You discover that a dresser is broken after an interstate move. The crew wrote “scratched” beside the inventory number at delivery, and you photographed the damage. Those records are useful, but they are not necessarily a claim. A written claim needs to reach the proper carrier, identify the shipment, say that the carrier is responsible for the loss or damage, and request a stated or determinable amount of money. The difference matters because a delivery notation alone does not satisfy the minimum filing requirements in 49 CFR § 370.3.
For an interstate household-goods shipment, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration says that a loss or damage claim must be filed within nine months of delivery. If the entire shipment is lost, the agency's rights-and-responsibilities booklet describes the period from the date it should have been delivered. File promptly rather than trying to use the last day. A timely, organized claim makes it easier for the mover to inspect the property while its condition can still be checked.
Find the carrier that handled the shipment
Start with the bill of lading, not the search result or advertisement that led you to the move. The name that booked the job may be a broker; the carrier named on the bill of lading transported the household goods. Your written claim must reach a carrier that can properly receive it under the federal rules. Section 370.3 identifies the receiving or delivering carrier, the carrier issuing the bill of lading or receipt, or the carrier on whose line the alleged damage occurred. If several names appear, ask which claim address or portal the carrier uses and send a copy to the contracting or delivering carrier where appropriate. Keep proof of every delivery of the claim.
Write down the carrier's legal name, U.S. DOT or MC number if shown, shipment number, pickup and delivery dates, origin and destination, and the claim contact's name. A broker's customer-service mailbox might forward your message, but you should not assume that a message to a broker was filed with the carrier. If a third-party company processes claims for the carrier, request written confirmation that it is authorized to receive your claim and keep its acknowledgment with the file.
The distinction between a carrier claim and a regulatory complaint is just as important. FMCSA accepts complaints about interstate moving-company conduct, but says it cannot force payment of an individual loss or damage settlement. A complaint to FMCSA may be appropriate for certain conduct; it does not substitute for a written claim to the mover. If you are uncertain which entity carried the goods, compare the bill of lading, inventory, truck information, payment receipt, and communications before filing. A short written question to each company can establish who is handling the claim.
Describe each item so it can be identified
List missing and damaged property separately. For each article, record its ordinary name, identifying features, inventory number if available, the condition recorded at pickup, what you observed at delivery, and the date you first saw the problem. “Bedroom dresser, six drawers, walnut veneer, inventory 042” is easier to investigate than “furniture damaged.” For a missing carton, include its box number, room label, contents if known, and the last record showing it in the mover's custody. If no number was assigned, explain how you identify it and why you believe it was part of the shipment.
Attach photographs that show the whole item and the specific damage. Keep the original image files when possible. The delivery inventory, exception notations, and signed receipt help connect an item to the shipment. A repair quote or current comparable replacement price can support the amount requested. A purchase receipt can show ownership and age, but it may not determine the exact settlement under the chosen valuation option. Record the price source and date so the carrier can evaluate it. Avoid claiming the price of a new premium model when the missing article was a different model unless the comparison is explained.
For concealed damage discovered after the crew left, state when the carton was opened, what the packaging looked like, and who handled it in the meantime. Do not claim that a delivery receipt proves damage was visible if the item was still wrapped. The same principle applies to self-packed boxes. FMCSA cautions that self-packing can make responsibility harder to establish. Preserve the box and packing material until the carrier says an inspection is unnecessary or you document why disposal is unavoidable.
The source of the loss can remain uncertain. You can describe the facts you observed without pretending to know the exact moment a crack occurred. A claim is stronger when each date and condition can be checked against a record. If the dresser was photographed intact before loading and photographed damaged beside the truck at delivery, say so and attach both. If you have only the after-delivery photo, state that limitation plainly. A claim administrator can investigate a factual account; it cannot reasonably evaluate a story that changes each time a new document appears.
