How to Protect Yourself During a Move
Moving is stressful enough without having to worry about whether or not you can trust the people you’ve hired to help you–we’ve all heard horror stories about movers stealing valuables or showing up a week late. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to protect yourself during a move, along with lots of strategies for finding out if the moving company your considering is reputable and trustworthy.
1. Only hire movers that are licensed. First an foremost, any mover you hire should be able to readily and easily provide you with proof that they are licensed both nationally and by the state they operate in. For complete transparency, American Movers lists its U.S. Department of Transportation license number, Multiple carrier license number, and New Jersey license number at the bottom of our website, for example.
2. Get a written estimate. Protect yourself from unexpected expenses or fraudulent charges by asking your mover for a written estimate that details the services that will be provided and their cost. That way, there will be no surprised come payment time.
3. Make sure interstate movers are registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). If you’re planning to move across state lines, and moving service you hire should be registered with FMCSA, which provides national rules and regulations for the moving industry. To check if your moving company is registered, visit the FMCSA website, and enter the mover’s name or U.S. DOT number.
4. Get mover’s insurance. We’ve successfully moved everything from fine art, to high-tech medical equipment, to entire homes’ worth of contents, but accidents do happen, even if you hire the most careful moving service. If you’re at all worried about your things being damaged, especially if you are moving to a new state or internationally, we recommend purchasing movers insurance. For convenience, our customers can purchase moving insurance directly through American Movers.
