If your movers damaged or lost your belongings on an interstate move, you must file a written claim with the mover within 9 months of delivery. The mover must acknowledge your claim within 30 days and either pay or deny it within 120 days. Missing the 9-month deadline ends your claim regardless of how strong it was.
That deadline is the single most expensive thing consumers do not know about moving. People spend months arguing on the phone, then discover the window closed while they were negotiating. Here is how to do it properly.
The three deadlines that control everything
| Deadline | Who it applies to | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 9 months from delivery | You | Your written claim must reach the mover. Miss it and the claim is over |
| 30 days from receipt | The mover | Must acknowledge your claim in writing |
| 120 days from receipt | The mover | Must pay, deny, or explain the delay |
Note who each clock belongs to. Phone calls, emails to your move coordinator, and arguments with dispatch do not stop your nine-month clock. Only a written claim delivered to the mover does.
Step 1: Note damage before the truck leaves
Your strongest evidence is created in the first hour, not the first month.
As items come off the truck, inspect them and note any damage on the delivery paperwork before you sign. Write it specifically: which item, what damage, which inventory number.
FMCSA warns specifically about this: do not sign a delivery receipt containing language that releases the mover from liability. Read what you are signing. If the document says the shipment was received in good condition and it was not, do not sign it as written.
Photograph everything before it is moved into the house. Damaged items, the packing, the box, and the truck.
If you discover damage later, inside a sealed box for instance, you can still claim. Documentation at delivery makes it easier, not possible versus impossible.
Step 2: Work out what your claim is actually worth
This is where most people get an unpleasant surprise, and it depends entirely on a box you ticked before the move.
Released Value Protection is the free default that applies automatically unless you selected otherwise in writing. It caps the mover’s liability at 60 cents per pound per article. FMCSA’s own example: a 25-pound television, destroyed, pays $15. Not the replacement cost. Fifteen dollars.
Full Value Protection costs money and covers repair, replacement, or cash settlement at current value, often with a deductible.
Check your bill of lading and find which one applies to you. Every argument you have about the claim will run through that figure.
One more thing worth knowing: movers may limit liability on items of extraordinary value, meaning items worth more than $100 per pound such as jewelry, art, or collectibles, unless you specifically listed them on the shipping documents.
Step 3: Write and send the claim
Ask the mover for a claim form. But note this: the claim must be in writing, and it does not have to be on the mover’s form. A company that stalls on sending you a form is not extending your deadline, and you do not have to wait for them.
Your claim should contain:
- Your name, the mover’s name and USDOT number, and your bill of lading number
- Pickup and delivery dates
- Each damaged or missing item, identified by inventory number where possible
- A description of the damage
- The amount claimed for each item, and how you arrived at it
- Photographs
- Repair estimates or replacement costs where you have them
Send it in a way that tracks receipt. FMCSA suggests certified mail. If you email, request a read receipt and keep the sent copy. You want to be able to prove the date it arrived, because that date is what the nine-month rule turns on.
Step 4: What happens next
Within 30 days the mover must acknowledge in writing. Within 120 days they must pay, deny, or give you a written explanation of the delay and continue updating you.
If the settlement offer is unreasonable, you have two routes:
Arbitration. Interstate movers must offer a dispute settlement program, and shipments moved under a mover’s bill of lading may be subject to arbitration for loss and damage disputes. Your paperwork will name the program.
Court. You can sue under 49 U.S.C. 14706. Small claims is often the practical route for smaller amounts.
Be realistic about FMCSA’s role. The agency cannot settle your dispute or order the mover to pay. Filing at nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov still matters, because it creates a federal record and feeds enforcement targeting, but it is not how you get paid.
What if I bought third-party insurance?
Different process entirely. Disputes with third-party insurance companies fall outside FMCSA’s jurisdiction, so the regulations in this article do not govern them. Follow the insurer’s own claims process and deadlines, which may be shorter than nine months.
What weakens a claim
Some things genuinely reduce what a mover owes, and knowing them helps you avoid arguing a position you cannot win:
- Boxes you packed yourself. Damage inside cartons you packed is harder to establish against the mover
- Choosing Released Value while shipping goods worth more than 60 cents per pound, which is nearly everything
- Failing to declare items of extraordinary value in writing
- Signing a clean delivery receipt when damage was visible
- Missing the nine-month deadline
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to file a damage claim against a moving company?
Nine months from the delivery date. The claim must be in writing and filed with the mover. Missing this deadline ends the claim.
Do I have to use the mover’s claim form?
No. The claim must be in writing but does not have to be on the mover’s form. A company delaying in sending you a form does not extend your nine-month deadline.
How much will the mover pay for damaged furniture?
It depends on your valuation level. Released Value Protection, the free default, caps liability at 60 cents per pound per article. Full Value Protection covers repair, replacement, or cash settlement at current value.
How long does the mover have to respond to my claim?
They must acknowledge in writing within 30 days of receiving it, and pay, deny, or explain a delay within 120 days.
Can FMCSA make my mover pay my claim?
No. FMCSA cannot settle your dispute or order payment. Filing a complaint creates a federal record and feeds enforcement targeting, but recovery comes through the mover’s claims process, arbitration, or court.
What if I find damage after unpacking?
You can still file, as long as you are within nine months of delivery. Damage noted on the delivery paperwork is easier to prove, but later discovery does not bar a claim.
Related reading
- Why valuation is not insurance
- Can you sue a moving company?
- How to write a demand letter to a moving company
- How to file a complaint with the FMCSA
- Who regulates local movers inside one state?
Related
How to check if a moving company is licensed and insured
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Moving Scam Secrets is the complete field guide, written from twenty years inside the industry. It covers the documentation that wins claims, the deadlines that kill them, and the pressure points that get moving companies to settle.