By Jeff Walker
Inevitably, it happens. You get to your new home and your belongings finally get delivered, only to find out there’s been damage to one or more of your items. What to do now? More than likely, you’ll be advised by the foreman of the team that unloaded your items to contact your salesman and get a claim form for the damaged item or items. Filling out this paperwork can save you a world of frustration, and insures that your damaged items get repaired or replaced.
Full Valuation Protection
If you’ve been following the MovingScam.com articles over the years, you’ll notice a trend. We always recommend Full Valuation Protection. Full Valuation protects your items in the event of damage and will cover them for repair or replacement value. Statistically speaking, as many as one in four moves will incur some form of damage. Choosing to waive full valuation protection to save a few bucks on the move may cost you big in the end, as standard valuation only covers your items for .60 cents per pound. You can read more about Full Valuation protection and why you need it in our article “I’m covered for damage, right?”.
Not My Problem
It’s fairly common for people to get busy once they’ve moved to a new home. After all, you’ve got a new job, the kids need to get registered for a new school, and then you have to get your house put together after everything’s arrived. It’s easy to say “I just don’t have time” too fill out that paperwork that the moving company sent me for the damage for which they are responsible. The reality, however, is that you’ll never see the damages fixed unless you take the time to do the paperwork. This is an all too common mistake, that people feel that they somehow shouldn’t have to do the legwork in order to get their items repaired or replaced. The end result is an unsatisfactory move, where the shipper (that’s you!) and the mover end up going in circles. The shipper is angry that the mover won’t “just take care of the problem” and the mover is frustrated that they don’t have the required paperwork in order to handle the problem. Everyone is taking a hands-off approach and nothing is getting accomplished.
Putting it into perspective
While it’s easy to take the stance that the moving company is responsible for the damage, and as such, should take care of the problem without your lifting a finger, the reality is that the moving company needs that paperwork in order to process your claim. The crew that dropped off your items can’t do anything about it, they’re likely on to another move and unloading somebody else’s belongings. Your salesman can’t do anything, as he’s not there to see what type of damage your item has incurred. As the shipper, you are the only one who can see the damage, know what you paid for the item to begin with, what shape it was in when it left your old house, and what kind of shape it’s in now.
In addition, just like an insurance claim, your item can’t be processed until the proper paperwork has been completed. This requires a little footwork on your part. Taking the time to fill out the forms and possibly include a few pictures can help the moving company understand what type of damage has occurred and whether it can be repaired, or needs to be replaced.
Keep in mind that your mover wants you to have a good move. Often times their reputation depends on not only how well they performed the move, but how well they did when something goes wrong. Taking the time to fill out your claim paperwork will not only insure that your move goes well, but can also give your mover the opportunity to show you just how good they really are when given the chance.
