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TERMS, CONDITIONS AND LIMITATIONS TO CARRIER LIABILITY
(Household Goods Moving)
A. DEFINITIONS:
1. "We" or "our" or "carrier" means the moving and storage company, its employees or agents, or its insurance company.
2. "You" or "your" or "shipper" means the owner of the property being moved or stored, or the owner's representative. "You" or "your" or "shipper" also includes the party whose name appears on the shipping documents. "Consignee" means the party designated to accept delivery of the property being moved or stored.
3. "Loss" means the disappearance or complete destruction of an item and "damage" means direct physical injury to an item. Loss or damage does not include loss of use, inconvenience, or any other costs or consequences that result from the loss of or damage to property.
B. VALUATION, INSURANCE, AND HOW TO FILE A CLAIM:
1. Valuation is not insurance. Valuation is a declaration in writing, by the shipper, that establishes maximum carrier liability for loss or damage to your goods or property during the move. The valuation declaration is set forth in writing by the shipper prior to service on the "Agreement For Services".
2. Included with the cost of the move at no additional charge, the carrier provides free valuation in the amount of "60 cents per pound per article". This level of coverage is very minimal and your goods or property may be worth more than "60 cents per pound per article. The shipper may replace the free valuation coverage of "60 cents per pound per article" with the purchase of additional valuation at the rates quoted. If the shipper purchases additional valuation the free coverage of "60 cents per pound per article" shall no longer apply.
3. The carrier is licensed and insured to perform the services for which it contracts. The carrier is not, however, licensed to sell insurance to the shipper and at no time shall it be misunderstood that the shipper has purchased any insurance or insurance policy from the carrier or its insurance company.
4. Minimum requirements to file a claim - To file a claim against the carrier for loss or damage the shipper must write the home office of the carrier and provide in writing all of the following: a copy of the original signed freight bill showing that all charges have been paid; the shipper's origin and destination addresses; a current phone number; the date of the move; the carrier's freight bill or order number; a detailed description of the loss or damage listing separately the lost or damaged items; a specific dollar amount for each item claimed. No claim will be considered without all of the aforementioned items.
5. Time limit to file a claim - Any claim for loss or damage must be filed in writing as set forth above in item B-4 within 9 months after delivery or after attempt to make delivery. An exception to this time limit is set forth in item D-3. Within 60 days of receipt of a completed claim, the carrier must either pay, decline to pay, or make a firm settlement offer.
6. At no time shall the shipper settle a claim directly with the carrier's insurance company. Upon receipt of a completed claim it is the carrier's responsibility to investigate and settle the claim. At this time the carrier may require additional documentation including copies of purchase receipts, appraisals, or repair estimates as necessary. Any damage claim must be available for inspection by the carrier. Claims that cannot be verified will not be considered.
C. CARRIER LIABILITY:
1. The carrier assumes obligation against the direct physical loss or damage to cargo, or damage to property, caused by or resulting from carrier negligence, subject to the limitations set forth in item C-3 below and section D below.
2. The carrier shall be liable only for its failure to use ordinary care, subject to the limitations set forth in item C-3 below and section D below. The burden of proving negligence or failure to use the care required by law shall be upon the shipper.
3. The carrier shall not be liable for more than the lesser of the following amounts: a). the actual cash value of an item at the time of loss or damage, allowing for obsolescence or depreciation. b). the actual cost to repair the damaged item to its original condition at beginning of service. c). the actual cost to replace the item with a similar item of similar age and condition. d). the maximum limit of valuation selected by the shipper on the "Agreement For Services".
4. The carrier shall be liable only for actual loss or damage, not for any consequence of loss or damage.
D. EXCLUSIONS AND LIMITATIONS TO CARRIER LIABILITY:
1. The carrier has no liability for loss or damage prior to the beginning of services.
2. The carrier has no liability for loss or damage that occurs after the property has been delivered to or receipted for by the shipper or consignee. When the carrier is directed to deliver to a place where the shipper, consignee or their agent is not present, the property shall be at risk of the owner after delivery.
3. The carrier has no liability for loss or damage after delivery to storage other than carrier's storage. This includes public storage, other warehouses, storage on your property including garage, or any other storage not under our control. Loss or damage in this situation MUST be noted upon delivery.
