Three Steps for Dealing with Damages During Your Move

When the residential move is almost over, dealing with damages is the last thing on your mind. Even the most careful residential move might result in some damage to the occasional item. Depending on the price of the damaged items, you may want to seek reimbursement from your moving or insurance company. The following is a brief overview of what you should do when it comes to damaged belongings during a move:

Step 1: Review the Moving Contract

Unless you have extra moving insurance or file a claim under your homeowner’s or renter’s policy, you will only get about 60 cents per pound for your damaged items. You’ll want to confirm if this is the case with your moving company by examining your moving contract. This contract will also outline what you should do if you suffer damage and if there are exceptions from coverage.

Step 2: Do Not Sign Anything Until You Find All Damage

Before signing anything that confirms all items are at their new destination as well as the condition of the items, be sure you have identified any and all damages for which you intend to seek reimbursement. If you identify damages later, it will be harder to claim those damages took place during the move or are otherwise the responsibility of the moving company.

Step 3: File the Claim

After you find all the damage, go ahead and file a claim, whether it's with your moving company or insurance company. The sooner you file the claim, the better. If filing a claim under your home or renter's insurance, keep in mind that a deductible may apply and drastically lower whatever recovery you can obtain from your insurance company. In some cases, you might be better off only getting 60 cents per pound from the moving company. If your most recent move didn’t go well and resulted in a lot of damage, think about using a different moving company next time. If your residential move is about to begin, contact our expert team at Nilson Van and Storage to handle your moving needs.