1. Your Moving Rights
For every good move that someone experiences in dealing with the moving industry, there is
at least one bad move someone is going to experience. Most, if not all of the bad moves are
due to the lack of knowledge of the rights that you’re given during your move.
All moving companies that you consider to assist you with your move must provide you with
a booklet about ‘Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move,’ which is created by the
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
Once you receive the booklet from your mover, read as much as of as you can. You’ll learn
what types of insurance a mover can cover, what you can do to limit a mover’s liability of
your belongings, the difference between a binding estimate and a non-binding estimate and
much more.
What You Must Know
Under federal law, any mover you decide to select for the transport of your belongings to
your new home must give you the ‘Rights and Responsibilities’ booklet.
Moving Companies
Movers can provide you with two types of moving insurance, such as Full Value Protection
or Release Value of 60 Cents per Pound for Article. These insurances are very different and
can lead to dispute once the move is over if you confuse the two.
There are notorious reports of moving companies overcharging people once the movers
arrive, there are reasons for that, some good, some bad. The moving company that’s selected
must inform you of adequate forms of payment at the drop-off point, when the mover
prepares an estimate for you. If you and your mover are operating under a non-binding
contract, you could pay up to 10% more than your original estimate that was provided to.
Before anything is done between you and your mover, make sure the contract and terms that
were reached is a binding estimate. The binding estimate will limit any illegal activity that the
mover might perpetuate.

2. When people are overcharged by a mover when its time to unload a person’s belongings will
cause the person to be angry and seek legal action. However, they may think the Federal
Motor Carrier Safety Administration can assist them in this venture, the sad news that’s
incorrect.
FMCSA & FILING CLAIMS
The FMCSA does not have the capabilities to assist you and file a court injunction against the
moving company you chose. However, if you read the booklet, you’d know that you have
nine months to file a claim against the moving company you used for any damages or losses
you experienced throughout the move. Once nine months has passed that means that the
moving company is no longer required to acknowledge your claim.
Before you Move
Make sure you read the booklet created by the FMCSA, front to back. There are more items
in the book that aren’t mentioned here such as requirements that the order of service must
contain as well as the requirements for the Bill of Lading. There is also important information
about the delivery receipt. Make sure the moving company you select gives you your ‘Rights
and Responsibilities.’ Below is a link to your right and Responsibilities
Rights-and-Responsibilities