4. The carrier has no liability for loss or damage to cargo or property that results from causes beyond its control including but not limited to rain, snow, flood, inclement or severe climatic conditions, earthquake, volcanic eruption, or other acts of God, labor strikes, riots, wars, terrorist acts or activities, military or police actions, actions of any other governmental agency, nuclear reaction or radiation, pollution, or exposure to hazardous waste or materials.
5. The carrier's liability regarding sets or matched pieces shall be limited to the lost or damaged article(s) only and shall not extend to the entire set.
6. The carrier has no liability whatsoever for the following: money, currency, credit cards, valuable or negotiable instruments (stock certificates, bonds, securities, stamps, etc.), precious metals (gold, silver, etc.), household articles made from precious metals (silverware, gold goblets, etc.), precious stones or gems, jewelry, fur items or items trimmed with fur, manuscripts, valuable documents, firearms, fine arts, condition or flavor of perishable items, live plants or the containers in which they are grown, .waterbed mattresses, or cable TV boxes.
7. The carrier has no liability for items valued in excess of $100 per pound, or items of extraordinary value which are not specifically listed on the shipping documents by description and value. As used herein, "items of extraordinary value" refers to those items which because of uniqueness or rarity have a value substantially in excess of the cost of newly manufactured items of the same type and quality, such as, but not limited to, antique furniture, heirlooms, works of art, hobby collections, items of rare quality, or items of historical significance. Prior to pickup you must: a) declare such items. b) offer the carrier the opportunity to pack or provide adequate protection for such items if we determine your packing to be inadequate protection. In any case, the carrier's maximum liability for these items is subject the limitations of item C-3 above.
8. The carrier has no liability for the electrical or mechanical derangement, miscalibration or malfunction of any computer or electronic component, machine, appliance, musical instrument, clock, television set, video or audio equipment, or any other electrical or mechanical item unless accompanied by external damage to the item. Such external damage must be more significant than mere cosmetic damage, and must be to an extent as to have reasonably caused malfunction.
9. The carrier has no liability for damage to items of a brittle or fragile nature including but not limited to tabletop glass, mirrors, pictures, items made of marble, stone or slate, lamps, lampshades, electronic or mechanical components or machines, computer software, china, glassware, bric-a-brac, etc., unless packed into cartons or wooden crates by the carrier AND unpacked by the carrier.
10. The carrier has no liability for soil marks on upholstered items or mattresses unless packed or plastic wrapped by the carrier.
11. The carrier has no liability for damage to contents of containers not packed by the carrier's personnel, unless the container shows evidence of external damage. This includes cartons or crates that contain furniture or appliances, in addition to cartons which contain other household or office goods.
12. The carrier has no liability for loss or damage to cargo or property caused by or resulting from:
A) Insects, moths, vermin, ordinary wear and tear, or gradual deterioration.
B) Defect or inherent vice. This includes weak, old, or poorly built items, or items made of particle board which come apart upon normal handling.
C) An act, order or omission of the shipper or consignee.
D) A request by the shipper or consignee that a large item (such as a sofa, appliance, bookcase, entertainment center, armoire, etc.) be moved through a narrow stairway, hallway, doorway, window, etc. or over a wall or balcony, etc.
E) A request by the shipper or consignee that the carrier dismantle furniture or premises to facilitate movement of a large item.
F) A request by the shipper or consignee that the carrier disconnect or connect a washer, dryer, or refrigerator icemaker.
G) Spillage or leakage of fluids or corrosives from packed cartons as well as from furniture items such as refrigerators, BBQ's, plants, washers, etc.
H) Sharp or dirty feet or edges on furniture items such as refrigerators, washers, dryers, sofas, armoires, entertainment centers, bookcases, etc.
I) Placement of items on floors or carpeting per request of shipper or consignee.
13. The carrier has no liability for plumbing leaks or the consequences of plumbing leaks, specifically as a result of disconnecting or connecting washers, dryers, refrigerator icemakers or other items. We suggest you hire a licensed professional plumber to service your major appliances.
14. The carrier has no liability for damage to exterior stairs, including those made of brick, stone, tile, concrete or wood.
