If a mover damaged or lost your belongings, delivered late, or charged more than quoted, start with a dated written claim to the carrier. A phone call, online review, or government complaint may help, but none replaces the claim.

For a U.S. move that crosses state lines, federal rules generally require the carrier to receive a written claim within nine months after delivery. If the shipment was never delivered, the deadline may run from the end of a reasonable delivery period. A move that begins and ends in one state is usually controlled by state law instead. This is general consumer information, not legal advice.

What to do after a moving problem

Take these steps as soon as you can:

1. Make the area safe. Don't use a damaged appliance or move a heavy item if it could cause an injury. Take reasonable steps to prevent further damage.
2. Take photographs. Photograph the item, packaging, labels, surrounding damage, and the room or truck when those details help show what happened.
3. Note problems at delivery. List missing or damaged items on the inventory or delivery receipt before signing. If a document says everything arrived in good condition, don't sign it without correcting the statement.
4. Save the file. Keep the estimate, bill of lading, inventory, valuation documents, receipts, emails, text messages, payment records, and repair estimates.
5. Notify the carrier in writing. Send a brief notice right away, then use the claims address, portal, or other submission method in the carrier's documents. If the deadline is close, don't wait for a special form.

Accepting delivery doesn't automatically settle a damage claim. It can be harder to prove the condition of an item when the delivery record contains no exception, however, so keep dated photographs and make accurate notes.

Identify the companies and the rules that apply

Find out whether the move was interstate or intrastate, then identify each business involved.

• Carrier: The carrier transports the goods and is usually the first company to contact about loss or damage. Its legal name should appear on the bill of lading.
• Broker: A broker arranges transportation but may not handle the goods. Keep the broker's advertisement, quote, emails, and promises. They may show what you were told or what services were represented.
• Storage company: A warehouse or storage provider may have separate responsibility for damage that occurred while the shipment was stored.

A broker isn't automatically responsible for every problem, but it isn't automatically outside the dispute either. Responsibility may depend on the contracts, the carrier's conduct, and state or federal law. Send the claim to the carrier and copy the broker when the broker made the disputed promise or handled the transaction. If the damage occurred in storage, notify the storage company too.

For an interstate move, check the carrier and broker through FMCSA's Protect Your Move resources. Confirm the legal business name, USDOT number, registration, and available insurance or process-agent information. A USDOT number identifies registration information; it isn't a government endorsement or a promise that a claim will be paid.

State rules cover many moves that start and finish within the same state. The responsible agency may be a transportation or public utilities commission, licensing department, or consumer protection office. Palm Beach County Consumer Affairs' interstate moving guidance provides a government checklist of registration, documents, and inventory practices. Local rules outside Florida may be different.

Read the moving documents

The paperwork controls more than a sales call does. Check the entire packet, including later revisions.

For an interstate move, the mover should provide the booklet Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move and other required information. Ask for a copy if you didn't receive it.

Don't sign a blank inventory or accept an inaccurate condition description. If a crew member marks furniture as damaged before pickup when it wasn't, write a correction before signing and photograph the item.

Check your valuation protection

Consumers often call these options "moving insurance," but the two standard federal choices are valuation protections offered by the mover. They aren't necessarily separate insurance policies.

The $0.60 figure applies per pound per article, not to the total shipment. A 50-pound sofa, for example, could have a weight-based limit of about $30 under Released Value Protection, subject to the applicable terms. That can be especially inadequate for electronics, artwork, antiques, and heirlooms.

Full Value Protection doesn't guarantee payment of sentimental value or an automatic cash settlement. Under the written plan, the mover may have the right to repair the item, replace it, or pay a settlement. Review the deductible and exclusions. A plan may also use a minimum declared value based on the shipment's weight; that figure isn't a guaranteed payment for each damaged item.

For interstate valuation rules, an item worth more than $100 per pound is generally treated as an article of extraordinary value. List such belongings on the mover's high-value inventory when the plan requires it. Keep cash, medication, passports, irreplaceable documents, and similarly personal items with you whenever possible.

File a written claim

Gather the evidence

Include copies of:

• The bill of lading and estimate
• The inventory and delivery receipt
• Clear photographs of the item, damage, and packaging
• Receipts, appraisals, or reasonable replacement-price evidence
• Repair estimates
• A list of missing or damaged items
• Pickup, delivery, and delay records
• Emails, text messages, and call notes
• The amount paid and the amount or remedy you're requesting

Don't send your only copies. Keep the original files, full-resolution photographs, and proof that the carrier received the claim.

Send it to the carrier

Use the claims address or online process identified in the moving documents. If the deadline is approaching, submit a written claim without waiting for a company-specific form.

The claim should identify the shipment, describe each loss or item of damage, state that you're seeking compensation, and give a dollar amount or another specific resolution. For an interstate shipment, contact the carrier promptly even if you're unsure how the nine-month deadline applies to your circumstances.

A short claim can be supplemented later. It can say:

Subject: Written claim for shipment [number]

I am submitting a written claim for my move from [origin] to [destination] on [date]. The bill of lading number is [number].

