![Before hiring movers, you need to find the answers to some important questions.](https://www.mymovingreviews.com/move/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/interviewing-movers.jpg)
Are you willing to invite complete strangers into your home and let them tamper with your personal belongings?
Would you allow random people to handle your household items as they see fit?
Do you believe that what is meant to happen will happen, regardless of what you do?
If the answer to all these questions is “NO”, then, when looking for professional moving help, you shouldn’t just hire the first movers you come across – you should research your options, see what different moving companies have to offer, and pick the best moving partners for you.
You need to be careful though – many moving companies out there claim to rank among the best, but not all of them will do really a good job.
Some movers just aren’t competent enough – they don’t have the rich experience, specialized equipment, or professional know-how to perform a safe and smooth relocation.
Others are scam artists looking to rip off unsuspecting customers.
To avoid hiring bad movers, you need to know what to look for in a moving company and what questions to ask movers in order to find out if they’re right for the job.
Here are some of the most fundamental questions to ask moving companies in order to ensure that you’re hiring licensed, experienced, and reliable moving professionals for your relocation.
![Questions to ask a moving company](https://www.mymovingreviews.com/move/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/company-questions.jpg)
Questions to ask movers about the moving company
The first questions to ask before hiring a moving company should be about the company itself:
1. Is your company properly licensed?
Why is it important to ask about the company’s licensing accreditation?
In order to operate legally, professional movers need to be registered and authorized to transport household goods and perform moving services:
- Intrastate moving companies need a state license with the State Department of Transportation or Bureau of Consumer Affairs;
- Interstate moving companies must have a USDOT number issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
Proper accreditation doesn’t necessarily guarantee that a mover will give you fair prices and quality service, but it indicates that the company complies with the law and follows ethical business practices.
How to verify the answer
To confirm that you’re dealing with legitimate movers, you’re advised to verify the company’s licensing credentials. Fortunately, that’s easy enough – all you need to do is go to the FMCSA’s official webpage and check the USDOT number (or MC number) of the moving company.
Must-read: How to check a USDOT number
2. Does your company belong to a movers’ association?
Why is it important to ask about membership in a moving organization?
Membership in a well-known and esteemed movers’ association is a guarantee of reliability and professionalism – it means that the moving company meets the quality standards held by the organization, follows its code of ethics, and has agreed to participate in arbitration programs.
Awards for service and positive business ratings are among the most significant signs of a good moving company.
How to verify the answer
To verify the movers’ accreditation, you’re advised to check the company’s rating with the BBB and visit the website of the movers’ association the company claims to belong to (there will be a list of the members and plenty of useful information about them).
3. Is your company bonded and insured? Does it provide workers’ compensation and public liability insurance? What liability coverage options do you offer?
Why is it important to ask about insurance and liability?
Before you allow movers into your home and entrust them with your belongings, you need to make sure that you won’t be held responsible if an accident occurs on your property during the move and that your items will be properly covered in case they get lost or damaged while in the movers’ custody.
Under federal law, professional movers are required to provide basic liability coverage (released value protection) free of charge. This type of basic protection, however, covers only $0,60 per lbs per item and does not allow punitive damage claims. That’s why most reputable moving companies offer full value protection – it costs extra, but with this type of coverage the movers are liable for the full cost of repairs or the replacement value of every damaged or missing item.
What’s more, properly insured moving companies provide workers’ compensation that pays for medical expenses and lost wages if employees are injured on the job – which means that you won’t be held responsible for any accidents or personal injuries that may occur on your property during the moving process.
How to verify the answer
To make sure the moving company is bonded and insured, ask to see their insurance policy. It is also a good idea to call the FMCSA for further details concerning the company’s insurance plans and insurance practices.
Related useful information: Moving insurance and valuation coverage
4. How long has your company been in business?
Why is it important to ask about the company’s history?
A long business history does not necessarily mean high quality services but movers who have been around for many years have gained considerable experience and have performed well in order to stay competitive for so long. A flawless track record is evidence of professionalism and quality service.
How to verify the answer
The best way to learn more about a potential moving company is to visit their website and read the “About us” section. Keep in mind that lack of detailed information about the company or lack of a license number, physical address, or contact information is a warning sign to stay away from the company.
See also: Red flags of moving fraud
5. Do you have enough professionally trained, full-time movers to handle all moving jobs or do you employ temporary workers during busy moving times?
Why is it important to ask about full-time employees?
Many companies are understaffed and hire temporary employees during busy periods when the demand for moving services is high (the summer months, on weekends and national holidays, etc.). These temporary workers are foreign to the moving industry and lack proper training and experience – they can make rookie mistakes, cause accidents and damages, or even get injured in the process.