E. INVENTORY OF GOODS OR PREMISES:
1. The carrier reserves the right to make a written inventory report of all or any part of the shipment or premises for the purpose of noting condition prior to service. The carrier will charge the shipper the standard hourly rate for the time it takes to prepare the inventory.
F. TERMS OF PAYMENT:
1. Charges are due and payable upon request on each day of service. All storage charges are due and payable monthly in advance. Payment must be by cash or cashier's check unless other arrangements are approved in advance. Past due accounts of $500 or less will be charged a late fee of $25 and an additional $25 late fee each month thereafter. Past due accounts greater than $500 will be assessed a late fee of 5% of the unpaid balance and an additional 2% or $25 late fee each month thereafter, whichever is greater. Any returned check will be charged a fee of $25.
It is agreed that the "TERMS, CONDITIONS, AND LIMITATIONS TO CARRIER LIABILITY" set forth in this document shall be binding and valid and that the Shipper has received a copy of this document.
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RSS Articles, Tips, Info
ABC Moving - Better Business Bureau rating - upgraded from "A" to "AA" - The Absolute Best Rating in Your Area!
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Tip of the Week: Local Moving Tips - For those of you moving locally we offer some packing and preparation tips. Understand that local moving does not require the same degree and amount of packing or preparation as long distance moving or moves into storage. Local moves that load and deliver the same day can often save time and cost by utilizing some of the following tips.
Generally packing means the consolodation of small items into boxes or the packing of fragile items into boxes or wrapped in cardboard or blankets. Most boxes require you tape the bottom and you should use a minimum of 3 strips of packing tape to do so. Some boxes called "self locking folders" do not require tape and are designed to "pop into a box". These types of boxes are usually meant for office moving, but can certainly be used for household moving as well.
As a rule pack the heavier items into smaller boxes and the lighter items into larger boxes. For example heavy weight items such as books, canned goods, tools and parts, etc. go into smaller boxes. Medium weight items such as pots and pans, linens, dry goods, non breakable kitchenware, etc. should go into medium size boxes. Lighter weight items such as blankets, pillows, baskets, or bulky items should go into larger boxes. NEVER put heavy items into large boxes, as it will make the box too heavy to handle or carry, and also increases the chance of the bottom of the box breaking thru.
Most of the time it will be necessary to close or seal the top of the box, however for local moves there can be a few exceptions. Boxes with spillable items from kitchens or bathrooms or garages can often benefit from NOT closing the top. Whoever moves these boxes will see that they contain spillable items and as such will not inadvertanly turn the box on its side or upside down, which can occur with sealed boxes. In addition if you box plants (fake or real) or lampshades, by not sealing the top whoever moves them will know not to put heavy items on top of these boxes, which can occur with sealed boxes.
Certain items which require packing on long distance or storage moves can often be moved without packing for local moves. These items include many pictures, mirrors, table glass, audio and video components, lamps, fake plants, blankets, pillows, etc. Understand, you can't go wrong by packing these items for a local move, however, oftentimes it's just not necessary. Many times these items can be wrapped in furniture pads or put between boxes or cardboard on the truck. On the other hand, if any of these types of items are of high value, pack them. Also understand if you use a moving company and you have them move these fragile types of items, and they are not properly packed, the moving company may not have liability for their damage. What you have to evaluate and weigh out is the risk of damage to these items vs. your additional time and cost to pack them.
Fragile smaller items such as dishes, china, stemware, vases, bric a brac, collectibles, glass or stonewear, etc. require packing both for local or long distance moving. Dont be shy with the packing paper. We caution against using actual newspaper as the ink from newspapers transfers to the items you are packing. In addition, if you pack with lots of newspaper the ink will get on your hands and transfer to everything you touch such as sofas, chairs, linens, and on and on. It begins to get everywhere. Instead, invest in what's called "unprinted news" which is simply newspaper size paper without any print on it. This type of packing paper is the best insurance you can buy to protect your breakables. Make sure when you wrap dishes, glasses, stemwear, small pictures, etc. that you stand them vertically or upright in the boxes. Never lay glass items flat. There is a much greater risk of breakage for glass items layed flat. The type of box you use for breakable items can vary. While for long distance or storage moving you should use boxes made of more heavy duty or double wall cardboard (often called dishpack boxes) for local moving it's perfectly fine to use standard smaller or medium boxes. Make sure to use plenty of packing paper and clearly label the boxes as fragile or breakables. Do not use large cartons for breakables unless the items being packed are so large you have no choice.
