Moving is something most families have to do at some point in their lives. Some people move for a job; others move for better opportunities or adventures. The reasons for a relocation may be great, but moving is still stressful, and things get worse if your movers end up breaking some of your belongings.
1. Start Inspecting
The first thing you want to do is inspect your belongings as they are coming into your home. Have your entire family help, and make note of the items that were damaged during the trip. The reason you are doing this is to inform the movers of the damage to your items while they are still there.
It is important to have your movers fill out a form explaining the nature of the damage before you pay for the service. Once you are done helping your movers fill out this form, go ahead and ask for a copy so that you can retain it for your own peace of mind. You want to move as quickly as possible because professional movers can finish unloading your belongings rather quickly. Do not let movers intimidate you and tell you things like the damage was there before the items were moved.
2. Try to Calculate the Damage
Ideally, you already have the cost of the items entrusted to your moving company. Of course, sometimes, this step is skipped, which means that you have to calculate how much each damaged item is worth and what it would take to have the items repaired or replaced. Do not talk to the movers themselves about the cost of your damage.
Talking about how much this will cost can lock you in and make it harder for you to receive the right compensation for your items. It might be a good idea to take pictures of every item that was damaged, paying extra attention to the damage. The next time you move make sure you take pictures of your items so that it is easier to prove damage was done during transportation.
3. Go Ahead and File
The likelihood that you will receive compensation for the damage your items sustained decreases the longer you take to file a complaint. This could be filed directly against the moving company or it could be filed against the third party insurance company you paid to protect your items during the trip. Make sure to be persistent because no company wants to give up their money, even though you paid for this kind of protection.
It is important that you retain copies of each claim that you make and the correspondence received. You also want to make sure you write down dates on your computer or wherever this information can be kept safe.
It may even be a good idea to record conversations, provided that you ask permission. All of these steps are vital if you are forced to take this moving company to court. Hopefully, the moving company helps you take care of this issue before lawyers have to get involved.
