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FINANCIAL SIDE OF MOVING
-> Other questionsAug 08, 16:48
Question by fadu2002-862 (Frank)
How can I get my mover to accept my damage claim?
My moving company delivered most of our stuff in good condition. There were parts of items missing and others broken and nonfunctional anymore. Also our $2000 bed, had a bent mattress on delivery. It's one of those orthopedic mattresses that conform to your sleeping position. So now it's messed up. I had bought full coverage insurance for our interstate move. Filled out the claim, took pictures of the damaged items but we had adjusted the bent mattress so we can sleep. Yet the driver signed the inventory upon delivery certifying that it was bent. My wife and I have been getting sore backs in the morning. Moving company sent me a letter denying all five of our claims, which included mediocre items such as a broken fan, missing base for a floor lamp, and the mattress. What can I do now to fight that? Any advice would help.
Aug 18, 12:37
Answer by ktooley (Karen Tooley)
Thankfully, it sounds like you did
all the right things – buying insurance, having the driver document the damage –
so hopefully you can get this resolved.
How you approach this will depend on the type of moving company you used – a van line agent, which is like a franchise of moving companies (North American, Mayflower, etc), or an independent moving company.
If you used a van line agent, go
directly to the van line's claims departments and they will take care of the
dispute.
If it was not a van line agent and you purchased full
replacement coverage, you should have received documents for that, so you can
go to the insurance carrier itself.
In either case, if you find you need
to appeal the denial, in the fine print on the bill of lading (usually on the
back), there should be the process spelled out to file an appeal.
If
you're getting nowhere on any of this, contact the Better Business Bureau in the
origin city where company located. When you file a complaint, they will handle
it.
Also contact the state agency that
regulates movers in the state that the company is located. Here’s a list of moving regulatory agencies for states.
Related Article: How to File a Damage Claim
Good luck with your move,
Karen Tooley @ MovingAnswers.org
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Dec 28, 07:41
Comment by wayne.c.jordan (Wayne Jordan)
A pivotal point here is the inventory exception sheet that you signed when your goods were picked up. If the exception sheet shows that your items were damaged when they were picked up, your claim has been denied for that reason. It makes no difference if you think that they were damaged; what matters is what it says on the form you signed. I've appraised moving damage claims for over 20 years, and most claims that are denied are denied because the shipper (you) didn't take the time to read and understand the codes on the inventory exception sheet.
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