Dealing with the mover’s paperwork is one of the most daunting processes that people experience when they are moving. You might spend a lot of money, waste time and get stressed especially if you do not understand the terms and provisions clearly. If you understand all the details and aspects, the mover’s paperwork will be resourceful in helping you make your residential move an easy smooth process.

Quotes and Estimates
When you call most moving companies and ask for a quotation, what you will get is an estimation which will not be as accurate as you would want it to be. This is why it is important to get an on-site survey and assessment of your household goods for an accurate estimation. In general, the moving estimation is categorized into two:

Binding Estimate – This cost of the move is guaranteed in this kind of estimation. In this case, if the actual weight of the items exceeds the estimation or you are in need of additional services, you will need to negotiate the revision of the estimation and pay an extra amount on the day when you are moving. Devonmoving.com will provide an on-site survey of your items and provide all the information related to any extra charges and important tips on how you can prepare for the move.

Non-binding Estimate – The non-binding estimate may contain an amount that will greatly differ from the final cost of the move and the amount you will pay. This is because the amount charged to you is the cost of the actual shipment weight and the services provided by the mover. Under the non-binding estimate, there will be weight tickets to indicate the weight of the items that are included in the move.

Bill of Landing
Your chosen moving company should prepare an order of the services to be provided and give you a bill of lading which is the active contract between the company and you. Keep in mind that it is important and your responsibility to ensure that you have read and understood the bill of lading prior to acceptance. Keep your copy safe as it will be the most important document when you are moving.

Always pay attention to the smallest of details such as the mover’s liability prior to signing the document. The bill of landing should include the following:

– License and contact information of the Moving Company: this information should include the company’s name, phone number, address, operating authority number, Department of Transportation number and any other state licenses. There is a database belonging to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration where you can verify all these details. The same details and information should be available for any of the subcontractors that might be working with the moving company. The contact should also contain the identification number of the vehicle or vehicles that will be transporting your items.
– Your contact information and the shipment’s origin and destination: Ensure that the pickup and delivery addresses are accurate to avoid any confusion and wastage of time and money.
– Dates for the Pickup and delivery of the time frame involved: If you choose guaranteed services, these dates will be used in compensating you in case the mover does not deliver their services in the dates or time frame indicated in the contract.
– Service list and Cost: Any services provided should be clearly listed in the bill of landing. You should ensure that you notify your moving company of any present obstacles during the parking when loading and offloading your items.
– Method of Payment: A good moving company is one that accepts different methods of paying. If the movers insist on dealing with cash only, this is a red flag indicating that you might be dealing with a rogue company. Any minimum charge requirements should be clearly indicated and the amount of required deposit both refundable and non-refundable. The bill of landing should also contain a specification of the maximum amount charged by the moving company.
– Dispute settlement and Insurance coverage: The bill of landing should indicate any insurance that you have from a third party, its provisions and the amount of premium paid. You also need to understand any dispute settlement or resolution programs that are available and the conditions that might lead to damage claims. A trustworthy company will reimburse damaged items and if there is any dispute, claim or conflict, the settlement will be peaceful and not lengthy runarounds. You should have a look at the arbitration process and how it is handled by the mover.
– Valuation Addendum: You should get full value and released value protection options to choose from. The full value protection requires that the moving company repairs or replaces damaged items or covers the cost of lost items during the transportation or when the goods were under their custody. This protection will come at a certain fee and you have the option of setting the amount you want protected and the deductibles. You can insure your items according to what they are worth as opposed to what they weigh. If you choose this protection plan, this should be indicated in the bill of landing.

The released value protection will be offered by the moving company at no extra cost but the company will not be liable for more than 60 cents a pound for each item. Also, punitive claims will not be tolerated. Keep in mind that there are some circumstances that will allow your moving company to limit liability. The movers will not be liable for household items that you packed yourself or any high-value items that were not declared in the inventory.

Inventory List
All the household items that will be transported by the moving company should be included in the inventory list. Their current condition should also be accurately indicated in this list.

This inventory list is an important list and you should inspect it during the moving and during the delivery because if there is a lost or damaged item, the inventory list is all the evidence you will need. It is your responsibility to go through the inventory list and if you find that there is a damaged item or a missing one, you should notify the moving company immediately.

Even in cases where you are pressed and too busy with the moving process, you should never sign incomplete or blank documents. Ensure that you create time to go through the contract especially the fine print because this is where you might be disadvantaged without knowing. Always be in the know when it comes to moving rules and regulations and tariffs to avoid scams and ensure that your moving process is smooth and not overrated.