A compiled reference of 30 verified statistics on moving damage and claims: measured damage-claim rates from the largest audited moving program in the country, self-reported breakage rates from consumer surveys, the federal liability and deadline rules every interstate mover works under, complaint and enforcement data, and what a move costs in 2026. Every figure is drawn from a named public source (a Department of Defense Inspector General audit, the Government Accountability Office, the Surface Transportation Board, the Code of Federal Regulations, This Old House, the Better Business Bureau, the American Trucking Associations) and independently checked before publishing.
Key statistics
5 highlights from this report
Key statistics
Key takeaways
The best-measured moving population in America files a damage claim on roughly one shipment in five, and older survey data suggests actual damage runs far higher than claims. Federal rules are specific about what movers owe and when, but the default protections are thin, and the gap between damage experienced and damage claimed is where most of the money quietly disappears.
21% of audited household goods shipments had at least one damage claim.
65% of surveyed shipments had loss or damage; only 35% became claims.
48% of consumers report at least one item broken or damaged in a move.
Waive full value protection and liability drops to 60 cents per pound.
The average move costs $3,020 in 2026; local moves average $1,489.
Damaged goods are 24% of federal moving complaints; hostage loads are 31%.
How we built this report
Every figure below was compiled in September 2026 from named public sources and verified against the original document before publishing.
- Compiled from primary sources
Federal audit reports, Government Accountability Office reports, the Code of Federal Regulations, the Surface Transportation Board's consumer rules, industry association economic reports, consumer surveys with published methodologies, and cost guides.
- Only explicitly stated figures
We include only numbers a named source states directly, and attribute each inline at the point it appears. Figures we could not verify at the original source were left out.
- Disagreements shown, not averaged
Claim rates measured by audit differ from damage rates people self-report in surveys. We show both and say which is which rather than blending them.
- Independent review
Written by one co-founder, reviewed by the other before publishing.
A scope note: the hardest numbers here come from the military moving program, because it is the only moving population audited at scale; civilian figures are self-reported survey data or guide-level cost ranges, not an audited census. UK survey figures are labeled as such. Individual figures vary and should be confirmed against the specific source.
Moving damage, by the numbers
All 30 figures, grouped by theme: how often damage happens, what the rules require, and what the industry and a move cost. Each is from a named public source and independently verified.
How often movers damage things
The only moving population measured by auditors rather than pollsters is the military's. According to the Department of Defense Inspector General (dodig.mil), 21 percent of the roughly 176,000 domestic household goods shipments in fiscal 2018 had at least one damage claim filed, and on the 311 shipments auditors examined closely, members claimed 3,575 damaged or lost items worth $24.5 million. The Government Accountability Office (gao.gov) had earlier reported the deeper problem: a 1997 survey of 3,000 military moves found 65 percent of shipments had loss or damage while only 35 percent resulted in claims. Civilian self-reports rhyme with that gap. This Old House (thisoldhouse.com) found about 1 in 5 recent customers filed a claim, while Compare My Move (comparemymove.com) found 48 percent of consumers have had at least one item broken in a move, mirrors, crockery, and tables leading the casualty list.
Statistic 1
21% of domestic military household goods shipments in FY2018 had at least one damage claim filed.
DoD Inspector General, DODIG-2020-046 (2020)
Statistic 2
That program moved 175,626 domestic shipments in FY2018 at a cost of $1.3 billion.
DoD Inspector General (2020)
Statistic 3
On 311 audited shipments, members claimed 3,575 damaged or lost items valued at $24.5 million.
DoD Inspector General (2020)
Statistic 4
Moving companies resolved 622 of 662 finalized claims reviewed (94%), valued at $8.4 million.
DoD Inspector General (2020)
Statistic 5
41% of shipments flagged in the delivery system (4,004 of 9,852) missed the delivery date, costing $33.1 million.
DoD Inspector General (2020)
Statistic 6
A 1997 survey of 3,000 military moves: 65% of shipments had loss or damage; only 35% resulted in claims.
GAO-03-367, citing MTMC survey (2003)
Statistic 7
DoD has paid roughly $100 million a year in loss and damage claims, recovering only 60-65% from movers.
GAO-03-367 (2003)
Statistic 8
About 1 in 5 recent moving customers filed a claim; 19% experienced broken or missing items.
This Old House survey of 1,000 customers (2025)
Statistic 9
62% of customers who would not rehire their mover cited damaged furniture as the reason.
