How to File a Moving Insurance Claim

No one likes to begin a move thinking about it, but you may have to file a moving insurance claim. The top reasons being, loss, damaged or stolen items. That’s why it’s so important to buy adequate insurance for the move, which means paying more than the amount the movers are required to offer according to federal laws. Whether you need to file a claim now, or you’re preparing for the worst case scenario, this is what you need to know about the process:

File on Time

Moving can take a lot energy, and it takes time to settle into your new place. However, you should file a moving insurance claim sooner rather than later to make sure you don’t lose your claim because you didn’t file on time. How long you have to file a claim depends on your particular insurance policy. The first thing you want to do when you discover that something is wrong concerning your items is pull out your policy and read the deadline for filing a claim clause. Call your insurance agent if you don’t understand it or can’t locate it. You don’t want to pay for insurance, only to lose the benefit on a technicality like this.

File According to Company Procedures

Every insurance company handles this a little bit different, so check your policy to see how to file a claim. Some companies allow you to file a moving insurance claim online. You log into your customer account, create a claim and it gets forwarded to a department that handles claims. Others may send you forms to fill out via mail, and you may need to send them back notarized. Don’t get creative and do it your own way. Follow the process as spelled out in your policy to avoid delays in processing your claim, which can lead to more hassles for you.

Gather Proof of Ownership

Be prepared to prove that you own some of the items that you list as part of your moving insurance claim, especially your more costly items. This can be tricky if you purchased items years prior and didn’t anticipate that they would get damaged in a move. You can prove ownership with receipts, with pictures (preferably with dates on them) of items while you owned them and with estimates from retailers or suppliers. Taking pictures of your items, and video footage if you can, before they get loaded on the moving truck is a wise thing to do to help you prove ownership later.

Ask for Your Coverage Amount

Find your original insurance paperwork so that you know exactly how much the service provider is liable for. You can’t get more insurance money than what the liability coverage amount is. For example, if you bought coverage for $2,500, but the total damage is more like $5,000, you can only get $2,500 if your claim is awarded.

Filing a moving insurance claim is not a fun process, but it’s necessary to recover some money you might lose during the moving process. Get all your ducks in a row ahead of time by making sure all your paperwork is in order and in a safe place, and by purchasing enough insurance.