3 questions to ask your international movers

Going on an international move can be really stressful. That is why you need to have answers to the most important questions to ask your international movers. With that said, this article is going to give you a unique insight into what you should necessarily ask your movers. You will know that you’ve chosen the right moving company if they can give you the answers to those questions easily and transparently. In fact, if that is the case, you can rest assured that your moving efforts are in the right hands.

You should always ask whether they are licensed or not

While this may seem like a no-brainer, it’s actually quite important. Because it’s kind of a default, you wouldn’t believe how many scammers are out there. So, if you want to avoid moving scams and having your stuff “disappear” during transportation, you should definitely ask your movers if they are licensed. Another scenario where you’d want licensed movers is when you are selecting the best courier for your international cold chain shipments. That is an even bigger issue than international moving.

So, all moving companies are mandated to have either federal or local licenses. So, all legitimate moving companies should have a license number. However, if you don’t feel like digging for the license number you can easily search these companies by name. We will provide a link to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s website where you can go and check out whether your movers are legit or not.

The existence of liability coverage is among the most important questions to ask your international movers

According to the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration), the options for liability coverage are:

• Full Value Protection – “your mover is liable for the replacement value of lost or damaged goods in your entire shipment…This is the more comprehensive plan available for the protection of your belongings.” The cost of Full Value Protection varies by moving company.

• Released Value Protection – “The most economical protection available is Released Value since it is offered at no additional charge. However, the protection is minimal. Under this option, the mover assumes liability for no more than 60 cents per pound per article.”

Whatever it is that you move, you should definitely check for liability coverage. So, if you are moving to Bahrain for example, before you start with preparing your packing checklist, you should check if your chosen movers have some kind of liability coverage. If not, go to another company!

Don’t forget to ask about quotes

The question here is “Can you provide a binding quote or a not-to-exceed estimate?” This is a very important aspect of moving. Most moving companies offer non-binding estimates, which means the estimated price of your move is subject to change, depending on actual costs. If you prefer to know exactly how much you’re going to owe ahead of time, then hiring a moving company that offers a binding estimate may be the better option.

As promised, after our list of questions to ask your international movers, check out the U.S. DoT FMCSA’s website where you can look for legitimate moving companies, either by state or by company. If you choose anyone from that list, you will know that that is the real deal!