prices could vary by $1,000 or more. All estimates come with this disclaimer, “Costs are an estimate based on the information supplied. Actual charges may vary.”
After getting the ballpark estimate from the information you entered in the online quote form, a Bekins representative will contact you to collect more information from you and provide a firmer quote. With this second step, you’ve got a few options:
- Give your moving information verbally to your Bekins customer service representative
- Conduct a virtual walk-through of your home with your Bekins customer service representative
- Provide pictures to Bekins, which will use an AI-powered tool to analyze and provide your moving estimate
The last two options may provide a more accurate estimate for your move so that there are no surprises on moving day. It’s important to get an accurate estimate of your moving expenses because you could go way over budget otherwise.
The following services are included in this estimate:
- Loading all items onto the truck
- Transporting items to the destination
- Unloading all items into the new residence
For an additional charge, you can add full or partial packing to your estimate along with Full Replacement Value Protection, which means movers assume the liability for the replacement value of all lost or damaged goods in the entire shipment.
What it doesn’t offer
Bekins Van Lines doesn’t transport hazardous materials that could include things like aerosol cans, ammunition, certain chemicals and other combustible materials. For a full guide on items that Bekins will not transport, consult the company’s “What not to Pack” page.
Also, you should note that the following services are not included in your moving cost (meaning you may have to pay extra for them):
- Storage
- Moving supplies
- Packing and unpacking
- Full-value replacement coverage
- Auto and specialty item transport
Bekins Van Lines’ credentials
Bekins Van Lines is one of the oldest moving companies in the United States. The company was purchased by Wheaton Worldwide Moving in 2012 and operates out of Indianapolis, Indiana. The company’s physical address is 8010 Castleton Road, Indianapolis, IN 46250.
Licenses and registrations
Bekins Van Lines has the following registrations and licenses for the transport of household goods:
- Interstate Commerce Commission Motor Carrier number (ICC MC): 770031
- US Department of Transportation number (US D.O.T): 2256609
Awards and certifications
Bekins Van Lines is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) with an A+ rating.
Bekins Van Lines’ accessibility
Bekins Van Lines has a basic, informational company website and a standard online presence. Within a few clicks, it’s fairly easy to get in touch with them to get an estimate, book your move and customer service help.
Availability
Once you complete the estimate form on the company website, Bekins Van Lines will contact you to start the estimate process within 24 business hours. Their normal business hours are from 8 am EST to 5 pm EST on weekdays, but they are closed on weekends.
Contact information
Bekins Van Lines’ physical offices are located at 8010 Castleton Road, Indianapolis, IN 46250. You can reach the company by calling (1) 866-460-3441 or emailing them at
bekinscustomercare@wvlcorp.com.
User experience
Bekins Van Lines’ company website is responsive and looks good but doesn’t allow customers to track their moves in real-time or check the status of active moves. We haven’t come across many moving companies that offer this type of tracking, but we’d like to call it out when a large, reputable company lacks this feature.
Aside from this, their website contains all the important information and resources you need on how to request their services and what to expect when you decide to complete your move with Bekins.
Limitations
If you’re going to get a full replacement valuation to protect yourself against lost or damaged goods in the moving process, you should know that anything you pack on your own is not covered under this protection.
Bekins Van Lines’s customer satisfaction
Bekins Van Lines has a wide range of customer reviews both on their website and on other third-party sites like Google and Yelp. Here’s what we found.
Customer complaints
While most of the company reviews are positive, we also found some complaints. The main theme among these complaints include:
- Damage to customer property
- Poor or unprofessional wrapping of furniture
- Movers consistently behind schedule
- Issues with fulfilling claims for lost or damaged property
Third-Party ratings
Bekins Van Lines has a reviews aggregator on its own website that shows a 4.5 out of 5- star rating based on 766 reviews. Here’s a summary of what we found on third-party websites:
- Google: 4.7 out of 5 stars (based on 538 reviews)
- ConsumerAffairs: 3.8 out of 5 stars (based on 261 reviews)
- Yelp: 2.5 out of 5 stars (based on 44 reviews)
Bekins Van Lines FAQ
Is Bekins Van Lines a legit moving company?
Bekins Van Lines is a legitimate company in Indianapolis with over 350 agents around the country. The moving company has been around for over 130 years, making it one of the oldest moving companies in the United States.
How much does Bekins Van Lines cost?
According to the ballpark estimate form on their site, moving a three-bedroom house could cost:
- 500 miles $4,861-$5,831
- 1,000 miles: $5,950-$7,165
- 2,000 miles: $7,726- $9,314
Once you complete this form, a Bekins customer service representative will reach out to you to provide a firmer estimate based on additional information.
Does Bekins Van Lines offer packing and unpacking services?
Yes, Bekins Van Lines offers packing and unpacking services. But it's not included in the base cost of their moving services. You must ask for a separate estimate for these services.
How we evaluated Bekins Van Lines
We evaluated Bekins Van Lines based on online customer reviews, company credentials, comparisons with other moving companies, and information on the company website. We also considered third-party consumer review sites and industry watchdog reports. This information is current at the time of publishing.
Summary of Miami Herald’s Bekins Van Lines review
If you’re considering a relocation, we think Bekins Van Lines should be on your shortlist of potential vendors. The instant ballpark tool makes it easy to get an estimate before committing, while the virtual estimating process gives you a convenient way to get a firmer quote for your upcoming move.
We suggest you contact a Bekins customer service representative to inquire about how they’ll ensure a hassle-free move. From here, get other estimates and information to get the best bid and choose the moving company that best fits your needs.
Aja McClanahan is a writer that covers personal finance and a number of related topics. Her work and personal story of paying down over $120,000 in debt have been featured in publications around the web including sites like Money, CreditCards.com, Business Insider, Inc., Experian and many others.