What is the BAR Advanced Payment Guarantee Scheme for and how does it benefit you?

The BAR Advanced Payment Guarantee Scheme is payment protection for your international removal or shipping offered by members of the British Association of Removers

When you start planning and getting quotes for your international removal and shipping, you’ll probably notice that many leading removal companies are members of something called the BAR Advance Payment Guarantee Scheme. When you book a holiday or even just a flight, most companies will require that you pay upfront. This is the same when you book a removal, particularly an international one. When you pay for a flight in advance you know that you will be covered by ABTA and ATOL so that should the worst happen you will be able to claim your money back. Many people may feel anxious about paying out in advance on their removal fees, especially in the current economic climate, but they shouldn’t, as the removals industry have their own equivalent of ABTA and ATOL so as long as you use a company (like us!) that is covered by the BAR Advanced Payment Guarantee Scheme you will be fine.

What is the BAR APG scheme?

It is standard practice when moving home for your removal company to request that you pay them in advance. The possibility that your removal company may suffer financial failure before your removal date may cause you some concerns that you will lose money; for this reason, it is a good idea to choose a company who is a member of the British Association of Removers (BAR). All BAR members are not only required to operate to high standards, but are also able to provide you with an Advanced Payment Guarantee. Companies who display the BAR logo have been financially vetted and can therefore offer you the safety net in respect of your payments of an APG scheme. The scheme is covered by its own set of terms and conditions which can be downloaded from the BAR website. You may have heard of the scheme previously referred to as the IMMI Payment guarantee scheme. This was the case until 2017 when it was replaced with the BAR Advanced Payment Guarantee Scheme.

Is PSS a BAR member company?

PSS are one of the leading specialist international removal companies in the UK and are in very good financial standing, so those customers who select us for their removals can be assured their belongings will be covered under the scheme, offering them peace of mind during what can already be a very stressful time for many individuals. All BAR member companies can give you details of the scheme that they belong to and also advise you what exactly is covered by the scheme i.e. whether the cover is only provided for moves within the UK or if you are covered for international removals as well. It is important to make sure that the right cover for your move is offered. The BAR APG scheme covers those private individuals who are moving within, or from the UK, and is in place to offer them full peace of mind.

How do I know if the company I am using is covered?

For your own peace of mind, it is a good idea to check if the company that you are thinking of using is covered by the BAR Advanced Payment Guarantee Scheme before you part with any money. One way in which you can do this is to check if the company display the APG (BAR Advanced Payment Guarantee) Logo on their website or literature. Only members of the scheme are allowed to display the logo, which shows they provide cover in respect of UK domestic moves. The BAR – British Association of Removers - is the quality standard of removal companies and has strict regulations governing who can, and cannot join, so you will find that only the best removal companies are members. You can see if a company is covered for international or only domestic moves by the wording under the logo. The Advanced Payment Guarantee logo for international moves has “Cover is provided for Worldwide Moves” underneath, whilst the domestic movers have “Cover is provided for Inland (UK) Domestic Moves Only.” Members of the BAR Overseas Group have their own special logo with “Overseas Remover” written on a ribbon under the main BAR logo. The different levels of cover (domestic or international are shown by the APG logo used – there are two logos, one with and one without the Worldwide Moves wording:  this is the one for overseas moves (including Europe), and the domestic one has no wording under the Guarantee banner.  The APG certificate doesn’t show the wording on the logo but does certify the level of cover you have. When you choose PSS for your international move, you will be reassured to see that we are members of the BAR Overseas Group. You will also be offered further reassurance because they are accredited to the FIDI FAIM Standard, which covers international moves, as well as members of the International Movers Association (IAM) and many other international groups.

What does the scheme not cover?

Under the BAR APG scheme, it is important to note that it is only the cost of your removal that is covered. This is not an insurance scheme, so the cost of your belongings will not be covered in the event of them being damaged in transit or lost. It is important therefore that, just as you would consider taking out travel insurance for your accompanied luggage, that you consider Maritime Insurance or Shipment Protection Cover for your personal belongings such as unaccompanied baggage or shipping. This is simpler than you might think. Here at PSS, we recommend and offer Shipment Protection Cover that is flexible and offers you lots of advantages.

PSS International Shipment Protection Cover

At PSS we offer a good range of flexible cover options for all your household removals, together with baggage and box shipping, car shipping and self-pack options. Unlike some insurance policies where you have to cover the whole shipment, with our shipment protection cover you have the option of selecting which items you wish to cover. The PSS International Shipment Protection Cover is provided through Basil Fry & Company - the UK’s leading insurance broker for international removals and shipping and is very quick and easy to set up. All you need to do to obtain cover is complete the Shipment Protection Valuation Form with the details of the items that you would like to cover and, of course, their value. The actual costs are then calculated as a percentage of those items that you feel you would like to cover. These costs will vary depending on whether you have packed the items yourself or whether they have been packed by a team of professional overseas movers.

Get a quote for international shipping and removals

If you would like any more information about shipping your belongings overseas with PSS then please do not hesitate to contact us, and one of our advisers will be happy to help you. You can also use our international removals cost calculator to get an initial estimate or if you are just shipping boxes or baggage you can get a quote here. Whoever you choose for your international shipping, as long as they are covered by the BAR APG scheme, you’ll know that your removal costs are covered. However, when you choose PSS, we will endeavour to ensure that your whole international move is undertaken seamlessly and professionally.

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