DAMAGE POLICIES AND LIMITS OF LIABILITY
Claim: Any damage or lost claims must be submitted in written form via email within 7 days of your moving day. Each claims must include pictures and a description of the damages and how they may have occurred. We promise to thoroughly investigate and resolve all claims within 21 business days, provided all applicable moving payments have been received. We also would like to note that it is illegal for customers to deduct money from their final bill to compensate themselves for perceived damages, and that should our movers have not been compensated for their services,
we reserve the right to not answer or refuse to process a claim.
Simulated Wood Furniture: Our movers cannot be responsible for damage to simulated wood, particle board, or pressed board furniture. This type of material is structurally weak and is not repairable.
Electrical Goods: Our movers are not liable for internal damage to electronic goods if no external damage has been caused. Certain electronics may develop unavoidable faults no matter how carefully they are handled.
Appliances: Movers cannot be responsible for dents or scratches on major appliances. Many of these are covered by a thin metal that is extremely vulnerable to dents and scratches.
Items With Water: Freezers, refrigerators, waterbeds, aquariums, and the like must be emptied and drained prior to being moved.
Fragile Items: Dishware, porcelain, glasses, pictures, lamp shades, and other specialty items are not covered by our movers’ insurance unless packed by our professional movers using adequate packing materials. You are welcome to purchase your own packing materials (packing paper, bubble wrap, foam peanuts, cartons, tape, etc) and pack such items yourself prior to your move,
and our movers will take great precaution to ensure they are transported as safely as possible, but they will not be insured.
Boxed Items: All boxed items are considered the client/owner’s responsibility. The condition of any item(s) packed by the customer/owner prior to moving is not covered by Atlantic Coast Movers, unless there is clear proof that our movers have caused physical damage to the box itself. It is also the customer’s responsibility to inspect all boxes for physical damage upon their delivery prior to the movers’ departure. Atlantic Coast Movers will not accept any claims of physical damage to boxes after its movers have left their assignment’s delivery location.
Self-inspection: It is the customer’s responsibility, before signing their final receipt prior to the movers leaving, (i) to inspect their belongings to ensure they were delivered in good condition; and (ii) to inspect the truck’s interior to ensure that nothing has been left behind.
Downtime: All downtime (waiting for elevators to be set up or arrive, for new keys to be delivered, traffic, customer inspecting their belongings upon delivery, etc.) is billable unless otherwise specified.
Valuables: Atlantic Coast Movers shall not be responsible for loss or damage to bills, cheques, evidence of debt, letters of credit, passports, tickets, documents, manuscripts, notes, mechanical drawings, securities, currency, money, precious stones, jewelry, or other similar valuables. All customers take full responsibility for moving the above-mentioned valuables themselves.
Risky Tasks: Our movers will not be held responsible for damage caused by non-routine moving practices, including but not limited to standing pieces on end, sharp turns, over-crowded work areas, crooked stairways, snags and sharp edges in work areas and doorways, passing items over balconies and railings, and tight squeezes. You will be asked to sign a waiver if our movers
agree to attempt any non-routine moving request.
Unavoidable Damages: Weather-related damages, or damages occurring as the result of an item’s size in comparison to the width or height of a hallway, doorway, stairs, elevators or similar are not covered in any way. Our movers can still attempt to move the item in question should you desire but will not be responsible for any damages that may occur and will ask you to sign a waiver first. If at any time you then want the crew to stop, say so and they will.
Absent Customers: We encourage our customers to remain with us throughout the entire move, not least because when we are moving items such as furniture you can then point out any scratches, marks, or dents that we may have missed, or vice versa. If for whatever reason you are not available during your move, or if you need to leave during your move, we will need you to sign a release acknowledging that you accept all of the items in the condition that we bring them to you. Under these circumstances, we will not be responsible for any missing or damaged items, nor will we be held responsible for any items that were not moved.
Loss of Value: Our insurance does not cover any loss of value due to damage and subsequent repairs.
Structural Damage: Our insurance liability is limited to up to $100.00 for damage to floors, walls, doors, and painted surfaces.
Limits of Liability: We are not liable for damage to or the loss of a complete set or unit when only part of such a set is damaged or lost. Should such damage occur, we are liable only for the damaged piece or pieces.
No Liability. Our company assumes no liability whatsoever should the client or others assist or interfere in any aspect of moving.
