7 Pro tips to protect your move!

From buying moving insurance to screening moving companies, there are multiple ways to protect your relocation from fraud. Moreover, not everyone stays cautious when it comes to hiring a moving company. In fact, every year thousands of complaints are filed against moving companies. 

With this in mind and to help you out in making and appointing trusted Agarwal packers, here are some tips for your next move:

Here it goes:

1. Choose your movers wisely

Don’t hire anyone randomly as it a matter of handling your precious possessions. Finding a trustworthy and reputable moving company is the most essential step when it comes to securing your move. To avoid moving scams and spurious movers, first check to see if the moving company is appropriately licensed. All professional interstate moving companies should have a valid license to perform packing and moving tasks. Before hiring movers, make sure to also obtain quotations from at least three different companies. All estimates should be based upon either an in-home examination or a video survey of your house. Don’t accept an estimate from a moving firm over the phone or the internet.

 

2. Search what exactly the quotation covers (& doesn’t cover)

First and foremost step, you should know that valuation coverage is not the same thing to find out what it does and does not cover. While you may assume valuation covers all the belongings during a move, you could be wrong. For example, if you pack the boxes on your own, it may be difficult to raise a claim against a mover for any articles damaged inside the boxes. Also, your moving company may not be liable for the damage to goods caused by natural circumstances.

 

3. Ask for specific details about your current owner's policy

Before purchasing additional relocation insurance, check to see what is covered by the owners of the home policy. Often, homeowners insurances do not cover household goods while they are in transit, and cover only the items while they are inside your house.

 

4. Consider purchasing moving insurance

Regardless of your movers’ level of liability, you should consider opting for the insurance while moving your household goods. Since valuation coverage is limited and cannot provide you with complete compensation for any article that is damaged or lost, it may be a good idea to purchase moving insurance through a third party company. This is especially true if you are planning to move valuable belongings.

 

5. Take pictures of all your goods before moving 

Before packing your stuff, click pictures of your entire inventory. This way, if you have to file a claim you can show a before and after picture of the damaged item. Having photos as evidence will help you to make your case more strong and will also hold movers accountable for the actions that they take.

 

6. Watch out for the red flags to avoid scams

When hiring a mover, be alert for red flags. Some of the red flags to look for include:

• Moving estimates over the phone- A reputable moving company provides moving estimates on visiting the customer’s home after inspecting the goods to be moved in detail. However, a fraudster never provides an in-house estimate rather they call and give quotation without even looking at the belongings
• Low-ball moving rates- A fake mover provides extremely low ball estimates in the beginning just to induce the customers and once they get the deal, they double or almost triple the price in the end before delivering your items. They blackmail customers by keeping the goods in hostage until they agree to pay them more. 
• Demanding large deposits- Movers and packers have certain policies made for receiving payments. But a local vendor asks for the whole payment to be made in advance. If the customer fails to make a payment they never return their goods. 
• Blank contracts- The movers ask you to sign a blank document stating it as the moving contract. Do not get trapped in such scams. Avoid signing any document without reading it properly and if it’s about a moving contract then a moving contract has all the details related to your move. 
• No address and physical presence- They do not have any physical office or address, they just deal over the phones. They avoid in-person contact due to their false identity that they have created to lure the customers. 
• No written estimates- Every important discussion is done verbally. They avoid providing even estimates in the written estimates. Make sure to get everything in writing to avoid conflicts later.
• No transit insurance- These movers do not offer risk coverage facility and if by chance they agree to provide it, they never give the assurance in written format. And if something gets damaged they back off from taking the charge and the customer becomes helpless due to the absence of any written records.
• No intimation of roles and responsibility of movers- There are certain defined roles and responsibilities of a customer and they have the right to know them while on the move but these spurious movers never provide any information or written record regarding the same. 

7. Pack carefully

Finally, the simplest way to protect your move is to pack all of your items as carefully and securely as possible. This will prevent anything from damaging while your valuables are in transit. To pack successfully, use the correct boxes, packing supplies, and protective supplies. 

Ready to find a suitable moving company?

Home relocation is the most daunting task full of complexities and it requires expert assistance to handle all the affairs efficiently. Thus, hiring Agarwal packers and movers would definitely help you out with your upcoming move as they are appropriately licensed and insured, so you can rest assured that your move will be in good hands.

I hope you will find these 7 tips effective and surely apply while choosing a moving company for your next move.

Have a happy move!