You filed a written claim for a damaged dining table, received a claim number, and then heard nothing for several weeks. The useful next question is not simply “Why is this taking so long?” It is: when did the carrier receive a proper claim, what step is due next, and what evidence has it actually requested? Those facts let you follow an interstate mover's claim without missing a deadline or sending the same photographs over and over.
The federal claims rules give the process a structure. Under 49 CFR § 370.5, a carrier generally must acknowledge a proper written claim within 30 days after receipt unless it pays or declines in writing during that period. Under 49 CFR § 370.9, it must pay, decline, or make a firm written compromise offer within 120 days, or send a written status notice at that point and every succeeding 60 days while the claim remains pending, explaining the delay. These are processing duties, not a promise that every claim will be accepted.
Establish the start date before building a calendar
Find the exact packet you sent and the proof of receipt. A sent email timestamp is useful, but a carrier's recorded receipt date is more directly connected to its acknowledgment and disposition clock. A portal confirmation, email reply, delivery record, or written acknowledgment may establish it. If the carrier later says the claim was not proper, ask what required element was missing and when that concern was first communicated. Preserve the original submission and its attachments; do not replace them with a newly edited file that makes the history harder to prove.
The federal minimum in 49 CFR § 370.3 calls for a written communication to a proper carrier that identifies the shipment, asserts liability for the loss or damage, and requests a specified or determinable amount. A damage note on the delivery receipt is not enough by itself. If you submitted only a photograph with “please call,” the carrier may not regard that as a properly filed claim. Complete the written claim first if the core filing still needs to be made. This timeline guide begins once you can identify what was filed and when the carrier received it.
The acknowledgment should carry a claim file number and the date of receipt. Section 370.5 also says the carrier should identify any additional documentary evidence or pertinent information revealed by its preliminary review. Save the acknowledgment intact. If the date or shipment number is wrong, correct it promptly in writing and ask for the corrected record. If no acknowledgment arrives by the 30-day point, send a short follow-up attaching your proof of receipt and asking the carrier to confirm the claim number, receipt date, and current evidence request. A polite factual follow-up is more useful than an unsupported accusation that the claim was denied.
Make one calendar entry for 30 days after receipt and another for 120 days after receipt. Add 60-day reminders beyond the 120-day point if the claim remains open. Use the dates as prompts to check for the required written record, not as automatic payment dates. The carrier can make a firm compromise offer instead of paying the full amount, and it can decline a claim. If it cannot dispose of the claim in 120 days, the regulation requires a status notice with the reason for delay, then notices every 60 days while it remains pending. Keep each notice so you can see whether the reason changes.
Track an evidence request as a separate task
Claims handlers often ask for more material after an acknowledgment. Their request may be routine: a bill of lading, inventory page, purchase record, repair estimate, photographs, or an opportunity to inspect the item. 49 CFR § 370.7 requires prompt investigation and describes supporting documents when necessary. A request can help identify exactly what the carrier cannot yet verify. It should not disappear into a general inbox with no response deadline or owner.
For every request, note the date received, the exact wording, the person or department that asked, the item concerned, your response date, and how you sent the response. Keep the response and its attachments together. If the request is broad, ask for the specific missing fact. “Provide proof of value for item 14” is actionable. “Send all documents again” may mean the packet was misplaced; ask the handler to confirm which files it has and which it still needs. A claim record can show that you responded even if a new adjuster later takes over.
Do not assume a request for more evidence restarts the original acknowledgment or disposition clock. The regulations describe duties based on the carrier's receipt of the claim. At the same time, an incomplete factual record can slow an investigation. Address a reasonable request promptly and keep written proof. If the carrier says your filing was never a proper claim, ask it to identify the missing requirement under the contract or federal rule, then consider submitting the missing information immediately. Timing questions with material consequences may warrant advice from an attorney familiar with transportation claims.
Sometimes the requested document does not exist. A secondhand chair may have no purchase receipt. State that plainly, then offer a dated photograph showing the chair before the move, a description in the inventory, a comparable current price, or a repairer's assessment if those records genuinely support ownership, condition, or value. Do not create a receipt or treat a generic online price as proof of what you originally paid. The carrier may still dispute the amount, but an honest alternative evidence trail gives it something to evaluate.
Keep the property available for inspection when possible
If a mover asks to inspect a damaged item, agree on a date, location, and scope in writing. Ask whether the inspector represents the carrier, its insurer, or a contractor and how you will obtain a copy of the findings. Photograph the item before the inspection, including the full item and the claimed damage. Afterward, record who attended, whether anything was disassembled, and what was said. An inspection appointment is not a final settlement decision; it is evidence gathering.
The damaged property may be in the way or unsafe. If it must be moved or repaired before an inspection, tell the claim handler why and ask what documentation it needs first. Save photographs, the broken part if safe, a repairer's written observations, and invoices. A claimant does not need to keep hazardous debris indefinitely, but disposing of the only physical evidence before the carrier can inspect it may make the loss harder to establish. A practical plan depends on the item, the hazard, and the carrier's response.
When a repair shop gives a quote, ask it to identify the item, the observable damage, proposed work, and price. Avoid asking the shop to say a mover caused the damage if it did not witness the move. A useful quote separates the cost of repair from a conclusion about cause. If the shop says repair is impossible, request its reason. A claim handler can then compare the quote with the valuation terms and decide whether to inspect or request a second estimate.
Read each status message for an actual decision
An acknowledgment confirms receipt; it does not decide liability. A status notice explains why the claim remains pending; it is not a payment promise. A firm compromise offer gives a proposed amount and generally needs a clear response. A denial should tell you what the carrier has decided and ideally why. Label these document types in your claim log. Otherwise a “we are reviewing” email may be mistaken for a disposition, while an actual offer may sit unanswered because it looks like another routine update.