The following item was damaged or lost: [description]. Its condition at pickup was [condition], and its condition at delivery was [condition]. I am requesting [repair, replacement, or dollar amount] under the valuation protection selected for this shipment.

Attached are photographs, the inventory, receipts or valuation evidence, and the delivery record. Please confirm receipt of this claim and provide your written response.

Sincerely,
[Name and contact information]

Track the response

For a properly filed interstate claim, the carrier generally must acknowledge receipt within 30 days. It must pay, deny, or make a settlement offer within 120 days. If it needs more time, it generally must provide status updates at 60-day intervals.

Those deadlines don't guarantee approval or a particular payment. If the carrier misses a response deadline, save the delivery proof and correspondence. You can mention the problem in an FMCSA complaint or a later escalation.

Common moving disputes

Late delivery

There isn't one federal five-to-14-business-day delivery window for every move. Check the delivery range or dates in the estimate, bill of lading, and written messages.

Record:

• The promised pickup and delivery dates
• The actual dates and times
• Notices explaining a delay
• Storage, hotel, rental, replacement, or other documented expenses
• Any missed lease, work obligation, or other loss

Valuation protection mainly addresses lost or damaged goods. It doesn't automatically pay for a hotel, missed work, inconvenience, or every expense caused by a delay. Ask for any refund or reimbursement allowed by the contract, and keep receipts if you later pursue the issue under applicable law.

Damaged or missing items

Don't discard packaging or repair an item before the mover has a reasonable chance to inspect it, unless leaving it in place is unsafe. Photograph concealed damage as soon as you find it.

Explain whether the mover packed the item or you packed it yourself. The moving documents and valuation terms may treat those situations differently. Make the claim under the protection selected before pickup; a court or arbitrator normally isn't a way to upgrade Released Value Protection to Full Value Protection after a loss.

Unexpected charges

Compare the final bill with the estimate line by line. Look for added stairs, long carries, packing, storage, shuttle service, reweighing, fuel, and other accessorial charges. Ask the mover to identify the contractual or written basis for each disputed amount.

For an interstate move with a non-binding estimate, federal rules generally limit what the mover may demand at delivery to 110% of the estimate. Valid charges above that amount may be collected later under the required payment arrangement. The rule doesn't erase a legitimate balance and doesn't necessarily apply to a binding estimate.

Don't withhold every payment without checking the delivery and dispute terms. Identify the undisputed amount, explain the disputed portion, and keep proof of what you paid.

If you paid by credit card, contact the card issuer promptly and ask whether its billing-dispute process applies. Card-network and issuer deadlines may be shorter than the moving-claim deadline. A credit-card dispute doesn't replace a written claim to the carrier, and debit-card protections work differently.

When an FMCSA complaint is useful

An FMCSA complaint may be appropriate when an interstate mover or broker appears to have violated consumer or registration rules. Include:

• The USDOT number and legal business names
• The estimate and bill of lading
• Pickup and delivery dates
• A clear description of the problem
• Photos, payment records, and written communications
• The claim number and the carrier's response

Use FMCSA's Protect Your Move complaint resources rather than an advertisement or unofficial complaint site.

An FMCSA complaint is an enforcement and consumer-information route, not a private lawsuit. FMCSA generally doesn't act as your claims adjuster, award damages, or order a carrier to reimburse you. File the written claim separately, and keep tracking any court, contract, or state-law deadline.

For an intrastate move, contact the state agency that regulates movers and the state attorney general's consumer protection office. The Better Business Bureau can forward a complaint to a participating business, but participation is voluntary and a BBB file doesn't create a legal order. If you post a review, keep it factual and leave out addresses, claim numbers, and other personal information.

Arbitration or court?

Check the bill of lading and arbitration disclosure before choosing a forum.

Federal rules require interstate movers to provide information about an arbitration program for certain household-goods disputes. Read the program terms before agreeing. The program may use different procedures for smaller and larger claims, and it can affect the available forum and review process.

Small-claims limits and filing rules vary by state. Name the correct legal defendant, which may not be the brand name on the website. Bring the estimate, bill of lading, inventory, photographs, claim correspondence, payment records, and a straightforward calculation of what you're seeking. An FMCSA complaint doesn't extend a court filing deadline.

Reduce the risk before pickup

Before the crew arrives:

• Verify the actual carrier and broker, registration, and available insurance information.
• Get a written estimate and ask whether it's binding or non-binding.
• Ask whether the estimate is based on a physical survey, and understand any waiver.
• Obtain the required consumer booklet and keep it with the moving file.
• Compare the mover's inventory with your own photographs and correct condition notes.
• Choose valuation protection deliberately and complete the high-value inventory.
• Put changes, extra services, and promised delivery dates in writing.
• Keep jewelry, cash, medication, documents, and irreplaceable items with you.
• Record payments and don't sign blank forms or unexplained revisions.
• Photograph furniture, electronics, boxes, serial numbers, and fragile items before loading.

If the move has already gone wrong and the deadline is near, send the carrier a dated written claim now. Identify the shipment, describe what was lost or damaged, state the amount or remedy you want, and preserve proof of delivery. You can add supporting documents and repair estimates afterward.