This Old House (2025)
Statistic 10
48% of consumers (UK) have had at least one item broken or damaged during a house move.
Compare My Move, OnePoll survey of 2,000 (2025)
Statistic 11
Mirrors are 23% of items damaged in moves, crockery 20%, tables 18%; 30% of victims blame the mover.
Compare My Move (2025)
Statistic 12
9.0% of recent movers say belongings were damaged and the company denied responsibility.
North American Van Lines survey of 500 (2026)
Statistic 13
45.2% of recent movers experienced at least one problem; only 27.6% verified their mover's licensing or coverage.
North American Van Lines (2026)
What this means: the claim rate is not the damage rate. Where auditors could see everything, one shipment in five drew a claim; where members were simply asked, two-thirds reported damage. The difference is friction: paperwork, deadlines, and proof. Whoever documents condition before and after the truck wins that argument.
What goes wrong on a move
Federal complaint mix, 2024 analysisShare of household goods complaints filed with federal regulators, by category.
Most-broken items, share of all damaged goods (UK consumer survey).
Complaint mix per a December 2024 analysis of the FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database by the US Moving Protection Organization (usmpo.org); breakage shares per Compare My Move (comparemymove.com), OnePoll survey of 2,000 UK adults.
The rules: what movers owe and when
Interstate moving liability is written down with unusual precision. According to the Surface Transportation Board (stb.gov), full value protection is the default and must be offered with a no-deductible option; only if the customer expressly waives it does liability drop to released value, 60 cents per pound per item. The claim clock is set by the Code of Federal Regulations (law.cornell.edu): a mover must acknowledge a written claim within 30 days and pay, decline, or make a firm settlement offer within 120 days, and the customer must be given at least 9 months from delivery to file at all.
Statistic 1
Released-value liability, the free default if full value protection is waived, is $0.60 per pound per item.
Surface Transportation Board (2026)
Statistic 2
Interstate movers must offer full value protection with no deductible as an option; it applies unless expressly waived.
Surface Transportation Board (2026)
Statistic 3
Items worth over $100 per pound must be declared, or the mover's liability for them caps at $100 per pound.
Surface Transportation Board (2026)
Statistic 4
A claim window of at least 9 months from delivery is required for filing loss or damage claims.
Surface Transportation Board (2026)
Statistic 5
Carriers must acknowledge a written claim within 30 days of receipt.
49 CFR 370.5 (current)
Statistic 6
Carriers must pay, decline, or make a firm compromise offer within 120 days, with status letters every 60 days after.
49 CFR 370.9 (current)
Statistic 7
Household goods settlements are valued at depreciated replacement cost, not what you paid.
49 CFR 370.9(b) (current)
Statistic 8
Arbitration is binding on the mover for disputes of $10,000 or less if the shipper requests it; decisions are due in 60 days.
49 CFR 375.211 (current)
Statistic 9
A delivery receipt may not contain language releasing the mover or its agents from liability.
49 CFR 375.701 (current)
What this means: the rules reward evidence, not outrage. Released value turns a 40-pound television into a $24 check, and depreciated valuation shrinks everything else, so the practical protections are the ones exercised before loading: buying full value protection, declaring high-value items, and photographing condition. The deadlines only help customers who can prove what changed.
The industry, the complaints, and the bill
The moving and storage industry is smaller than its complaint volume suggests. According to the American Trucking Associations (trucking.org), it directly generated $32.2 billion in economic activity and 186,382 direct jobs in 2021, while IBISWorld (ibisworld.com) counts a $25.7 billion moving services market across 9,430 businesses in 2026. Demand is actually shrinking: the Census Bureau (census.gov) puts the 2024 mover rate at 11.8 percent of Americans, down from 12.1 percent. On the complaint side, a December 2024 analysis of the federal complaint database by the US Moving Protection Organization (usmpo.org) found hostage loads had become the largest category at 31 percent, ahead of damaged goods at 24 percent. And the Better Business Bureau (bbb.org) logged over 100,000 inquiries about movers in 2024. The bill itself comes from This Old House: $3,020 for the average move.
Statistic 1
Damaged goods are 24% of federal household goods complaints; hostage loads lead at 31%, late delivery 19%, overcharging 15%, lost items 8%.
USMPO analysis of FMCSA NCCDB (2024)
Statistic 2
16,842 household goods complaints were filed with FMCSA in 2024; hostage-load complaints rose 189% since 2022.
