Uh-oh! As you do a final walk through of your home, you realize that the movers damaged the home and now you have a broken door frame. Or, maybe you realized the movers damaged one of your personal items. What do you do?
Before you panic, as long as the moving company has an insurance policy, you will likely be covered. Now, what exactly do you need to do in the event of damage? Below, we will go over the steps you should take.
- Go Review Your Contract
The first thing you need to do is look over your contract and make sure that you are indeed covered. There may also be some additional steps in the contract that must be followed for your claim to be valid. You need to pay attention to this section and follow the steps carefully.
- Tell the Movers or the Moving Company
The moment you notice damage; you need to let the movers know. If the movers are still at your house, show them the spots of damage. If you do not find the damage until later, then you need to call the moving company and speak with a manage as soon as the damage is located.
- Take Pictures and Write Down Any Information
You should always take pictures of the damage and write down what happened if you were watching at the time. The pictures should be taken of the damaged area and the surrounding space.
One piece of advice that is helpful is to make sure that all of your photos are time and date stamped, as this will support your case even more.
- File a Formal Complaint
You will need to file a formal, written complaint with the moving company. If a formal complaint is not filed, it is unlikely that the company will take any action on the damage. This complaint should include as much information as possible and also a copy of the photos that were taken from the scene.
- Prepare for an Inspection
The moving company will likely want to come out to your home and inspect the belongings or home for the damage. The company does this as a formal step in the process and they will assess the amount of damage caused.
At this time, you may also be asked to get estimates to fix the property or the belongings. You should get a handful of estimates and present them to the company.
Damage caused from your movers is not the end of the world, but it is important that you document all of the damage and follow the proper steps and go through the proper channels to get the problem solved.
If you have a question or two about damage that has been done to your home or your personal belongings, contact the moving company you worked with and follow their procedures to have the situation handled.
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