How to verify the answer
You can easily find out how many full-time employees the company has, but that number won’t guarantee that you will get experienced movers for your relocation. All you can really do is request a professional moving crew for your moving job.
6. Do you provide all the services I need?
Why is it important to ask whether the movers can do everything you need?
While all moving companies transport household items from one location to another, not all of them offer all kinds of moving services – some movers may not have the specialized equipment or professional training required to perform certain specialized services and some may simply choose not to offer services that are too difficult to perform, too time-consuming, or not profitable enough. You need to make sure that the movers you hire for your relocation can suit all your moving needs and requirements.
So, when interviewing a moving company, be sure to ask them if they provide the services you need:
- Will you pack and unpack my items for me? Can I pack some of my belongings myself and leave some items for you? Do you offer custom crating?
- Do you disassemble and reassemble furniture?
- Can you hoist furniture and other large items through a window?
- Do you have small moving vans for shuttle services (in case a large moving truck cannot access your home)?
- Do you provide storage services?
Discuss the details of your move with your potential movers, inform them of possible difficulties (steep stairs, small doorways, etc.) and difficult-to-move items (piano, hot tub, antique furniture, etc.), let them know what additional services you’d like to use (custom crating, temporary storage, etc.), and find out if they can handle the job. Don’t forget to inquire about the costs and conditions too.
7. Do you have the necessary equipment for the job?
Why is it important to ask about moving equipment?
No matter how experienced and reliable the movers may be, they won’t be able to do a good job without the necessary equipment – a moving truck of the right size (and in excellent condition), moving dollies and moving straps, quality packing supplies and protective materials, specialized tools and equipment to perform any necessitated extra services (such as a rope-and-pulley rigging system in case hoisting is required), secure and climate-controlled storage facilities (in case storage-in-transit is required), etc.
8. Do you do all the work yourselves or do you use subcontractors?
Why is it important to ask whether the same company will perform all the work?
Moving companies often work with affiliated van lines or subcontract parts of the job – your items may be transferred to another carrier along the way (in the event of a cross-country move), stored in a third party’s storage facility, etc.
If the moving company will be outsourcing some of the work or if a different mover will deliver your items, make sure the contractor is trustworthy and qualified for the job – request information about the third party, check their background, ask for references, etc.
9. Can you provide any references?
Why is it important to ask about recommendations and references?
Recommendations and references attest to the movers’ trustworthiness and quality of service. Good moving companies have plenty of positive reviews and will be able to easily provide references from previous customers.
Be sure to read as many online reviews of the moving company as possible – it is a great way to find out about surprise extra fees, unprofessional attitude, broken items, and other problems people have had with the movers (or, on the contrary, find out that most people were happy with the movers’ services).
Now that you know what to ask a moving company in order to ensure that you’re dealing with trustworthy professionals, it’s time to learn the best questions to ask movers when getting estimates.
I've always been a little cautious to hire a moving company, just because I don't want anyone taking my stuff. It's nice to know that they have insurance plans just in case anything happens. It will make my life much easier being able to hire a company. Thanks for the share!
I like what was mentioned about asking if the moving company can guarantee pick up and delivery dates. I think this is definitely something I should ask, as I am on a very tight schedule for an upcoming move. Thanks for sharing, I think that asking these questions would give me an understanding of what to expect.
I found a link online for American Moving Pros. Says they can save up to 65%. What a mistake. As soon as I got off the phone with them, my phone line started blowing up with moving companies giving me on-line quotes. These moving companies were from all over the United States. I received 3 on line quotes. When researching the 3 companies, I could not find any reviews. I found the link to this article this morning and will use it wisely. Very good information that I had not thought of before. Armed with this information, I can negotiate with a reputable company for my move and reduce the stress of not knowing what questions to ask. Excellent job of providing consumers with knowledge!
As Charles said I will use this info wisely also. There was a lot of good stuff in this article that i never even thought of – thanks!
Great reference! We are making a local move, but gleaned a lot of good questions to cover with the 3 moving companies that were recommended to us and we are interviewing. Thanks.
Soon my husband and I will be moving to a new home. We want to ensure that we hire a dependable company to help with the move. Especially since we have many antique and special furniture pieces, we want to make sure those will be safely transferred. We will be sure to take your suggestion to ask about extra services, especially the disassembly of furniture pieces since we will be needing that.
I love all of the information you have for hiring a moving company. I like how you said to check for proper licensing, which is something I’d never thought to look at before. We’re moving across the country next spring, so I’ll be sure to look for a USDOT number, like you said.
My husband and I are transporting our family out of the country for his job and we want to find the best international moving company to help us. So I appreciate your suggestion to ask the service how they will handle your boxes to make sure that they are kept perfectly safe. Since we’ll be traveling a long distance, I will make sure that the international moving company we end up hiring will take proper care of our belongings.