USMPO analysis of FMCSA NCCDB (2024)
Statistic 3
A 2023 federal enforcement sweep across 16 states found 1,014 violations of moving regulations.
FleetOwner, on FMCSA Operation Protect Your Move (2024)
Statistic 4
BBB fielded over 100,000 inquiries about movers in 2024 and 718 formal complaints; the median moving-scam loss was $754.
Better Business Bureau (2025)
Statistic 5
The moving and storage industry directly generated $32.2 billion and 186,382 jobs in 2021; total impact was $92.2 billion.
American Trucking Associations (2023)
Statistic 6
The US moving services market is $25.7 billion across 9,430 businesses in 2026.
IBISWorld (2026)
Statistic 7
11.8% of Americans moved in 2024, down from 12.1% in 2023; only 2.1% moved to a different state.
US Census Bureau, ACS 1-year estimates (2025)
Statistic 8
The average move costs $3,020 in 2026; local moves average $1,489 and moves over 1,701 miles average $3,945.
This Old House (2026)
Statistic 9
By home size, a 1-bedroom move averages $2,197 and a 4-bedroom move $6,374.
This Old House (2026)
Statistic 10
Professional packing adds 15-30% to moving costs; 22% of customers said the final bill was significantly higher than quoted.
This Old House (2025-2026)
Statistic 11
57% of surveyed customers did not receive a binding estimate before their move.
This Old House (2025)
Statistic 12
20.6% of recent movers had undisclosed fees added; 19.6% paid significantly more than the quote.
North American Van Lines (2026)
Statistic 13
Standard mover gratuity is $4-5 per hour per mover, adding $100-200+ on a full-day move.
This Old House (2026)
What this means: damage is the second-biggest complaint in an industry where the biggest complaint is your belongings being held for ransom. For operators on the other side of the truck, the survey numbers are the commercial argument: 62 percent of customers who lose furniture never come back, and the companies that document condition at pickup and delivery are the ones that keep the argument, and the customer, from escalating.
Cite this study
Academic or press use: copy a ready-made reference. RapidEye is the publisher.
Quick FAQ
How often do movers damage items?
Measured rates cluster around one in five. A Department of Defense Inspector General audit found 21% of domestic military household goods shipments in fiscal 2018 had at least one damage claim, and a 2025 This Old House survey of 1,000 recent customers found about 1 in 5 filed a claim. Self-reported damage runs higher: Compare My Move found 48% of consumers have had at least one item broken in a move, and a 1997 military survey found 65% of shipments had loss or damage while only 35% became claims.
What are movers legally liable for when they damage something?
Interstate movers must offer full value protection by default, with a no-deductible option. If the customer waives it in writing, liability drops to released value: 60 cents per pound per item, per the Surface Transportation Board. Items worth more than $100 per pound must be declared or liability for them caps at $100 per pound, and settlements are based on depreciated replacement value under 49 CFR 370.9.
How long do movers have to settle a damage claim?
30 days to acknowledge a written claim and 120 days to pay, decline, or make a firm settlement offer, with status letters every 60 days after that, under 49 CFR Part 370. Customers must be given at least 9 months from delivery to file. For disputes of $10,000 or less, arbitration is binding on the mover if the shipper requests it.
How much does a move cost in 2026?
The average price for local and long-distance moves is $3,020, with local moves averaging $1,489 and moves over 1,701 miles averaging $3,945, per This Old House. By home size, a 1-bedroom move averages $2,197 and a 4-bedroom move $6,374. Professional packing typically adds 15-30%.
Data sources
Every figure on this page traces to one of these named public sources, each checked against the original before publishing.
Government Accountability OfficeDefense transportation household goods reportgao.gov
Surface Transportation BoardHousehold goods loss and damage consumer rulesstb.gov
Cornell Law School LII49 CFR Parts 370 and 375 claim regulationslaw.cornell.edu
This Old HouseMoving survey and 2026 cost analysisthisoldhouse.com
Compare My MoveOnePoll breakage survey of 2,000 consumerscomparemymove.com
US Moving Protection OrganizationFederal complaint database category analysisusmpo.org
Better Business BureauMoving scam alert and complaint volumesbbb.org
American Trucking AssociationsMoving and storage economic impact reporttrucking.org
IBISWorldMoving services industry market reportibisworld.com
US Census BureauGeographic mobility, ACS 1-year estimatescensus.gov
FleetOwnerFederal moving enforcement sweep coveragefleetowner.com