What To Do If Your Mover Breaks or Damages An Item

1. What To Do If Your Mover Breaks Or Damages An Item
2. Inspect All The Items
3. Find Evidence
4. File A Claim
5. Do Not Throw Anything, Just Yet
6. Escalate The Dispute

What To Do If Your Mover Breaks or Damages An Item

If you are moving to a new home, chances are high that you may lose or break a few items before you get to your destination. Many people tend to run away from taking responsibility for damaged or lost items by hiring a moving company. A common perception is that moving companies have the expertise, experience, and the right tools and equipment to ensure that they pack and move your items safely to your destination without any issues of damaged or lost items. Nevertheless, there are times when the mover cannot prevent items from being damaged.

What then do you do if you find out that some items have been damaged during the move? Here is a comprehensive guide:

Inspect all the items

Inspect all the items once your mover arrives and before they start loading them. Are there dents or scrapes on any of your items, or has any of your soft items gotten a few rips in the fabric? If you have any fragile items, inspect them thoroughly since they are prone to breakage. This inspection process gives a clear picture of all the items that have been damaged so that you can have a comprehensive claim for your moving company.

Find evidence

Have an inventory list of all your items which you can crosscheck upon arrival to your new home. As you make the inventory, capturing all items in video clips, or pictures can save you a great deal especially, where evidence is needed. Check out all the broken items against the photos you took prior to the move to ascertain the extent of the damage. You will need such photo evidence when making a claim.

A-1 Auto Transport can help you move your household goods nationwide. Call 888-241-3110 to get a free, no obligation to buy price quote on interstate moving services.

File a claim

With the details that you have about the broken item, file a claim with your mover. In case of any insurance cover, ensure that you contact the policy provider with all the details about the broken item. Your mover should respond to the claim but, do not agree on spoken offers. Have all matter documented using the appropriate claim documents.

Do not throw anything, just yet

Before you have a clear communication and agreement regarding the broken or damaged item, do not dispose of anything –not just yet, as the moving company can turn the argument once it notices that you have thrown away the damaged property. Keep the item until the claim is reviewed, process and judgment given.

Escalate the dispute

If, after submitting all the details, you do not get a satisfying solution, escalating the dispute, by filing a formal complaint, is another option. However, in most of the times, this decision depends on the extent of the damage and the communication you receive from the moving company.

The reputation of the moving company that you hire is an important factor to consider when looking for a reliable mover. You do not wish to engage with a company that will not be willing to negotiate in case of any unforeseen events such as broken or damaged items.