The Moving Company Lost Your Belongings. Here Is How to Get Compensated.

Boxes are missing. Furniture never arrived. The mover says they will 'look into it.' Weeks pass. You are told to file a claim. The claim process is designed to minimize what the mover pays you. This guide explains your rights, the deadlines, and the strategies that actually work.

At pickup, the mover should have created an inventory sheet listing every item loaded. At delivery, you should have been given a delivery receipt.

Compare the two. Any item on the pickup inventory that is not on the delivery receipt is documented as missing. If you signed the delivery receipt without noting exceptions, the mover will argue the items were delivered. If you wrote 'contents not inspected, exceptions reserved' on the delivery receipt, your claim is stronger.

If no inventory sheet was created at pickup, that is a federal violation (49 CFR 375.403). Document that fact. It strengthens your case.

You have 9 months from the delivery date to file a written claim (49 CFR 370.3). This is a hard federal deadline. Miss it and you forfeit your right to compensation under the bill of lading.

Send your claim by certified mail, return receipt requested. Include: - Date of pickup and delivery - Bill of lading number - List of missing items with descriptions - Estimated value of each item - Copies of photos, receipts, or appraisals

The mover has 30 days to acknowledge your claim and 120 days to pay, offer a settlement, or decline with a written reason (49 CFR 370.9).

Most consumers unknowingly accepted Released Value Protection at $0.60 per pound per article. Under this coverage, a 50-pound TV worth $1,500 pays $30. A 30-pound laptop worth $2,200 pays $18.

The regulatory default under federal law is actually replacement value. Released value is the business practice default that nearly every mover applies. If you were not clearly offered a choice between Released Value and Full Value Protection in writing before the move, the mover may have violated 49 CFR 375.701. Document whether you received this disclosure.

Full Value Protection, if you elected it, requires the mover to pay current market value, repair cost, or replacement cost, whichever is lowest.

If you paid any portion by credit card, file a chargeback. The basis: the service was not performed as agreed (items paid to be transported were not delivered).

You typically have 60 to 120 days from the statement date. This is a shorter window than the 9-month claim deadline, so act early. A chargeback is often faster and more effective than the formal claims process, especially for amounts under $5,000.

File at nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov or call 1-888-368-7238. Select 'Loss and Damage' as the complaint category.

FMCSA will not recover your belongings or order compensation. But your complaint creates a federal record. If the mover accumulates enough complaints, it affects their ability to maintain authority and insurance. Your complaint may be the one that triggers an investigation.

If the mover denies your claim, offers an insulting settlement, or stops responding, small claims court is your best path for amounts within your state's limit ($5,000 to $25,000 depending on the state).

You do not need a lawyer. Bring the bill of lading, inventory sheet, delivery receipt, your written claim, all correspondence, and photos or receipts for missing items.

For larger claims or interstate disputes, 49 U.S.C. 14706 (the Carmack Amendment) governs carrier liability for interstate household goods. An attorney familiar with transportation law is advisable for Carmack cases.

Movers who lose small claims judgments are required to pay. A judgment also creates a public record.

Missing items are not always lost. In documented cases, consumer belongings have been found in intermediate warehouses, mixed with other shipments, stored under a different company's name, or sold at auction without proper legal notice.

If you placed an AirTag or GPS tracker in your shipment, check the location data. If items were routed through a warehouse in a state you never agreed to, that is relevant evidence for your claim and for law enforcement.

If you suspect your belongings were stolen or auctioned, file a police report in the jurisdiction where the goods were last located.