By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team
Selecting a moving company from among the many available options can be overwhelming. You probably have a few friends who have recently relocated and can recommend a company, and there are plenty of movers’ ads online and offline. You can easily find a moving company — but is it the right one?
The process of choosing a mover varies slightly depending on what kind of move you’re planning, but a few key factors are constant.
Licensed means safe
The first and most important point to investigate is the company’s legal status. Movers may claim to be licensed and insured, but unless you can confirm the veracity of that claim, do not take it at face value.- In-state moves. Many states have implemented rules and regulations to monitor household goods carriers at a local level. Usually the authorities responsible for overseeing intrastate movers are either the state Department of Transportation or the Public Utilities Commission. Contact the relevant authority.
- Out-of-state moves. Check with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the agency that grants permits to all moving companies engaged in the interstate transportation of household goods. The FMCSA regularly executes safety, economic and legal compliance audits to protect consumers, and the data is available as a public record. The agency’s Safety and Fitness Electronic Records System website allows you to check whether a mover is licensed and insured, as well as the results of their inspections.
- Overseas moves. Make sure that the ocean transportation intermediary involved in the moving process is certified by the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), the federal agency responsible for regulating U.S. international ocean transportation to protect U.S. consumers. Don’t even consider moving to another country without researching whether your chosen company has been approved by the FMC.
