4 Important Factors to Consider When Choosing the Right Mover

It is estimated that approximately 43 million Americans relocate every year. Of all these moves, 40% are work-related, 42% are for personal reasons while 18% are due to military or government relocations. Moving to a new home can bring with it many advantages. You get to experience a whole new world, mingle with new people and perhaps assume a new life. However, the experience is not that cheerful, particularly if you are sentimentally attached to your old house. Relocating is also stressful adventure as it involves a lot of considerations.

That\’s why many people and even corporates are turning to professional movers for their relocating needs. Finding the right moving company is an essential step in ensuring the safety and security of your items. Here are few factors you need to keep in mind when looking for a moving service.

License
Licensing is a crucial factor when you are sourcing for a mover. A moving company\’s permission and other requirements will vary based on whether you are locally relocating or moving to a different state. Movers who offer interstate relocation must have interstate authority number in addition to a U.S Department of Transportation number.

To ensure that the mover meets the requirements set by the federal government, visit or call the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This is an agency tasked with ensuring safety on the roads by preventing injuries and fatalities caused by commercial motor vehicles. If you are going to use a local mover, be sure to consult with your state moving and storage association for more details on your preferred mover.

Local or National Moving Service?
Most of the time the decision to use local or national movers will depend on where you are relocating to. Although a national mover is ideal for an interstate move, experts recommend the use of a local moving company for a move outside your town but within your state. This is because a local business understands your area much better and often handle disputes more efficiently than a large corporation. But you need to make sure they have the experience in interstate relocations and licensed to cross state lines.

The reason you may want to avoid small companies, however, is because of their mode of operation. Some small moving companies hire temporary workers who may not be qualified. This can cause issues should any of your items get loss or damage in the process of moving. Ask for a recommendation from friends, family or co-workers or visit mover\’s company website for customers reviews.

Request for an estimate
Moving companies have different estimates. To ensure you are getting the best moving deal out there, ask and compare different estimates from several companies. And don\’t forget to include every item you want to be moved. When estimating moving costs, you may want to consider a few things. This includes the amount to be moved, amount to be packed, difficult in packing and hidden costs.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, estimates must be in written form and should define every single charge. Other essential documents that you must also receive include bill of lading, order for service and inventory list.

Insurance
When it comes to moving business, movers are solely liable for the safety and security of your belongings. This means that in case the items being moved get lost or damaged, the moving company is expected to compensate you. There are different levels of liability, however, and liability is valued differently so you need to know the level that\’s appropriate for your move.

According to federal laws, national and global movers must provide their clients with these two distinct insurance plans. Full value protection automatically takes effect if the customer doesn\’t select released value. Under this insurance option, the mover is liable for your entire shipment. The released value protection, on the other hand, offers no actual protection to your shipment. This means the carrier only covers a fraction of your shipment, which is usually 60 cents per pound per item.

You are also free to insure your move with a separate cover. These are some of the factors to consider when looking for an ideal mover.