Unresolved Damage Claim
Unresolved Damage Claim: Denial, Delays and Documented Errors More than four months after my North American Van Lines move, SIRVA has denied my damage claim after ignoring facts. Emails document the problems since August. I reported damage to movers during delivery as they loaded my belongings into storage, was able to photograph some of the affected items as they moved, and later filed a claim. The movers packed the storage unit, leaving items inaccessible for additional photos. I explained this and asked how to proceed. On August 17, Michael's Restorations said it had not heard back from the adjuster. On August 26, it again confirmed no reply despite following up. On September 11, after I questioned weeks of inactivity, its representative said they had emailed the adjuster but could do little more. Only after asking did I get my adjuster's name. SIRVA's September 14 "settlement" denied all eight categories of items, citing missing damage notations at storage-unit delivery. The denial did not address my account that I had photographed much of the damage and verbally reported it to movers during delivery. I disputed the decision in writing on September 29. There was also a serious administrative error. My assigned claims analyst, Victoria Gaskill, forwarded what was represented as an earlier claims communication to me. The email was actually addressed to an unrelated customer and referenced different registration and claim numbers. I documented the error September 29 and asked SIRVA to ensure it would not be used to blame me for delays in supplying photos. On October 18, I again reported weeks without meaningful progress and requested reassignment if necessary. I have since escalated the claim for management review. Still no response at the time of writing. This record shows repeated unanswered follow-ups, a misidentified customer email, and a disputed denial. I request a new claims representative, a thorough review, and a written resolution plan.
By Henry R.