Read a written offer item by item. Check whether it covers all claimed property, whether it applies a deductible or released-value limit, and whether a repair or cash amount is being offered. If the carrier values an item differently, ask for the figures and documents used. Section 370.9 also addresses using replacement cost as a base for depreciation when settling a household-goods loss or damage claim. The exact valuation arrangement and facts of the shipment still matter. A claim total in your letter and an offer amount from the carrier are not expected to match automatically; the difference should be explainable.
If the carrier offers a repair by its vendor, ask what repair will restore, how long it will take, who transports the item, and who pays if a second repair is needed. If it offers a similar replacement, ask for enough description to judge the comparison. If it makes a cash offer, ask whether taxes, delivery, and the loss of a matching set were considered where relevant. The answer may be no, but a specific question is easier to resolve than an unqualified “too low.” Keep the offer document with your calculation and your response.
Check the release language separately from the amount. An offer for one scratched table might include a release drafted to cover every item in the shipment. If that scope is broader than the issues resolved, ask for clarification or an item-limited document before signing. A settlement accepted by deposit or signature can affect later options; read the communication accompanying the payment. If another insurance claim is pending, tell the insurer about the offer and ask how acceptance would affect its review.
Follow up without creating a confusing record
A useful follow-up is short. Identify the claim number and shipment, state the carrier's recorded receipt date, name the most recent document you sent or received, and ask one or two precise questions. For example: “On August 4 I supplied the requested repair estimate for item 042. Please confirm that it is in claim file 318 and tell me whether an inspection is still needed.” If the 120-day point has passed, ask for the written status and reason for delay required by section 370.9. Send the message to the current claim contact and retain the sent copy.
Do not send a different version of the entire story with each follow-up. The first written claim, supplements, photos, and responses should form a dated sequence. If you discover a new fact, say when and how you discovered it. If a claimed amount changes because a final repair invoice replaces an estimate, identify both numbers and why the amount changed. Honest revision is normal; silent revision makes the file look inconsistent. Keep a master item schedule showing the latest amount without discarding earlier versions.
Telephone calls can be useful for arranging an inspection or finding the right contact. After a material call, send a brief email noting the date, person, and understanding of the next step. Invite correction if you misunderstood. Do not attribute promises the representative did not make. A call log is especially helpful when staff change, but written confirmation is what lets the next handler see the same facts.
If the carrier says it never received an attachment, resend that attachment with the claim number and original transmission date. Ask whether the carrier now has every file needed to review that item. If its portal imposes file-size limits, break uploads into labeled groups and save each confirmation. Do not place sensitive financial or identity documents in an unsecured form simply because a representative mentioned them; verify the carrier's approved submission channel and send only what is relevant.
A calendar example with several documents
Assume the carrier received a proper written claim on July 1. On July 20 it sent an acknowledgment with claim number 318 and asked for a repair quote. That acknowledgment came within 30 days. You sent the quote on August 4 and saved the portal confirmation. On September 10 the carrier scheduled an inspection; you photographed the table before the visit and recorded the inspector's name. July 1 remains the receipt date used for the federal processing milestones. Your August submission and September inspection are separate events in the evidence record.
At the 120-day point, if the carrier has not paid, declined, or made a firm written compromise offer, look for a written status notice explaining the delay. If it remains pending, the rule calls for another written update at each succeeding 60-day point. Count from the carrier's receipt date and check the actual calendar rather than guessing that 120 days means four months. If the carrier sends an offer on day 110, evaluate that offer; the processing rule has been met in a different way than a payment. If it sends only “still working” without a reason, ask for a status that explains the delay.
Now assume the carrier says the August quote is missing. You can forward the August 4 confirmation and the quote, ask for written confirmation of receipt, and keep both transmissions in the record. That is stronger than arguing from memory. If the carrier disputes the claim because the table showed a preexisting mark in the pickup inventory, ask for the specific entry and compare it with your own photographs. The response can distinguish a small old mark from a new broken joint if the evidence supports that distinction.
Decide what to do when the process stalls
Start with the claim department and the carrier's escalation contact. Ask for the current written status, the reason for delay, and the next action required of either side. If the issue is a missing document, provide it or explain why it is unavailable. If the carrier has made a denial or an offer you cannot accept, stop treating the dispute as merely a calendar problem. Identify the disputed facts and valuation calculation, then decide whether to negotiate, use arbitration, or pursue a legal remedy.
FMCSA states that it cannot settle an individual loss or damage claim or force a mover to pay. A regulatory complaint may still document conduct, but it is not a substitute for the carrier claim. If that is your next concern, report moving-company conduct to the right agency using the conduct record. The FMCSA dispute guidance describes arbitration and court action after a disagreement. Read arbitration and dispute settlement options before electing a process, especially if an arbitration request or release could bind the parties. The amount at stake, costs, and applicable deadlines affect that choice.
If the shipment stayed within one state, verify that state's moving rules and your contract. The federal interstate claim milestones described here may not govern an intrastate carrier in the same way. The practical record still helps: a dated written claim, acknowledgment, requested evidence, inspection, status messages, and final decision. Keep that record even if the company resolves the claim, because it shows what was agreed and whether every item was included.
Sources
- eCFR: 49 CFR § 370.3, claim filing
- eCFR: 49 CFR § 370.5, acknowledgment
- eCFR: 49 CFR § 370.7, investigation
- eCFR: 49 CFR § 370.9, disposition
- FMCSA: Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move
- FMCSA: Handling disputes