State responsibility and the amount requested
Section 370.3 requires a written communication that identifies the shipment, asserts carrier liability for the alleged loss or damage, and makes a claim for a specified or determinable amount. A delivery exception, inspection report, appraisal, or photograph is supporting evidence. Standing alone, these are not the written claim. Your letter or portal submission should make the request explicit: “I am making a claim against [carrier] for loss or damage to the items listed below during shipment [number]. I request payment of $[total], subject to the valuation terms shown on my bill of lading.” Adapt the wording to the facts. Do not label ordinary wear or preexisting damage as mover damage.
Calculate a total from item-level figures. If the claim covers a repairable table, state the repair quote and attach it. If an item cannot be repaired, explain the current comparable price you used. For a missing item, identify the article and the basis for its claimed value. You may not know the carrier's final valuation calculation when you file, but you should present a specified amount or a method that yields a determinable amount. “Whatever you think is fair” is not a useful demand. If later evidence changes the figure, send a dated written supplement and retain both versions.
Check the valuation selection before interpreting the likely recovery. Interstate movers must offer Full Value Protection and Released Value. FMCSA says Full Value Protection is the default unless the shipper signs the specific Released Value election. Released Value limits the mover's liability to no more than 60 cents per pound per article, assuming the claim is otherwise valid. Full Value Protection has different repair, replacement, or cash settlement rules and may include a deductible under the mover's terms. The written election and the carrier's protection details matter more than the sales phrase “fully covered.” Do not suppress an accurate claim because you expect the valuation limit to be low; establish the loss and ask the carrier to show its calculation.
A separate insurance policy is a different contract. Notify that insurer according to its own terms if you bought one or if your homeowners coverage may apply. The mover claim remains a distinct filing. Tell each claim handler about any related payment or offer, and ask how claims will be coordinated before signing a release. The item-level amount in your letter can be the same factual loss figure even if the carrier and insurer later apply different limits or deductibles.
Send a complete packet without waiting for perfection
Use the carrier's claim form if it provides one, but check that the form captures the shipment identity, carrier responsibility, and requested amount. Attach the bill of lading, relevant inventory pages, delivery receipt, photographs, quotes or receipts, and a concise item schedule. Some documents may not be available immediately. Submit the core written claim in time and identify what you will provide later; ask the carrier whether anything else is required for a proper filing. Do not let a search for an old receipt consume the filing period.
If you use an online portal, save the completed form as a PDF or screenshots before you submit, then save the confirmation page and acknowledgment email. If you mail the claim, keep a copy and a delivery record. If you email it, preserve the sent message, full recipient address, attachments, and any reply. A customer-service chat may be helpful for finding the process, but a chat transcript without the required claim elements or proof that it reached the right carrier is a fragile filing record.
Give the packet a simple structure. Page one can identify the shipment, carrier, claimant, contact details, total requested amount, and date. The next page can list the items with an item number, damage or loss description, inventory number, evidence references, and claimed amount. Put supporting files in the same order. Do not bury the claim request inside a long narrative. If the mover must inspect a large piece of furniture, include a way to schedule access and state whether it remains available in its damaged condition.
The federal claims rules allow a carrier to seek supporting documents when necessary to investigate. Such requests can include the bill of lading, freight charges, and evidence of value. Ask for a specific list if the carrier says your packet is incomplete. A request for more evidence is not the same as a denial. Give a dated response, identify any item you cannot supply, and offer an alternative record when it genuinely supports the same fact.
A short example of the claim itself
Suppose two articles are affected on a shipment delivered June 10. Inventory item 042 is a dresser with a broken leg; a furniture repairer estimates $185. Inventory item 087 is a floor lamp that does not appear on the delivery inventory; a current comparable lamp is $140. The written claim identifies the carrier and shipment, says the damage and shortage arose during its carriage, lists the two articles, attaches the inventory and photographs, and requests $325. It explains that the repair quote and comparable listing are attached. That is a claim with a definite request, even though the carrier may dispute responsibility, adjust value, or apply the chosen valuation terms.
