Complaint Review: Claims Service International - Port St. Lucie FL

First, the customer filed a flase report. CSI is a 3rd party claims processing company.  We process claims much like a tax preparation company processes tax returns. CSI simply reviews the claims and determines the carriers' legal liability. The movers are responsible for payment of any compensation determined as due. The claim filed by the customer with CSI was not a moving insurance claim. Federal Regulations state that movers must offer their customers levels of liability called Valuation Protection.  The customer selected and signed for the free of charge Released Liability Valuation Protection of $0.60 per pound per article.  This means that any compensation determined as due is not based on the replacement cost, the value, or the repair cost like insurance would be, but it is based on the weight of the item multiplied by $0.60 per pound. The customer had the option to pay for the Full Replacement Value Valuation Protection but they declined to do this so that they may enjoy the lower rates for their move. 

East Coast Moving tried to amicably resolve the customer's concerns and offered her a very generous amount beyond their legal liability even if everything she filed for on her claim was approved.  The customer was insisting that the amount offered was not satisfactory to her and proceeded to contact the carrier's cargo insurance company to file a claim (without their permission).  Per Federal Regulations the customer is only allowed to file ONE moving claim. The cargo insurance company denied the customer's claim all together. East Coast moving is still trying to please this customer and they are still trying to extend the generous compensation offer to the customer despite the troubles. The customer has not accepted as of today.  

Therefore, we wish to advise that the customer has tried every possible avenue to get what she wants but is unwilling to admit the lengths that her carrier has gone to in order to make her happy.  CSI has also tried to help her with the claims process, but the customer refuses to admit this.  

We regret that the customer felt the need to post this review.  We trust that the above explanations enable them to better understand our position on these matters. 

Federal law, specifically the Carmack Amendment, prohibits consumers from collecting any additional amounts outside of what the move contract states.  You cannot collect on overcharges, nor can you collect on your lost goods.  The only thing you can collect on is...whatever is damaged.  In addition, you didn't have insurance (movers cannot sell you an insurance policy without a license to sell insurance provided by the state), you only had valuation.  If you selected basic valuation, which is free, then you can collect $0.60 per pound, and that's it.  So that 50lb 19th century bench will only yield you $30 and you can't collect anything additional.  If you try to sue the mover for the difference, the case would be dismissed due to Carmack.

You also cannot collect from the mover's insurance policy.  That policy is between the mover and the insurance company and since you are not a party to this policy, you're claim will be either denied or simply junked.  The insurance policy the mover has is to protect the mover in case the goods are destroyed in transit - such as the truck getting into a very bad accident on the highway.  In such a case, the insurance company would cover the mover for the truck and the goods inside.  The policy does not cover your move since individual moves aren't insured.

CSI is a 3rd party claims adjustor hired by the mover to process claims.  Neither the USDOT nor NY state would ever have heard of a company like CSI because CSI does not come under either the jurisdiction of the USDOT or any state DOT agency.  Since they're located in FL, there would be no reason why anyone in NY would have heard of them.  Filing with the DOT for fraud with the USDOT?  Not sure why you believe there was fraud. You didn't write much about the move, but you should be aware the estimate you received isn't binding - the only time a move quote becomes binding is when the mover actually sees the items to be moved, whether you contacted a legit mover or a scam mover.  That means the $9K quote is the actual price for your move, and the $4K quote....isn't worth anything.  Yes, that's how the moving industry works, and no it would not be considered fraud per the DOT.

There's nothing in FL that will be able to help you either - the state of FL is the scam moving capital of the US.  It is where every scam mover locates themselves.  You can almost guarantee any mover you find with their primary location in FL, is a mover you should avoid.

At the end of the day, it's not really a matter of stalling you or drowning you in paperwork - you literally have no recourse and the mover knows it.  Attorneys won't take on movers because there's almost nothing they can do.  You and the mover have a written contract and they're not obligated to perform anything outside of the contract.

No, I am not an employee.  Best of luck to you....