ATLANTIC COAST MOVERS DISCLAIMER
We do not guarantee assembly of any new item or items that remain in their original boxes. It is recommended that you consult a company that specializes in assembly services for such items.
Due to liability concerns, we cannot provide assembling or disassembling services for cribs, water beds, tanning beds, gas appliances, pool tables, or pianos, as well as furniture made of pressed or particle material. If you have questions about a specific furniture item, please contact us.
We cannot mount flat screen TV on a wall or remove TVs from a wall mount. Nor can we bolt or unbolt items from walls or ceilings.
We do not connect or disconnect washing machines, drying machines, dishwashers, freezers, fridges. All appliances must be disconnected and drained prior to our movers’ arrival.
MOVING COVERAGE OPTIONS
Basic Liability Coverage: Your belongings are automatically covered for up to $0.60 per pound if damaged or lost. Should an item of 100 lbs be lost or damaged, you are eligible for up to $60 in compensation or repairs. For items above 100 lbs., let us know and we’ll do our best to make it right.
Extended Liability Coverage: When covered by Extended Liability Coverage, lost and damaged items won’t be replaced or repaired when you file a claim. Instead, you’ll be compensated $2 per pound per item. The cost of Extended Liability Coverage is 3% of the total weight of your load.
Example #1: the estimated weight of your belongings is 1500 lbs. The cost of Extended Liability Coverage is $45 (1500 lbs x 3%).
Example #2: the estimated weight of your belongings is 4500 lbs. The cost of Extended Liability Coverage is $135 (4500 lbs x 3%).
Valuation Coverage (VC): VC is available at an additional cost. Under VC, Atlantic Coast Movers agrees to be liable up to a certain amount that represents your estimate of the value of property being moved. Damaged or lost boxes will be compensated at the rate of $2/lb.
VC Conditions:
1. The item’s insurance value must be a minimum of $30,000.
2. The insurance cost amounts to 11 cents per total weight of the load for up to 3000 lbs, and 10 cents if over 3000 lbs : ex. If the customer has 2000 lbs of household items, the coverage charges would be $220 (2000 lbs x $0.11).
3. All Valuation Coverage claims are subject to a minimum $300 deductible that must be paid by the customer.
4. Items value is determined by utilizing search engines indicating the brand name or type of item moved, searching auctions or online listings.
5. The Depreciation value of a product will increase by 13.5 percent each year since the item was originally bought.
Valuation Coverage doesn’t apply to antique items (over 50 years old).
The following instructions are intended to assist in the proper completion of the Claim for Loss and Damage:
CLAIM FOR LOSS AND DAMAGE
1. Please read the provisions of the Contract Terms and Conditions on the reverse side of your Bill of Lading.
2. No claim will be properly presented until we receive a completed Claim for Loss and Damage report from the claimant.
3. It is essential that the claimant gives complete information on the details below; please print or type information to the best of your knowledge:
INVENTORY NUMBER: Record the number that the item is listed under on the inventory. Each item or carton should have a colored piece of tape on it showing it’s number.
DESCRIPTION OF ITEM: Identify the article using the same name as listed on the inventory. If packed, name the damaged article.
NATURE OF LOSS/DAMAGE: Describe the nature and location of the damage. If the article is lost, describe the item in detail, specifying color, size, model and serial number, etc.
ESTIMATED WEIGHT: If the actual weight is unknown, give an estimate.
AGE OF ITEM: Complete as accurately as possible.
COST TO REPLACE/REPAIR*: Specify the estimated (or actual) cost of repairing the item. If the item is damaged beyond repair, or if the item was lost, specify the cost of replacement.
AMOUNT CLAIMED*: Specify the amount of reimbursement that you are requesting for repair or replacement of each item.
PACKING: Specify whether the item was packed by the owner or moving crew.
4. Provide pictures. Pictures should clearly convey the extent of the damage as well as its location on the item claimed. Provide a distance shot of the entire item with the damage visible. If necessary provide a close-up picture showing the extent and nature of the damage. Please use some indicator of a relative size such as a coin or a ruler. Please identify each picture and what is depicted. Unidentified pictures may delay the processing of your claim.
5. Forward the completed claim and supporting documents to us.
6. Claim investigation may take up to 21 business days before a settlement can be proposed.
*applicable if Valuation Coverage plan was purchased.