I liked that you had mentioned that it can be important to look for a company that can guarantee an exact date to perform the job to make sure it’s handled properly. My wife and I are wanting to move a few states away and we’re unsure of how to get all of our things there. We’ll have to start looking for movers that can handle long distances and can provide a guaranteed date in which the job will be performed.
It was really nice how you said that aside from the right side of the moving truck, I should also take into consideration if the moving company that I am considering has the right equipment necessary for my situation. I do have a grand piano at home that I plan to take with me when I move back to my hometown next month. It would be really helpful if the moving company that I will choose will be able to take good care of it. Thanks for sharing. It was great!
My experience has been All moving companies have a Integrity issue. They really need to be regulated more efficiently by the DOT, It scares me to think if they’re misleading and potentially overcharging the individual consumer how are they when it comes to their integrity with large corporate/military moves. We’ve had 2 long distance moves and 2 bad experiences with each of the companies we used. They both attempted to charge us more and one didn’t deliver our items on the pre determined date. Just be very cautious with whatever company you choose to handle your move.
Movers are human… they can make mistakes
This is some really good information about movers. It is good to know that it would be smart to understand how they will be moving things. I know that I would want to have movers who will cover my stuff to prevent damage.
I like how you recommend asking for a written estimate before working wit ha moving company. I can see how this would be helpful since it would tell you exactly how much your move will cost, and what can be expected from a moving company. I’ll be sure to do this before hiring someone to help me with my upcoming move next month.
Thanks for the tip about checking a mover’s membership with the BBB. It would make sense to find someone who is qualified and experienced as well. My husband and I are looking for a mover since I am being transferred for work, so we’ll have to check with the BBB first.
Thanks for pointing out that we should discuss the plan in case our items arrive at our new home before we do. My husband and I need to move to a different state for his work, so we’re currently looking for a long distance moving company to help us out. I didn’t consider the possibility of mismatched timing, but I can see why it would be important!
One of my friends plans to move out-of-state for her last year of college. Because moving that far by herself could be difficult, I’ve been thinking that hiring a moving company could benefit her. I love how you mentioned that she should make sure that the have the right size of truck, dollies, and special hoisting equipment. These tips could help my friend find a great moving service!
I liked your question about how long the move will take. My husband and I have never used movers before and want to make sure that we have everything planned out so it will go smoothly. I think that knowing how long everything will take will help us to properly plan for the event.
Before hiring the moving company there are several tasks that are needed to perform but the main of them which makes them reliable are you should ask the movers or moving company whether they are licensed or not and check it once if it is possible and ask them the what liability they are providing you while moving the luggage if something goes wrong.
You’ve got good tips for choosing a moving company. I like how you said that they should be licensed by the AMSA. To be honest, I didn’t even know that was a thing. When we move next year, I’ll be sure to check that before hiring any help.
Thanks for the tip about finding movers that will handle your items carefully. It would make sense to find someone who is qualified and experienced as well to help out. My husband and I are looking for a storage unit, so we’ll have to find a moving service that is qualified.
You’ve got some good tips for hiring a moving company. I like how you said that they should probably have years of experience, and a flawless track record is even better. We’ll have to watch out for companies like that when we start looking for someone to help with our move this summer!
Thanks for the advice about asking a moving company how long they have been in business. It would make sense to find someone who is experienced because it would show they do good work. My husband and I need help moving to another state, so we’ll have to check who has enough experience to help us move.
I like your suggestion to ask what happens if something is lost or broken , and make sure the company you choose will handle the situation peacefully and logically. My husband and I want to move to a larger home soon, so I’ve been doing some research about how to choose a good moving company. I wasn’t sure what questions to ask as we try to decide, so I really appreciate your tip to ask about broken or missing items.
Thanks for these tips on how to find a good moving service. It would make sense to find someone who is experienced and has the right equipment. My husband and I are looking for a mover, so we’ll have to check their quaflciations.
I thought that it made sense when you explained that it is important to make sure that movers are licensed. I would imagine that one reason you’d hire movers is to protect your valuables. I would make sure that the movers that I was going to hire were licensed so that I can feel comfortable having them touch my belongings.
Thanks for the suggestion to ask if there are any storage facility options available with the moving company and to ask how it will affect final pricing. My husband and I are moving to a new area of our state, but we have some boxes in our guest room that belong to my mother-in-law. We want to keep the boxes close to her, so a storage facility could be a good option. Hopefully we can find a great moving company in our area!
It’s good to know that your movers should guarantee a specific date to have a job completed and that they need to take responsibility if they miss that date. My wife and I will be moving out of our house soon and we need to be moved out by a specific date. We will make sure that the people that we hire will ensure that they get the job completed in time.
