Hiring an international moving company is not as simple as employing the first one you talk to or the one that offers the cheapest price for their services. The international moving company that you will hire will be in charge of all of your possessions until they are delivered into your home in your new country or to the destination port if that is the service you choose. It is very important to hire the right international moving company so your personal belongings will be handled with the utmost care that they deserve.
Here are some things that you should be aware of before you hire an international mover. Ask about the types of services they provide. Is the service door to door or door to port? Door to Door Service means the international mover will pick your belongings up at your home in the US, load them into the container, transport your belongings overseas, clear customs and deliver your belongings into your new home.
Door to Port Service means the international mover will pick up your belongings at your home in the US, load them into the container, transport your belongings overseas and you will then need to clear customs and arrange to pick your belongings up at the terminal warehouse and deliver them to your new home. Can they provide packing? Of course, this will be an additional cost. What is the cost? If the international mover packs for you, does the price include materials and labor? Some companies will tell you packing services are included, but then they will charge you for the packing materials and the costs can be quite high. Can you pack yourself? Do they offer insurance? This coverage is generally offered through a third party.
International movers are not insurance companies. What kind of insurance coverage is available? If you pack yourself, you will be able to insure your shipment but the coverage will be for total loss not damages. An insurance company will only insure your shipment for damages if it is professionally packed. What is the cost of the insurance? Door to door or door to port insurance is always an extra cost. In international shipping, there is no such thing as basic coverage. Do you need to fill out insurance paperwork? If you do not, you are not going to get door to door or door to port coverage. Can they provide storage, if that is your need?
Check out the international moving company that you intend to hire. Do they have the proper license to ship your belongings overseas? If yes, then legally they can ship your belongings. If no, or if they say they are "using a company" with a license, they and the "other" company are not operating legally and if there is an issue, you will have no recourse. How long have they been in the business? Are they affiliated with associations and organizations in their industry? Have they delivered shipments to your new destination country? Do they do local, long distance and international shipments? A company that specializes in international shipments ONLY would be your best choice.
Compare prices, but make sure you are comparing the same type of services and the same volume. You may get a quote from a company that is much less than another. Investigate the reason why. The reason could be the volume each company is quoting is completely different. Another reason could be because one is quoting door to door service, one is quoting door to port service or even port to port service. Are they including and excluding the same services. In other words: are you comparing apples to apples? Don't just look at the price and assume that everything else in the quote is the same. Price is important, but it is not the only factor one should use in choosing your international mover. Everyone is concerned about costs and getting the best value for their money. Compare, ask questions and remember if it sounds too good to be true, often times it is.
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