International Movers Near Me

What’s the best way to start my search for international movers?

The FMC suggests starting with a moving plan, including the following pre move elements:

Make a list of everything you plan to ship before packing.

Keep in mind that international relocation is expensive, so you may want to cull this list down to the essentials of your personal belonging, especially if the moving cost is coming out of your wallet. If the move is temporary, consider putting some of your household goods in storage or donating them before you go. You may want to decorate your new home in the style of the country of your new home. You may also be occupying less square footage in your new residence, so we advise customers don’t take too much of your belongings with you internationally.

Obtain written quotes from several international moving companies based on an onsite inspection of the shipping goods

The minimum recommended number of estimates is three, but you may want to get more. Getting an appraisal is an excellent way to familiarize yourself with a representative of the international mover and decide if you’re going to partner with them. Make sure that you read the mover’s terms of service and understand any conditions they place on the move.

International shipment charges are based on the amount of space that your shipment occupies, and often the moving quote does not include packing material, which requires additional space, or palletizing, which adds even more. Palletizing protects your goods from shifting while in land, air or worldwide sea transit to international country destinations and may also supply an added layer of protection against weather but does increase the cubic volume. Verify with the international moving companies you are considering how much this will increase the estimates they provide.

Insurance is essential, and it is often necessary to obtain coverage from a third party rather than from the international mover. The insurance company may require that your goods be packed by the international mover, not by you. Carefully review the insurance terms of any policy before you agree to it. Some marine insurance policies only offer protection in the event of a total loss of the vessel, and not any coverage of routine damage during the move. There may also be exclusions and other loopholes that you want to be aware of in advance.

Talk to potential moving vendors about their role in customs documentation and customs clearance, both for exiting the U.S. and entry into the destination country. They may charge for these services, and you want to consider those fees as part of the overall cost. You can also research the customs requirements at S. Customs and Border Patrol.

Top Traits Of The Best International Moving Companies Near Me

Making an international move is a big decision that comes with it own challenges. The last thing anyone wants is to start this great new life with a hangover of a bad international move process. So during your pre move planning, it is important to secure the best global moving services and we have provided some tips here to help you spot a reliable and experienced international moving company.

License, Insurance, Accreditation, and Affiliations

A reputable international mover should have the necessary registration document, comprehensive insurance coverage, accreditation and affiliations with credible associations of international movers globally.

In the US, international moving companies are regulated by the Federal Maritime Commission. You can also check their standing with organizations such as Better Business Bureau, International Association of Movers, FIDI Global Alliance, and others. A reputable international moving company should also have traceable overseas partners and associated destination services.

Reasonable and Transparent Pricing

Pricing is a good indicator that an international moving company understands what it takes to move your belonging to your destination. So when you are given moving estimates, compare them with the average international moving costs. A price that is too low indicates that the mover might do a shoddy job and a price too high might mean a mover is trying to take advantage of you.

The best international moving companies don’t just provide generic estimates, they provide customized international moving quote to each customer with explanation on  every item on the estimate. So if a company is not providing enough information, that’s probably a red flag. However, it is important to note that international moving costs are relative to where you are moving to. So it makes more sense to find an average cost relative to your destination country.

Skilled Staff

Professional international movers always well-trained movers that can handle packing, unpacking, loading and unloading carefully and professionally. From the moment you talk to them on phone to when they come to inspect your house and provide estimates, you will always notice that touch of professionality if it’s a reliable company.

Full Service Moving Company

One of the traits of reliable international moving services is that they can handle all the logistics of your move from packing in your current location to unpacking at your new location. That includes the ability to provide temporary or long term storage services as well as specialized moving services in case of items with extra large dimensions, works of art, pianos, pool tables, antiques and other precious items.

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What are the red flags that an overseas mover might be shady?

The FMC cautions that consumers should be wary of the following when considering relocation services for their international move:

• If the company claims that the FMC license or bond is optional
• If the mover’s website doesn’t have a local address
• If the mover doesn’t want to do a visual inspection of the household goods to move
• If the estimate is much lower than the others obtained

• If the mover doesn’t accept credit card payments or charges a fee to take them
• If the company doesn’t allow cancellations or charges an excessive fee in the event of cancellation
• If they have numerous complaints on file
• If they claim to include insurance coverage, but can’t give you a copy of the policy

Can Overseas Moving Specialists Ship My Car To Another Country When I Move?

Probably. The same moving company that you use to move your household shipment is likely to be a good source of information about moving a vehicle, or you can research it on your own. Where you are going, what kind of car you want to move, and how long you are staying are factors in determining whether it makes sense. Usually, a vehicle exported for personal use needs to be without a lien. It will be subject to an import tax and must comply with local regulations in the destination country. It probably won’t travel with the rest of your belongings, so you may also want to look at alternatives for shipping the car. You can send a vehicle as unprotected cargo in a “Ro/Ro” or Roll On/Roll Off transit, or in an exclusive or shared container.

In a Ro/Ro transit, the vehicle is driven onto a vessel with a huge cargo area that is essentially a parking lot on board. Shared container involves multiple vehicles loaded into a shared container. There are more fees–terminal handling charge, a trucking charge, unloading charges, and customs clearance charges. This takes more time because the container has to be full to leave.  “Full container” means one vehicle in a shipping container, which is more expensive, but is the most secure and fastest means of global auto delivery.

Popular Areas We Service

Three Movers services moves nationwide. Below are some of the most popular areas we work in, and have movers and moving trucks ready to assist:

Moving internationally comes with a lot of questions you might need the answers to. Here, we broke down the most commonly asked questions we get into a straightforward primer.