Facts you should know before hiring an international mover

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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A Simple Guide for Moving Overseas

Moving from one country to another can be quite scary and nerve-wracking. But, just like moving across town or across the country, this can be handled easily with proper preparation and an expert international mover.

Think about your choice of movers. If you're relocating due to business, your company may have an international mover they would prefer you to use. Your company may even pay for most or all of the costs. If this is not the case, look for a mover as soon as possible. This part can be more complicated than a local move so don’t wait until the last minute to begin preparations. An unlicensed international mover can spell disaster.

A local or long distance mover is just that, a local or long distance mover and they can be very good at what they do, but they cannot legally transport your belongings overseas. For this, you must use a licensed international mover.

International moves require careful consideration regarding packing. Your possessions will be traveling on land, on sea and then on land again. There are a lot of steps to get your prized possessions from your home in the US to your home in your new destination country. For this reason you will want to take extra care in packing your items with many layers of protection. Everyone has a budget when moving, so discuss packing with your international moving company. They can pack your belongings for an additional cost or provide tips for you to pack yourself.

Before you move, think about what you're going to take, what you are going to need and how long you are going to be in your destination country. Is this a permanent or temporary move? If you take your household appliances, will you be able to use them in your destination country? Will you need an adapter to run your electrical appliances? Depending on the length of time you plan to live in your destination country, you may want to consider storing items that you cannot use, or do not need, and only take personal effects and items that will give you pleasure and keep you from being homesick. If this is a temporary move, research what it would cost to rent versus purchase items in your destination country or maybe rent a furnished residence. If your move is permanent, then you may want to take everything with you.

Check with customs to see what you can and cannot bring into your destination country. This will also help you to determine what you will bring. Normal customs clearance is generally included in your quote. This means there is a customs clearance agent that will facilitate your paperwork. It does not mean that duties and taxes are paid by the international moving company. Check to see what documents, duties or taxes you may be required to produce and or pay, if any. You may be exempt from duties and taxes depending on your status for entering the country. Each situation is individual and unique. It is your responsibility to have the proper documentation available. You should contact the consulate or embassy for the latest updates in regulations and requirements.

Once you know what you are taking, it is important to make a list. The international moving company will ask you to complete an item list. It is important to know what you are taking so the total volume can be estimated in order to provide you with a quote. The internet is a great tool and the item lists can generally be found on an international moving company website. They are usually very easy to use and once you enter the quantity of the items you are taking, the volume can be calculated automatically with the click of your mouse. International movers quote their moves in volume. Local and Long Distance movers quote in weight.

Once you have determined the volume, decided if you will pack or have the international moving company pack, the next item to consider is insurance. Insurance in optional but it is always recommended. Discuss the coverage types that are available. Loss and damage coverage is only issued if the packing is done by the carrier. You can still insure your shipment if you pack yourself but the coverage will be for loss only.

There is not one company anywhere in the world that owns or has offices in every city in the US, owns the ships and has offices in every city in every country in the world outside of the US. An international moving company networks and works regularly with agents who are trusted, licensed and insured in every location. Once your shipment is ready to ship overseas, your international moving company will advise you the shipping details for your shipment and the agent that will be handling your shipment in your destination country.

Enjoy, prepare, research, have fun in your new adventure and good luck with your international move.

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Moving internationally – Are your Items Safe?

When shipping your belongings to a different country, it is comforting to know that they will be kept safe from the day they are picked up from your old residence to the day they are delivered to your new home in your destination country. What can you do to make sure that your belongings are safe and secure?

It is essential to find a good, reliable and competent international mover. A successful international move requires excellent administration and control. Experience, integrity and professional pride are also essential. A good international moving company is a company that properly handles every detail from start to finish. How will the international mover handle your belongings and what their methods are to make sure that your items are properly shipped and delivered?

