Hi, I work for a moving company.  Ford Van Lines, in Nebraska.  My desk
is right next to the claims manager's, so I can probably tell you a lot
about what will and will not make it on a moving van.  Of course it
will depend on how far you are going, the age of the truck, etc., but
generaly, I'd say your cage should be OK, provided they do not stack
anything on top of it.  Boxes would likely bend or crush the sides.
However, aside from that, the worst that could probably happen is the
cage collapsing in the way in which they do, and then you'd just have to
put it back together at destination.
 
What type of valuation (insurance) did you purchase?  All companies are
required to offer two options.  $0.60/pound, which is free, or Full Value
Replacement Protection, which will cost you money unless you are moving
with a company, and then the fee for valuation may be waived in the
account contract.  FVRP has several deduction options, and will cost
depending on which you choose.  If something is broken, etc., it will be
repaired or replaced.  (No betterment, though.  If a 20 year old TV gets
damaged, you'll get another 20 year old TV.) However, electronic items,
which do tend to have connections jostled, have a thing called "Inhering
Vice," and "Mechanical Condition Unknown."  This means that the people
who pack and load your shipment do not know whether any item works before
packing it, and so the onus of proof is on you to prove that any item
which doesn't work at destination was damaged on the move.  Inherint
Vice means that electronics, etc., have inherint qualities which make
them likely to be damaged on a move, and therefore are NOT covered by
your valuation unless there is obvious damage to the exterior of the
structure, as though it were dropped, cracked, etc.  Your cage shouldn't
fall into that catagory, and any damage to it would be noticable damage
to the exterior, and it would likely be replaced.
 
Its very important you know these things!!  Also, before filing any
claim, unpack everything, even if you are going ot pack it right back up
again!!  Once you file a claim, you can't add to it or file another, so
make sure you have checked EVERYTHING out!  Go through all your packing
material, paper, bubble wrap, etc., to make sure no small items are in it
BEFORE you throw it away.  And DO NOT throw away ANY damaged items UNTIL
a representative of the moving company has an opportunity to inspect it.
This is THE ONLY way a moving company will pay you for an item, because
it is THE ONLY way you can prove that the item was, in fact, broken.
Also, make sure the packers and loaders do a thorough inventory and that
YOU GET COPIES!!!
 
Hope this helps, and good luck on your move!
 
Melissa Rotert
[Posted in FML issue 4046]