I hired movers4you to move a 115 gallon aquarium and stand. While it is a heavy item, it is still something that needs to be handled with care. I arranged for pictures of the item to be taken in advance of the move just in case something goes bad on the way over.
The movers4you website and advertisements promote this to be a fully insured mover:
"We have a Public Liability and Goods in Transit insurance."
Sam, my main contact for the company, told me they are fully insured on the phone before the move. This is one of the reasons I agreed to use them as my moving company.
On the day of the move, their movers got the aquarium to my basement. However, I found it suspicious that they were repeatedly asking me how much the tank is worth, what I paid for it, and were looking around my household asking what I do for a living. This made me feel uncomfortable.
The night of the move (a Thursday), I found a long deep scratch on the side of the aquarium (outside) - deep enough that you could feel your nail dig into the glass. I immediately emailed Sam inquiring about the insurance program, and got no response. When I went on their website and Sam's text box came up (he is a live agent taking inquiries on the website), I asked if he was "Sam", and the chat ended. Silence.
I know the damage was caused by the mover because I took the precaution of having pictures of the aquarium taken right before the move on the same day. According to the shipper, their movers did not seem to know what they were doing - they even had to be told to not carry the aquarium upside down by the shipper.
Days later, I emailed movers4you again to request their terms & conditions and insurance info, and this is what Sam emailed me:
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I am sorry to hear about the scratch. But we do not cover any damages that are reported after the workers leave the premises.
Also, our insurance policy only covers broken items, not the scratched items. Really sorry about that.
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This is a very long, deep scratch in glass on an aquarium (your nail could get caught in it) on the outside of the tank. That's not a small thing for a structure that has to hold over a thousand pounds of water.
I again emailed a request for their terms & conditions, and this is what I was sent in its entirety:
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Insurance And Damages: Although our moving staff will be as careful as possible, from time to time damages may occur. If a damage is caused by our staff, at our discretion, we will: repair the item or compensate for its depreciated value. China, glass, clocks, glassware, lamps, mirrors, pictures, artwork, Flat Panel Televisions, or any other fragile articles that are not packed & un-packed by Movers4You Inc. will only be moved at the owner’s risk. Because the mechanical condition of electronics and appliances is unknown; we only assume responsibility for items which are mishandled or receive visible damage by our staff. We are not responsible for unprotected flooring. If due to an inherent weakness in a piece of furniture (I.E. defect, prior repair, and unstable construction) a damage occurs, you understand that we will not be liable for any damage (s) to that piece. Movers4You Inc. is only responsible for items in our immediate care. Movers4You Inc. assumes no responsibility for money, jewellery, or other valuables, please make sure these items are safely put away before our moving crew arrives. Movers4You Inc.’s policy in regards to particle board/ready-to-assemble furniture: These items are not structurally created to be moved once assembled; we will not repair or replace these items in the event they are damaged during the move. Movers4You Inc. will not be responsible for claims not specified on this contract. Please inspect all goods before the staff leave the premises, Movers4You Inc. is not responsible for after move damages reported.
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When I hired move4you, they asked me for details about the move. However, I at no time received any terms & conditions or a pre-invoice that would include this information. As of this writing, their website makes no mention of terms and conditions anywhere, and when I spoke to Sam on the phone prior to the move, I was told they are insured.
Had movers4you sent these terms and conditions in advance, they could have made more money from me by hiring them to pack the aquarium. Or at least I would have known what I was risking with them. I don't know why they didn't volunteer this information when I hired them and told me they were insured.
It was an error to accept movers4you's word, website, and services at face value. Movers4you is a classic example of why you need to take extra precautions when hiring a mover no matter how much insurance they claim to have. Make sure you get their terms & conditions in advance, find out who is providing their insurance services, and inspect every inch of your property before the mover leaves and payment is made. Also, insist on seeing a contract in writing before scheduling your move. Take pictures of your property before the move too - though that didn't necessarily help in my case.
Still, even with all the above satisfied, I feel highly doubtful that movers4you would have honoured their program based on the experience I've had with them so far.
If the situation changes in a positive way, I will gladly update this review. As of now, it has been a very negative customer experience.
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In answer to Sam's response, it would have been better if Movers4you tried to rectify this and exemplified their promoted business practices and positive customer service.
I have since added photographs to my review. Thanks for your time.
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