North American vs Allied Van Lines (2026): SIRVA Family Tier Compared
North American Van Lines (NAVL) and Allied Van Lines are both owned by SIRVA, the same parent company, but they operate as separate brands with separately positioned pricing tiers. NAVL is the value brand; Allied is the premium brand. For the same 2-bedroom / 1,500-mile move, NAVL typically quotes 5 to 10 percent below Allied. Both share underlying SIRVA infrastructure (agent network, customer service, claim resolution). Below is what that means for the consumer and how to use both brands for competing quotes.
Side-by-Side Spec Comparison
| Spec | North American Van Lines | Allied Van Lines |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1933 | 1928 |
| Parent company | SIRVA | SIRVA |
| USDOT number | 070851 | 076235 |
| Brand positioning | Value tier (cost-competitive) | Premium tier (white-glove) |
| Service coverage | All 50 US + international | All 50 US + international |
| Agent network | Shared SIRVA network | Shared SIRVA network |
| Binding not-to-exceed | Yes, standard | Yes, standard |
| Storage in transit | Yes, 30-90 days | Yes, 30-90 days |
| Full Value Protection | 1-2 percent of declared value | 1-2 percent of declared value |
| Online tools | Comprehensive | Comprehensive |
| In-home survey | Standard 2BR+ | Standard 2BR+ |
| Specialty item handling | Standard tier | Premium tier (first-pick for high-value) |
| Claim resolution | Shared SIRVA process | Shared SIRVA process |
Verify USDOT numbers via the FMCSA SAFER lookup.
The SIRVA Two-Brand Pricing Strategy
SIRVA operates Allied and North American Van Lines as separate brands with deliberately distinct positioning, even though much of the underlying infrastructure is shared. This is a common pattern in industries with price-sensitive consumers (think Marriott vs Courtyard, Toyota vs Lexus) where the parent company maintains two brands to capture both price-sensitive and premium-seeking customers without commingling the brand perceptions.
For NAVL and Allied specifically, the practical differences come from how local SIRVA agents bid the jobs. When a SIRVA agent receives a quote request for an NAVL move, they bid at the NAVL value-tier rate sheet. When the same agent receives a request for Allied, they bid at the Allied premium-tier rate sheet. Many agents bid both brands; you can sometimes get bid from the same physical local crew through either brand interface, at different prices.
For a consumer, this has two implications. First, getting quotes from both brands surfaces the SIRVA-system price spread. NAVL bid at $4,800 vs Allied bid at $5,300 for the same 2BR job is a $500 saving for choosing the value brand. Second, if you have specialty items (piano, art) or a high-value shipment where premium handling matters, the $500 premium for Allied may be genuinely worth it (the bid goes through the premium-tier service pool which gets first-pick on specialty crews).
For most cross-country moves with standard household goods, NAVL is the better value. For high-value or specialty moves, Allied is the better fit despite the premium.
Who Should Pick Which
- Pick North American Van Lines if: You have a standard household-goods cross-country move with no specialty items. The 5-10 percent savings versus Allied for essentially the same SIRVA infrastructure is real.
- Pick North American Van Lines if: You are cost-sensitive and the cheapest licensed national van line is the goal. NAVL competes with budget-tier van lines on price while delivering full SIRVA-grade infrastructure.
- Pick Allied if: You have a piano, fine art, antiques, or high-value items. The premium-tier specialty crew assignment matters for white-glove handling.
- Pick Allied if: Your shipment is high-value enough ($75K+ declared) that premium-tier service pool prioritization for claim handling matters.
- Get both quotes anyway. The SIRVA two-brand pricing spread is real money. Whichever brand you pick, knowing the alternative helps negotiate.
FAQ
Is North American Van Lines cheaper than Allied?
Usually yes by 5 to 10 percent on the same job. NAVL is positioned as the value-tier brand within SIRVA, Allied as the premium-tier brand. Same parent company (SIRVA), similar agent network, but consistently different pricing. A 2BR / 1,500-mile job typically quotes $4,200-$7,000 with NAVL versus $4,500-$7,500 with Allied.
Are North American and Allied the same company?
Same parent (SIRVA), separate operating brands. They use overlapping agent networks but with different pricing tiers and brand positioning. From a consumer perspective they are independent brands you can quote separately, but underneath the operating infrastructure is shared.
Why does Allied cost more if they share infrastructure?
Allied is positioned as the premium brand with slightly more emphasis on white-glove specialty service, higher per-pound rates, and historically corporate-relocation primary placement. NAVL is positioned as the value-tier brand with competitive pricing for cost-conscious customers. The infrastructure savings flow to NAVL's lower rates; the premium positioning flows to Allied's higher rates.
Is service quality different between them?
Marginally. They share most infrastructure (agent network, customer-service center, claim resolution process). Allied tends to be the first-pick for specialty items (pianos, art, antiques) and high-value moves where the premium positioning matters. NAVL handles the same items competently but is positioned for standard household goods. For most cross-country moves, the actual handling quality is similar.
Should I get quotes from both?
Yes. Both feed quotes through the SIRVA system but produce different binding-not-to-exceed numbers. The spread of 5-10 percent on the same job is real and worth surfacing. Additionally get quotes from Mayflower and United (UniGroup family) for full carrier-market price discovery.
Does Allied have better claim handling than NAVL?
Both use SIRVA's central claim resolution process. Resolution times and approval rates are similar. Allied claims for premium-tier shipments may receive slightly more individual attention from senior claim handlers, but the structural difference is small. For typical household-goods claims, both are equivalent.