How to File a Moving Damage Claim, and What Happens Next
If your mover loses or damages something on an interstate move, you have nine months from delivery to file a written claim. The carrier must acknowledge it within 30 days and, within 120 days, pay it, deny it, make a settlement offer or explain where it stands. If you cannot agree, the carrier must offer arbitration, and for claims of $10,000 or less it has to accept the result.
Before you file: what to do at delivery
The strongest claims are built in the first hour after the truck arrives.
- Check items against the inventory as they come off the truck. Federal rules give you the right to observe and verify that the same items are being delivered and to note anything missing or damaged in writing.
- Write damage on the inventory and delivery receipt, however minor it looks. “Scratched dresser top, item 47” is better than nothing.
- Do not be rushed into signing a release. A delivery receipt may say goods were received in apparent good condition except as noted, but it cannot legally release the mover from liability. Damage you find after the crew leaves can still be claimed.
- Photograph everything damaged, with the box and its inventory sticker in the shot.
- Keep the damaged items and packaging. The carrier may want to inspect them, and throwing them away weakens your claim.
The deadlines
| Step | Deadline |
|---|---|
| File a written claim for loss or damage | Within 9 months of delivery |
| Carrier acknowledges the claim | Within 30 days of receiving it |
| Carrier pays, denies, offers a settlement or reports status | Within 120 days of receiving it |
| Dispute over charges billed after delivery | Commonly within 180 days of the invoice under industry arbitration programs |
| Request arbitration after a denial or final offer | Set by the carrier’s program, commonly 90 days |
How to write the claim
Send it in writing to the carrier, not only the salesperson or broker, by a method you can prove, such as certified mail or email with a reply. Include:
- Your name, the bill of lading or shipment number and the delivery date.
- A list of each lost or damaged item, with its inventory number.
- The amount you are claiming for each, and how you arrived at it: repair quotes, replacement prices or receipts.
- Photos, and copies of the inventory with your delivery notes.
What you can recover depends on the valuation level you chose. Under released value, the most the carrier owes is 60 cents per pound per item. Under full value protection, it must repair, replace or pay replacement value, subject to your deductible. If you are unsure which one you have, it is on your bill of lading. Our valuation guide explains both.
Arbitration
Every interstate household goods carrier must offer an arbitration program as a condition of its registration, and must tell you about it before your goods are loaded. If your claim is for $10,000 or less and you request arbitration, the result is binding on both sides. Above $10,000, arbitration is binding only if the carrier also agrees to it.
Programs are usually run through industry associations and administered by independent arbitrators. They charge a fee, often split between you and the carrier, and decide most cases on written evidence. It is generally faster and cheaper than going to court. You can also sue, and federal law gives you at least two years from the date the carrier denies your claim in writing to do so.
If the carrier does not respond
A carrier that ignores a claim is breaking federal rules. Keep copies of everything you sent, then file a complaint with FMCSA through its National Consumer Complaint Database or on 1-888-368-7238, and with your state attorney general. Those records matter if other customers report the same company.
Make the claim easier before you move
- Photograph valuable items and note existing damage at pickup.
- List anything worth more than $100 per pound in writing before loading.
- Choose your valuation level deliberately, not by default.
- Keep receipts for expensive electronics and furniture.
Sources: 49 CFR 375.503 and 375.701; 49 CFR Part 370 (claims); 49 U.S.C. 14708 (dispute settlement) and 14706 (carrier liability); published dispute settlement program terms from industry associations. This page is general information, not legal advice. Last reviewed October 2026.