What You Need to Know About: 5 Crucial Things
Yellow Pages Ads – Anyone can advertise in the Yellow Pages, it doesn’t mean that they are licensed or insured – so, don’t believe everything that you read. If a mover includes his license (DOT or ICC) number in his ad, check it out first. (For interstate movers, you can find out this information from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration at their www.protectyourmove.gov website).
The Internet – Just like yellow pages advertising, when a mover has a web site, it doesn’t mean that the mover is licensed or insured; it only means that he had enough money to pay for the site – so, don’t believe everything that you read. If a mover includes his license (DOT or ICC) number in his ad, check it out first. (For interstate movers, you can find out this information from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration at their www.protectyourmove.gov website.) Some movers even display the logo of the BBB or AMSA without authorization – so check first.
Moving Brokers – Most brokers (especially those that operate on the Internet) do not own trucks or warehouses like traditional movers. Instead, they operate by collecting a deposit from you and then arranging for your move to be handled by one of their affiliated (often unlicensed) movers. The deposit they collect will be based on their guess of how much you are going to move based on a survey that you provide. (If the mover won’t come to your home to survey your furnishings before preparing your estimate, be prepared for an unpleasant surprise when the estimate turns out to be much lower than the actual charges.) Usually you will not have the same consumer protection when you use a broker as with a traditional moving company. And, after the broker collects your deposit, you may find it difficult to get him interested in helping you in the event of a claim or dispute with the mover that he has arranged for you.
Deposits & Cubic Foot Rates – AMSA professional movers generally don’t require a deposit before moving you, and if they do it is generally just a small ‘good faith’