The example should not be copied without checking your records. A missing lamp that was never tendered to the carrier cannot be made part of a valid claim by assigning it an inventory number. A $185 repair quote also does not prove the break happened in transit. The value of the structure is that the carrier can test each fact and respond. If you discover a third item later, send a dated supplemental schedule referring to the original claim number, rather than silently changing the original packet.
If the entire shipment has not arrived, the filing date question differs from damage discovered after delivery. FMCSA's rights booklet uses the date the shipment should have been delivered for an entirely lost shipment. Preserve the agreed delivery window, later carrier updates, and any written admission that the shipment is missing. Ask the carrier how it records a claim for a shipment that has not been delivered, and seek specific advice if the delay or loss is substantial. Do not mark every delayed shipment as permanently lost without evidence.
Track acknowledgment, investigation, and disposition
For a properly filed claim, 49 CFR § 370.5 says the carrier must acknowledge it in writing within 30 days unless it pays or declines in writing within that period. The acknowledgment should give you a claim file number. Record the date the carrier actually received your claim, because deadlines are measured from receipt, not from the date you began drafting it. If you do not receive an acknowledgment, ask in writing whether the claim was received and whether it has been assigned a number.
FMCSA's rights booklet says the mover has 120 days to provide a disposition and may use 60-day extensions when it cannot process or dispose of the claim within that period, with written notice. 49 CFR § 370.9 describes written status reporting when a claim remains unresolved. A 120-day date is not a guarantee that the carrier will pay; it is a processing milestone. Keep the carrier's letters, status reports, inspection requests, and offers in sequence. The separate guide on following claim timelines and evidence requests addresses that stage in detail.
If the carrier offers a repair, replacement, or cash amount, ask for an itemized explanation. Compare each item to the evidence and valuation selection. If a line is denied because it was allegedly preexisting, request the inventory entry or inspection finding used. If an offer includes a release, read its scope before signing. It may close one item or all claims from the shipment. You can disagree with an offer without rewriting your original observations. Respond with the evidence and calculation that supports your position.
Separate a claims dispute from other moving problems
A loss or damage claim is about property. A dispute over an added delivery charge, late pickup, or a broker's sales statement may involve different documents and processes. The same move can create several issues, but do not blend them into a single unpriced sentence and expect the carrier to infer the remedy. Identify each issue and the entity responsible. Delay claims may depend on a guaranteed pickup or delivery service in the bill of lading, according to FMCSA's booklet. An estimate dispute requires the estimate and payment record. The loss claim should still contain its own shipment identity, responsibility statement, and monetary request.
If negotiation fails, interstate movers must offer an arbitration program for eligible loss and damage and certain additional-charge disputes. Court action may also be available. The FMCSA dispute guidance describes these avenues and the agency's limits. The next step depends on the amount, contract terms, timing, and what the carrier has already decided. Read arbitration and dispute settlement options before electing a process, because an arbitration decision can be binding under the conditions described in the federal materials.
If the move occurred entirely within one state, use this article's organizational method but verify that state's mover rules and the contract's claim procedure. Federal interstate household-goods guidance may not set the deadlines or valuation terms for an intrastate move. The origin, destination, and carrier details determine which rules to investigate. Keep the written claim and delivery proof in either case. They show exactly what you asked the company to resolve and when.
Keep payment records apart from the claimed value of damaged property. The deposit, final transportation charge, and any extra payment at delivery establish what you paid for moving services; they do not by themselves establish the value of a lost lamp or dresser. If a repair invoice arrives after filing, send it with a cover note that identifies the original item and claim number. Ask the carrier to confirm whether the new evidence changes its calculation. This makes the file traceable without making a new, inconsistent claim each time an estimate changes.
Sources
- eCFR: 49 CFR § 370.3, filing of claims
- eCFR: 49 CFR § 370.5, acknowledgment
- eCFR: 49 CFR § 370.7, investigation
- eCFR: 49 CFR § 370.9, disposition
- FMCSA: Discovered loss or damage
- FMCSA: Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move
- FMCSA: Handling disputes