
United Van Lines Review
With 90 years of in the moving business, United Van Lines has become one of the most experienced moving companies in the United States. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, United Van Lines’ nearly 5,000 drivers have traveled almost 135 billion miles. That experience combined with extensive knowledge about every aspect of a move is part of what has made United Van Lines one of the top-rated moving companies in the United States since 1992.
The full service moving company is one of the largest in the United States with over 7,500 trucks. The organization is made up of more than 400 independently-owned agencies that affiliate under the United banner for access to centralized support and resources. They offer moving services for local and long-distance interstate moves, international moves, and also operate a nationwide auto transport program.
Depending on the moving service you need, there are also various a la carte options offered by United Van Lines that make your move as uncomplicated as possible. Some of these options include:
- Packing
- Storage
- Home cleaning (for your old home or your new one)
- Comprehensive protection plans
- Electronics service and installation
- Real estate services through a partnership with CityPointe® Real Estate Service
These additional offerings can be added to your moving contract individually or bundled in one of five packages to save you both time and money.
- United Van Lines has a proven track record spanning nearly 100 years
- Their comprehensive website answers nearly any question you have
- You can get an instant online quote with no personal information or having to call to speak to a salesperson
- Hundreds of authorized agents across the U.S. can lead to some confusion on packing and unpacking procedures between agencies
How to Get a Quote from United Van Lines
You start the quote process with five steps to get a general estimate of what your move will cost. Visit United Van Lines’ website and enter the following:
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Enter the zip codes of the originating city and the receiving city.
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Select the type of home (studio, apartment or house) you are currently living in.
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Select the number of bedrooms.
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Enter the move date.
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Get the estimated initial quote.
We tried the quote tool on the website and received an estimated cost for a move from South Carolina to Georgia (approximately 250 miles) for a one-bedroom apartment. The estimate was $1,900 if you pack everything to $2,400 if you have United Van Lines do the packing.

The quote specifies that the actual cost will vary based on different factors such as the moving dates and times, actual weight vs. the estimated weight of your belongings, total distance of the move and any unanticipated transportation and storage services. Any additional service or protection options you select such as supplemental insurance or clean up service will add to the cost of the quote. To determine how much coverage you need, see the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s tips for understanding the valuation of what you ship.
If you decide to move with United Van Lines, request a firm quote, and an agent will come to your home to survey your belongings to estimate their size and weight. The agent will then go over packing, protection and service options to help create a customized moving package that will fit your needs as well as your budget.
United Van Lines Local Moves
Your final estimate includes the calculation of local, residential moving quotes according to United Van Lines’ federally-registered moving tariff. Your rate depends on a combination of mileage, weight, time-frame and any extra services you select.
United Van Lines Long-Distance Moves
For interstate moves, the transportation charges depend on the actual weight of goods once your shipment is loaded onto a truck and weighed, and the distance between your old home and your destination. It’s a good idea to compare rates from multiple companies when considering any move but especially long-distance moves.