Thank you for stating that moving companies that have more experience are better. My family and I are moving and need help. I will definitely take all of your great advice and information into consideration when looking for a suitable moving company to help us move.
Thanks for these tips on how to find a good moving service. I agree that you want to make sure they have been around a while and make sure they have a flawless track record. My husband and I are looking for a moving service, so we’ll have to check their track record first.
It was a great idea to ask a mover about how they handle heavy and fragile items. I’ve been thinking of moving, so finding a good removalist would really help me out. Thank you so much for all the wonderful tips on what to ask a moving service before hiring them.
I like how the article explains that you want to make sure to ask if they have enough experienced crew to be able to move your items so that you can make sure that your stuff will be handled well. My husband and I are moving to a new state and we need our stuff packed and we have some fragile things so we want to make sure that experienced movers will carefully take care of our stuff. We will make sure to hire experienced movers as they know what they are doing.
I like that you mentioned that it can be a good idea to ask how a moving company might handle your belongings. I have been in need of office removals to help move into a new building. Maybe I’ll have to consider some moving companies in my area with these questions in mind.
Thanks for the suggestion to ask a moving company if they can guarantee pickup and delivery dates. My husband and I are moving next month and want to make the process more efficient for us by hiring a moving company. Hopefully we can find a great company!
Thanks for the tip to make a separate inventory on our own to make sure we have documentation of the condition of our items. My sister and her husband will be moving to their first home early next year. Following your advice should help the process of working with professional movers go as smoothly as possible for them!
I like that you said to find out if the moving company offers any off-peak season or student discounts. My wife and I are wanting to move in a month and we’re thinking about what kind of moving company to hire for the move. Thanks for the tips and it’s probably a good idea to ask some of these questions to them so we can find a good discount before the move.
Great advise. One more thing I am concerned about is criminal history of movers. My office is directly next door to a half-way house and those occupants work for a local moving company. May not be legal to ask, but a great concern of mine since seeing who lives next door.
My parents are going to move into their new home this month, which is why they’re currently looking for a long-distance mover that will be able to transport their things. Well, I also agree with you that the chosen movers must be equipped with the right tools. Thank you for sharing this by the way; we’ll make sure to check if they’re members of the Better Business Bureau.
You made a good point when you said that I should ask a moving company about their liability insurance coverage to ensure they could provide me full-value protection for my things. My mom plans on hiring an international moving service soon because she’s moving abroad for her retirement. I will this article of your sweet her to use as a guide in finding the right moving company to hire. Thanks.
I like your suggestion to make sure the movers take responsibility by guaranteeing their dates. My daughter and her husband mentioned they’re looking for a moving company to help with their relocation closer to his place of work. Using your advice should make it easier for them to compare potential moving companies in their area!
I like how you said that good movers should ask us questions so they can come up with tips and suggestions for us. My son and his wife mentioned they want to find a furniture delivery service for their upcoming move next month so they can have peace of mind that their items won’t be damaged. This info should help them identify a moving service in our area that they can enjoy working with!
Thanks for the tip about how getting at least three quotes will help a lot when finding the most optimal residential moving services. I’m interested in looking for such services because there are times when I think about moving to a smaller apartment. I think that will help me save money since I don’t need a lot of space anyway.
Thank you for explaining that you should check to make sure that the company is properly licensed. I’ve been wondering what we should be checking when we look to hire some commercial movers. We’re moving to a new location, so this should help us to know what sorts of things we should be looking for.
My parents are shifting to New York and have shown a desire to hire a moving company to help them. I came on this blog while attempting to assist them. It’s fantastic that you suggested looking for movers that have sufficient liability insurance that if something bad happens, the movers can compensate the financial damage. This makes great sense; I’ll inform my folks. Thank you.
I’ve been looking for a moving company to help me with transferring my office out of Hawaii, but before I stumbled across this page, I was unable to choose a trustworthy service provider. It’s fantastic that you mentioned looking for a mover with insurance coverage to make corporation could pay for any losses or damages. I’ll bear this in mind while I look for a moving company since it appears to be an excellent advice. Thanks.
I’ve been looking for a mover to help me relocate from Torrance, but until I read this, I wasn’t able to decide which one to hire. Your advice to verify the possible moving company’s liability insurance is excellent because it will protect our belongings from any losses or damages. This is a good idea, and I’ll definitely keep that in mind while I search for a dependable mover. Thanks.
I totally agree with your stance that licensing is one of the many aspects a moving company must possess in order to operate its business. I hope my step-uncle would be taking note of this matter when hiring a mover to help him out. He’ll be relocating his office to Florida next year and there is a lot of stuff to move as well.