DON’T USE FIVE STAR MOVERS IF YOU VALUE YOUR ITEMS.
I start this negative review with complete disclosure. The movers themselves worked hard and efficient. I even wrote a nice review for them because they are hard workers. However...
Don’t use them. They broke my flat screen television. I didn’t learn this until cable installers came to setup in the new home, which is why the movers received a good review, initially. But here’s what occurred once I learned of the damage and filed the claim...
First you should know, when they come to move you, before they move one item, they make you sign the lading form. This form values your items at .60-cents a pound. I say ‘make’ you sign it because if you don’t sign it, they don’t move a thing. So, if you want or need to move when they arrive, you need to sign. Now that you’ve signed it, they begin to move. But because you signed it, anything they break will not be worth more than .60-cents per pound with a maximum of $30.00.
So, this means if you have a $2,000 television, you won’t get more than $30.00 if they break it. If you have a $3,000 Rolex watch and they drop it and crack the crystal face, you wouldn’t get more than $.60-cents.
When filing a claim please know that Five Stars uses an independent insurance facilitator named CSI. So, once they’re done moving your items, they are essentially done with you. CSI makes you fill out the insurance claim. This is a lengthy online form to assess the value and requires you submit evidence of the damage, such as photos of the damage and model, make, and year of the item. Once you complete and submit it, you have to then wait about 30-days for them to review and get back to you.
While waiting for a response, I purchased a new television since we were in a our new home and wanted to have a television. I also figured we would receive a fair and reasonable amount for the television they broke, so the difference wouldn’t be that big of an amount.
When CSI did get back to us, after all that prepareation of the claim, the settlement offer was $30. To add insult to injury, the CSI reply also included a link to our damaged television on Amazon showing the television’s value at $500. Now, had CSI offered the claim of $500, that would’ve been completely acceptable by me because the depreciation of the television would be applied. I get that and accept that.
But to cap the offer at $30 because of the lading form and then send a claim offer of $30 with evidence showing the television valued at $500 is insulting and extremely unfair.
Here’s the real scam, though. When you’re moving you have a place you have to move out by a certain date and time and another place you have committed to moving into via deposit and signed lease or mortgage.
So, when Five Stars Movers arrive and tell you that you have to sign the lading form before they move your items, you have a choice. Don’t sign and they leave without moving anything or sign and they’re not going to be liable for more than $30 or less if they break, damage or lose anything. In reality, you have no choice.
The choice you do have now though is to not use Five Stars Movers. Go with a fair and professional moving company that will respect and fairly reimburse you for your hard earned belongings.
So, DON’T USE FIVE STAR MOVERS IF YOU VALUE YOUR ITEMS.