United Van Lines Add-on Service Package Options
Package | Cost | Services Included | Extra Choices |
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Essentials | $195 | $5,000 Additional Valuation Protection Gold Standard Protection® Claim Assistance Identity Theft Protection |
No extras included |
Plus 1 | $395 | $25,000 Additional Valuation Protection Gold Standard Protection® Claim Assistance Identity Theft Protection Increased Destination Waiting Time |
Select one of the following: Destination Debris Pickup PC and Network Disassembly PC and Network Setup Home Theater Stand Mount Disassembly Home Theater Stand Mount Setup Home Theater Wall Mount Disassembly |
Plus 2 | $595 | $25,000 Additional Valuation Protection Gold Standard Protection® Claim Assistance Identity Theft Protection Increased Destination Waiting Time Additional Delay Payment |
Select two of the following: Destination Debris Pickup PC and Network Disassembly PC and Network Setup Home Theater Stand Mount Disassembly Home Theater Stand Mount Setup |
Plus 3 | $795 | $25,000 Additional Valuation Protection Gold Standard Protection® Claim Assistance Identity Theft Protection Increased Destination Waiting Time Additional Delay Payment |
Select three of the following: Destination Debris Pickup PC and Network Disassembly PC and Network Setup Home Theater Stand Mount Disassembly Home Theater Stand Mount Setup Home Theater Wall Mount Disassembly Move-Out Cleaning Service |
Plus 4 | $1,195 | $30,000 Additional Valuation Protection Gold Standard Protection® Claim Assistance Identity Theft Protection Increased Destination Waiting Time Additional Delay Payment |
Select four of the following: Destination Debris Pickup PC and Network Disassembly PC and Network Setup Home Theater Stand Mount Disassembly Home Theater Stand Mount Setup Move-Out Cleaning Service Move-In Cleaning Service Home Theater Wall Mount Disassembly Home Theater Wall Mount Setup |
Plus 5 | $1,395 | $30,000 Additional Valuation Protection Gold Standard Protection® Claim Assistance Identity Theft Protection Increased Destination Waiting Time Additional Delay Payment |
Select five of the following: Destination Debris Pickup PC and Network Disassembly PC and Network Setup Home Theater Stand Mount Disassembly Home Theater Stand Mount Setup Move-Out Cleaning Service Move-In Cleaning Service Home Theater Wall Mount Disassembly Home Theater Wall Mount Setup |
United Van Lines International Moves
United Van Lines offers international moving services to over 180 countries. Their highly trained international move team will be there every step of the way and can provide information about travel, language, customs and even culture, to prepare you for your adventure abroad. Their visa and immigration services help make sure that your paperwork is all in order and their family relocation assistance is top notch.
United offers options, pet transportation and school assistance where a liaison helps you find the best schools in your new location. Settling-in services include area orientations, utility connections and finding the right bank.
United Van Lines Reviews and Ratings
United Van Lines’ customers run the gambit from love to very dissatisfied, mostly depending on the local agent company used for the move. Those in the love category frequently use words like “excellent,” “professional,” “courteous” and “friendly” to describe the agents, coordinators, and movers. For those with less favorable experiences, stories of late deliveries and miscommunications seem to be at the forefront.
Some customers have reported that procedures, such as the color coding system used on boxes, vary between agents making it difficult to know which room your boxes should go into at the destination.
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Burke, an independent research company, monitors customer satisfaction surveys filed on United Van Lines. Their overall customer satisfaction rating is 4.22 out of 5 stars based on 20,078 customer surveys completed in the last 12 months.
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Better Business Bureau gives an A+ rating to UniGroup, Inc., the parent company of United Van Lines, with a composite score of 3.68 out of 5 stars.
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American Moving & Storage Association awarded United Van Lines with a Fleet Safety Award, which recognizes overall safety, improvement in safety, and creativity and leadership in safety program design, in the Over 50 Million Miles category.
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Yelp shows 1.5 stars with 56 reviews. To their credit, a United Van Lines agent responded to roughly 9 out of 10 negative reviews asking for direct contact so they can resolve the issues reported.
United Van Lines Q&A
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When should I schedule my visual survey and in-home estimate?
Ideally, these steps should be taken no less than eight weeks before your move. -
When should I start packing for an interstate move?
Determine what items you will dispose of five weeks before you move, then start packing boxes no later than three weeks before moving day to give yourself plenty of time to get prepared. -
Is there anything I should not pack for my move?
Hazardous or perishable items such as aerosol cans, ammunition, cleaning solvents, fertilizer and fuels/oils can’t be boxed up and shipped with your load. If you aren’t sure if something falls into either category, talk to a representative. -
If there is any loss or damage to my belongings, how long do I have to file a claim?
After delivery, by law, you have nine months to report any problems to the moving company and file a written claim. The mover then has 30 days to acknowledge receipt of your complaint and within 120 days of receiving it, they must either make an offer to pay your claim or deny it. -
Once in my new home, what is the first room I should unpack?
United Van Lines suggests that you start unpacking in the kitchen to make sure that you can eat the first night in your new home. However, if you need rest more than dinner after your move, start with the bedroom and bathroom.
Conclusion
United Van Lines offers more services than any other moving company we have found, and their nearly 100-year history means they have a significant amount of experience in the industry. They can handle any size move to almost any location in a professional manner.