Phoning it in
A mover who doesn't insist on an on-site inspection of your household goods is giving you a sight-unseen estimate -- and those are usually too good to be true. Homeowners typically have considerably more belongings than they think they do, and good estimators aren't looking at specific items as much as guesstimating their bulk and weight. (A queen-size bed with no headboard or footboard weighs far less than one with an ornate, heavy wood frame.) Moving prices are based not only on mileage, but on the weight of your belongings and the amount of room your goods take up in the truck.

The cursory glance
An "estimator" who does a quick walk-through of your home without opening cabinets and taking note of exactly what you plan to move is going to be way off the mark. A good estimator will ask you questions ("Are you planning to move all the food in your pantry, or will you eat it before you go?" "Are you planning a yard sale to get rid of anything; if so, what?").

It's incumbent upon you to give as much information as possible ("We'll be buying a king-size bed here to take with us, so add on that cost," or "I'll be donating these 20 shelves of books to the library, so don't include those.") Thousands of people each year have their belongings held hostage by scam artists who low-ball your quote, then refuse to deliver your belongings until you've paid them hundreds or thousands of dollars more -- in cash.

The requested deposit
Reputable movers will NOT demand cash or any large deposit before moving you. You generally pay upon delivery. If you pay up front, you have zero control over when you'll see your belongings again. When you do pay, use a credit card that will help you fight any fraudulent activity.

The name change
Some companies get around the Better Business Bureau and other such scam busters by constantly doing business under new names. Be sure the company has a local address and information about licensing and insurance. They should answer the phone with the full name of the business, not just "moving services" or something else generic.

To be safer, ask for three references -- not just any references, but three who are from your area and who were moved within the past three months. Actually call those consumers and ask pointed questions about their experience. A good one: What did you like least about your moving experience?

Be sure to get all the names the company "does business as," as well as their state and federal license numbers. Do an online search to see if you can find any complaints about the company. Call the government's consumer complaints hotline at 1 (888) 368-7238 to inquire about the company's history.

If your friends and family don't have recommendations, get a list of reliable movers from local or national movers association like the American Moving And Storage Association and State Associations of Movers. Also, it's a good bet your Realtor knows the best moving companies in town.

By federal law, movers are required to give you a booklet called "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move" while in the planning stages of your move (not after you're all packed up). If you weren't offered one, choose another mover.

Packing costs
The Catch-22 of moving is that if you pack your own belongings, the mover generally isn't responsible for any damage to them. If you let your mover pack them, you're forking over inflated prices for boxes and other packing material, not to mention time and labor. Ask about the packers' experience, if you go the latter route. Most are careful, but others will just toss whatever they can into a box and seal it up - with little regard for whether something will break or bend.

Other extra fees
Live in a two-story house or moving to one? You'll likely be charged extra. Moving to or from a 10th floor apartment? Ditto. Have a narrow street that won't fit a moving van? Expect a surcharge for the transfer of your belongings to a smaller truck for delivery.

Insurance
Don't assume that because your moving company is licensed, your belongings are fully insured in case of damage. The insurance provided covers only a small portion of the total value of your belongings. Ask your mover how much liability coverage comes with the estimate you're given. Then determine how to add extra insurance. Among your choices:

• Declared value. The value of your items is based on the total shipment weight multiplied by an amount per pound (say, $1.50) - so if your belongings weigh 10,000 pounds, the mover would be liable for no more than $12,500. But wait: your actual settlement will be based on the depreciated value of the damaged item or items.
• Lump sum value. If you are more concerned about value than weight, this insurance will be based on each $1,000 of value rather than your items' weight.

To use this, you need to know the value of your shipment and declare it in writing on the contract.

• Full value protection. This pays for the repair or replacement of anything that's lost or damaged. Expect a deductible, meaning that the insurance won't go into effect until after the first $250 or $500 of damage.

Be sure you agree with the estimated value of your possessions that's put into the contract. You'll want to have your own inventory of what's being moved and its approximate replacement value (pictures of your belongings helps tremendously if claims are necessary).

Movers often won't insure electronics, including home office equipment, if they can't be packed in their original boxes. So be sure to ask about exclusions, and make sure special items - fine art, antiques, jewelry - are covered by the insurance you buy. You may need to take special measures to protect them. (Ideally, you should move anything of precious value, such as jewelry, credit cards, blank checks, computers, yourself.)

The blank contract
This should be common sense rather than a scam -- but don't ever, ever sign a blank contract, no matter how much you like the mover. Get absolutely everything in writing. Your estimate and all extra fees should be right there, as well as your pickup and delivery dates.

Read your contract from top to bottom and make sure that all your belongings are listed. Don't be satisfied with a box that's just inventoried as "Office supplies" unless you saw it packed up with just notepads and paperclips. If that laptop computer isn't labeled on the inventory form you sign before the driver leaves, don't expect it to be in the box when he arrives. You can't file a claim for something that doesn't appear on the inventory list.

The "guaranteed" quote
Federal law requires one of two kinds of moving contracts. A non-binding estimate means the company cannot require payment of more than 10 percent above the original estimate, due within 30 days of delivery. A binding estimate is supposed to be a guaranteed price for the move and all extras and services. If additional services are requested (such as unpacking), the extra fee is due within 30 days of delivery.

Think you're getting an ironclad, binding, "not to exceed" contract? Read the fine print. It often says it won't exceed that price unless the weight of your belongings is more than the estimate. You want to be guaranteed in writing that this is THE final price - or feel darn comfortable with the weight estimate you were given.

Three different moving companies may give estimates that are as much as several thousand pounds apart, so in some instances, you may feel safer with the higher estimate. (Movers weigh their trucks empty, then weight again with your belongings on it to figure out how heavy your possessions are.)

The window of opportunity
Show of hands: How many have moved to another state and still had at least a couple boxes still unpacked a year later? Pray that nothing inside is damaged, because you have only nine months -- which goes by faster than you think -- to report any problems to the moving company and file an insurance claim.

Try to get help from friends when the movers are unloading, and open each box and sift through it to check for obvious damage. Ideally, you should note the problem on the mover's copy of the bill of lading before signing it. Your mover then has 30 days to acknowledge receipt of your claim. Within 120 days of receiving it, he must deny your claim or make an offer to pay. It's a lot easier for him to deny it if you don't have before-and-after proof, or if he didn't see the damage before he left your new house.