For local moving you can usually keep your dressers or chests of drawers filled with clothing. Make sure to remove any spillables, breakables, valuables, tiny items that could fall out, or heavy items such as books or papers. Clothing or blankets or pillows, etc. are usually OK. Ask you specific moving company their policy on moving these items loaded.
In addition for your hanging clothes, oftentimes the moving company will provide free use of wardrobe boxes on moving day. Each wardrobe box holds about 2 feet of hanging clothes. For example if you have 20 feet of hanging clothes that is about 10 wardrobe boxes. Ask your specific moving company about their wardrobe use policy.
For labeling of boxes use an indelible marker, and mark the sides of the box with the room the items will go to. You can often use the following shortcuts - K for kitchen, G or garage, LR for living room, FR for family room, MBR for master bedroom, BR1 for bedroom 1, OUT for outside or patio, BATH for bathroom, etc.
We hope some of these tips have been usefull. Again, for local moving the amount of packing and preparation necessary is not quite as much as for long distance or storage moving. Call your specific moving company for their policies or suggestions.
Recent Office Moving References / Surveys Returned
Company |
City From |
City To |
Phone |
Customer Survey Comments |
| Southern California Collection Service |
Tarzana |
Tarzana |
818-708-9700 |
Came well equipped! |
| Celetronix |
Simi Valley |
Simi Valley |
phone withheld |
|
| Accelerate Partners |
Beverly Hills |
Los Angeles |
phone withheld |
Everything was great! |
| First Regional Bank |
Century City |
Century City |
818-885-6261 |
You guys were the easiest part of the move! |
| Benefitvision |
Sherman Oaks |
Encino |
818-382-6740 |
Keep up the good work! |
| Hudson |
Encino |
Century City |
310-734-5123 |
A job well done! |
| One Legacy |
Agoura Hills |
Sherman Oaks |
phone withheld |
Great group of guys. They worked at warp speed, excellent team work! |
| Velocity Commercial Capital |
Westlake Village |
Westlake Village |
818-575-9700 |
Very smooth move! |
| Wiggett Financial Group |
Venice |
Los Angeles |
310-202-9444 |
I already recommended your service to others. |
| PMG |
Woodland Hills |
Agoura Hills |
phone withheld |
Very good service. |
Recent Household Moving References / Surveys Returned
First Name |
City From |
City To |
Phone |
Customer Survey Comments |
| Nancy |
Agoura Hills |
Westlake Village |
available upon request |
They were wonderful! I was at ease and trusted them! |
| Carole |
Chatsworth |
Simi Valley |
available upon request |
Crew was wonderful. |
| Damian |
Woodland Hills |
Burbank |
available upon request |
I choose ABC because of your Better Business Bereau rating. |
| Tim |
Moorpark |
Moorpark |
available upon request |
Great service. |
| Jason |
Simi Valley |
Simi Valley |
available upon request |
All movers involved were great + very careful. Nothing was broken or damaged! |
| Elyse |
Northridge |
Simi Valley |
available upon request |
They were great! I was very happy with service and price!! |
| Sally |
Long Beach |
Sherman Oaks |
available upon request |
These guys worked their tails off! Keep up the good work! |
| Alice |
Woodland Hills |
Woodland Hills |
available upon request |
ABC Moving always does a great job - why change? |
| Rob |
Woodland Hills |
Simi Valley |
available upon request |
We were referred by our Real Estate agent. |
Popular Links / Websites
Recent Highlight Move: During April 2006 we did a 4 day office moving job for Rozsa Law Group from Encino to Tarzana. They specialize in patent law, and in fact are helping ABC Moving patent one if its proprietary pieces of moving equipment. The job called for 3 trucks and 9 men for 4 days. Everything went very smoothly including a rather large files transfer system which greatly benefited Rozsa. Just another one of the many thousands of completely satisfied ABC Moving Systems customers.
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