How to file a moving damage claim in Texas
By the Champion Moving team · Last updated October 16, 2026
File in writing within 90 days of delivery. The mover has 23 days to acknowledge the claim and 90 days to resolve it. If it denies the claim, makes an offer you won't accept or goes silent, you can ask TxDMV to mediate within 35 days.
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Champion Moving, 550 S Watters Rd Ste 229, Allen. Free estimates. Our own crew, no subcontractors.
Licensed & Bonded, TxDMV No. [pending]. TxDMV consumer help line 1-888-368-4689.
Champion Moving is a moving company in Allen. This guide is about the Texas claim process itself, the deadlines and the steps that apply to any registered mover, so you know where you stand if something arrives broken.
The Texas claim clock
| Step | Deadline | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| You file the claim, in writing or electronically | Within 90 days of delivery | 43 TAC §218.61 |
| Mover acknowledges it | Within 23 days | §218.61 |
| Mover may inspect the damage | Within 30 days | §218.61 |
| Mover resolves it | Within 90 days | §218.61 |
| You ask TxDMV to mediate | Within 35 days of a denial, an unacceptable firm offer, or 90 days without a response | §218.62(c) |
| TxDMV denies mediation | If asked more than 125 days after the claim | §218.62 |
Write the date down now
Day one is the day the shipment reached your new home. Count 90 days forward and put it on your calendar the night of the move.
Step by step
- Photograph everything as it comes off the truck, especially anything damaged, and keep the packing it came in.
- Find your proposal and contract. The liability line tells you what the mover agreed to pay, if anything (§218.56(a)(5)).
- File in writing or electronically with the mover within 90 days of delivery. List each item, what happened, and what you are asking for.
- Keep copies of the claim and proof of when you sent it.
- Allow the inspection if the mover asks to see the damage.
- Wait for the response. Acknowledgment within 23 days; resolution within 90.
- Request mediation from TxDMV within 35 days if the claim is denied, the offer is unacceptable or the mover doesn't respond (§218.62).
Why the offer can be so low
A frequent complaint after a damage claim is the size of the offer. People write that the mover "hid behind the insurance claim" or that the "initial offer was only $110." The reason is usually the liability level in the paperwork. At 60 cents per pound, the mover owes 60 cents for each pound the damaged item weighs: a 50-pound television comes to $30, whatever it cost new.
In Texas there is no default liability level. The mover and customer agree on it, from $0 upward, and the proposal must state it (§218.56(a)(5)). For moves across state lines, Full Value Protection is the default, and 60 cents per pound applies only if you signed a written waiver (49 CFR Part 375 App. A). The Texas moving rules guide covers the 60 cents per pound myth in full.
Cargo insurance is not your coverage
Texas movers must carry cargo insurance of at least $5,000 per shipper per vehicle and $10,000 aggregate per vehicle (43 TAC §218.16(b)). That is the carrier's policy. What you can claim is set by the liability in your proposal.
Moves across state lines
Federal rules give you 9 months to file. The mover must acknowledge the claim within 30 days and resolve it within 120 days, and it can extend in 60-day steps with written notice (49 CFR Part 375 App. A). Complaints about those moves go to FMCSA's complaint database.
Where to get help
- TxDMV: complaints and mediation, or the consumer help line 1-888-368-4689.
- FMCSA: National Consumer Complaint Database, for moves across state lines.
- Texas Attorney General: consumer complaints.
Before your next move, read the liability line in the proposal and ask the mover what it would pay for one specific item. That one question heads off most claim surprises.
Sources (checked Oct 15, 2026)
- 43 Tex. Admin. Code §218.16 (cargo insurance)
- 43 Tex. Admin. Code §218.56 (proposals and liability)
- 43 Tex. Admin. Code §218.61 (claims)
- 43 Tex. Admin. Code §218.62 (mediation)
- 49 CFR Part 375, incl. Appendix A (eCFR)
- TxDMV: Don't make a move without checking
- Market complaint language: Reddit and Trustpilot posts about other movers, captured Oct 2026 (anonymous)
About Champion Moving
A moving company based at 550 S Watters Rd Ste 229 in Allen, TX, owned by Daniel. Our own crew handles local and long-distance moves, packing and move-in setup. More about Champion Moving
Damage claim questions
How long do I have to file a moving claim in Texas?
90 days from delivery, in writing or electronically (43 TAC §218.61). The mover must acknowledge it within 23 days and resolve it within 90.
My mover offered 60 cents per pound. Is that legal in Texas?
It can be, if that is the liability you agreed to in the proposal. Texas has no default level; the mover and customer agree on it, even $0, and the proposal must state it (§218.56(a)(5)). Check what your paperwork says.
How do I file a TxDMV moving complaint or mediation request?
Through TxDMV's complaints page or the consumer help line, 1-888-368-4689. Mediation must be requested within 35 days of a denial, an unacceptable firm offer or 90 days without a response, and is denied if requested more than 125 days after the claim (§218.62).
How long do I have to file a claim on a move across state lines?
9 months. The mover must acknowledge the claim within 30 days and resolve it within 120 (49 CFR Part 375 App. A).
Does the mover's cargo insurance cover my things?
Not directly. Texas requires movers to carry cargo insurance (§218.16(b)), but what you can claim is the liability stated in your proposal.
Planning your next move?
Champion Moving puts the maximum price and the liability in writing before we load. Free estimates. Our own crew, no subcontractors.