High-Value Articles Inventory

Federal regulation (49 CFR 375.213) requires interstate carriers to ask the shipper to identify any item worth more than $100 per pound on a dedicated HVA inventory. Common HVA items: fine art and original paintings, jewelry, coin and stamp collections, antiques, sterling silver flatware, designer rugs, rare books, watches, premium electronics, and small high-value collectibles. Each item is listed with a description and declared value. The HVA inventory travels with the Bill of Lading and is referenced if a claim is filed. Items declared on the HVA inventory are eligible for full coverage under Full Value Protection up to their declared amount.

If you do not declare a high-value item on the HVA inventory and it is damaged or lost, the carrier’s liability is capped — often at the $100-per-pound default rather than the actual value. A $30,000 painting that weighs 8 pounds would pay only $800 without HVA declaration, regardless of which valuation tier you bought. The HVA inventory is also a security record: it documents exactly which valuables were handed to the carrier, which matters for both claims and for the customer’s own records during a long-distance or stored move.

Muscleman Elite prepares a High-Value Articles inventory on any move that includes items above the $100-per-pound threshold. We review the home during the walk-through, identify candidate items together with the customer, and confirm declared values before move day. HVA items are flagged for crew leads, often crated, and tracked individually on load and delivery.

What counts as a high-value article?

Anything worth more than $100 per pound: fine art, jewelry, sterling silver, antiques, designer rugs, rare collectibles, premium watches, high-end electronics. The threshold comes from federal regulation 49 CFR 375.213.

What happens if I don’t declare an HVA item?

The carrier’s liability is capped at the default ($100 per pound or the released-value tier you accepted). A $20,000 painting that weighs 5 pounds would pay $500 without HVA declaration, regardless of your valuation choice.

Do I need an HVA inventory for a local move?

The federal HVA rule applies to interstate moves, but the principle holds for any move with high-value items. We recommend an HVA inventory for any move — local, intrastate, or interstate — that includes items above the $100-per-pound threshold.