An international moving company can pack your shipment for your. If you need to reduce the cost of your international move, you can also pack your own belongings. If you pack your own items, the international moving company will offer information on proper packing procedures. An international mover can pack all or some of your shipment for an additional fee. Packing for an international move is different from a local or long distance move.

For example, blankets are not used to wrap the furniture in an international move. International movers use a variety of disposable materials to pack your shipment. You will want to use strong, sturdy boxes for your belongings. Pack heavy items in smaller boxes, lightweight items in larger boxes. The boxes should be stackable, not bulging at the seams. If your box is not full, use something such as crumpled paper, bubble wrap or other material to fill the empty space so the items will not shift around in the box during transport. Use proper packing tape to make sure your boxes stay sealed and closed for the duration of the journey.

It is recommended to make a complete inventory list of your shipment. Keep a copy for yourself and provide one to the international movers. It is also recommended that you label your boxes. The label should contain the number of the box or item and a brief description of the contents. It is also a good idea to have the label in English and the language of your destination country.
Ask about insurance and the coverage that is available. Generally if you pack your items, you can insure the shipment but the coverage will not include damage coverage. The cost of insurance is generally determined by a percentage of your declare value. The declared value is generally based on the realistic, replacement cost of the item in your destination country.

Insurance is optional but is recommended. In order to obtain insurance you will need to complete an insurance inventory with the values of the items. Your international mover is not an insurance company and should a claim need to be filed, your international moving company will provide you with instructions on filing a claim directly with the insurance company.

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Tips to Hire an International Mover

If you are moving overseas to pursue another career, study abroad, retire or any for any other reason it is desirable that you take your possessions with you. Everyone likes to be surrounded by their own belongings. There are a few ways to bring your beloved items with you. One of these ways is to bring them with you in your luggage when you fly to your destination country. Assuming that you are not transporting illegal items, there are limitations to the items that you can bring with you in this manner.

This can be an overwhelming task but not when you hire the right international moving company to ship your personal effects overseas. They will handle the tasks of packing, picking up, transporting, shipping filing appropriate paperwork and delivering your belongings overseas. There are a lot of international moving companies out there and not all are equal in quality of service nor have the ability to get the task done right.

How would you choose the best international mover?

The first tip when hiring an international moving company is to check whether they have the legal license to ship your belongings overseas. Some moving companies do not have the proper license required to move your belongings overseas. If you choose one of these companies, when something goes wrong, you will have no recourse and worse yet, may never see your personal belongings. To see if they are a legitimate international moving company, you should check out their license.

The next tip is to compare prices with other moving companies. Make sure you are comparing apples to apples. Are they offering the exact same service? Are they offering a quote based on the same volume? What are the normal costs involved in an international move? By gathering price information from the market, you will be able to save and plan your budget ahead of time.

Don’t wait until the last minute to place your order. There is a lot of paperwork and scheduling that goes into planning an international move and you cannot expect a professional company to handle your shipment properly if you give them a day or two days notice. This is a completely unreasonable time frame. The price quoted is based on the volume of your shipment. You can estimate your volume easily yourself. Your international mover can provide the tools and assistance for you to determine the volume of your shipment.

How does this moving company handle unexpected problems? Are they responsive to your questions? Do they answer you promptly? Do they advise you promptly if there are any additional costs incurred on the day of pick up? Maybe you didn’t pack everything and needed them to pack some items for you. Maybe you added some items at the last minute and this may cause an increase in your shipment’s volume. How will the international moving company keep you informed of the status of your shipment? Email is one of the best, most effective forms of communication today. This form of communication between you and the international mover who is handling your shipment is easy, inexpensive and quick.

Ask your international moving company about insurance. Insurance can provide you peace of mind. Purchasing insurance is generally recommended although it is optional. Insurance cost is generally calculated as percentage times your declared value. You assign a realistic, replacement value to the items in your shipment.

Relocating to another country is no trouble, if you let a professional international moving company take care of all of the details of moving your personal belongings from your home to your new home in your new destination country with care and professionalism.

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