How to Get Full Value on a Military Household Goods Damage Claim, and How to Prevent the Damage in the First Place

To get full value on damaged household goods from a military move, keep the receipts, photograph and video your items before the movers arrive, supervise the packing, write down the inventory item number of anything that arrives damaged, and file the claim in DPS as soon as you can. You have 180 days after delivery to report damage, and the deadline to file for full replacement value is longer, so don't wait. I spent 8 years in the household goods department in the transportation office at Robins AFB, and I saw members get offers of 10 to 20 cents on the dollar because they had no leverage. Here is how to avoid that on your military relocation to Robins AFB or any other PCS.

Watch: Military Members Are Losing $5K+ on Damaged HHG 📦 Here is Why

Household Goods Damage Claims at a Glance

What I Saw at the Robins AFB Transportation Office

A couple of times a year I would see the same problem come into the transportation office at Robins Air Force Base. A member would relocate here, their household goods would arrive damaged, and the moving company would offer them 10 to 20 cents on the dollar for their busted items. They had no leverage to fight it. I spent 8 years in the household goods department there, so in this post I'll go through the mistakes military members make during a relocation, how to get the claim value you're supposed to get, and better yet, how to prep in advance so you don't get nearly as much damage in the first place.

Mistake 1: Not Documenting the Value of Your Stuff

The first mistake is not documenting the value of the items you're moving. As a military member you already know you'll move at least two or three times in your career, and I've known people who moved up to 14 times. Get in the habit of keeping receipts for everything: the TV, the kitchen table, the couch, the microwave, the toaster, all of it.

You only need those receipts if an item gets damaged, but when it does, you have the value on paper of what you paid, and that's good leverage. It tells them you know what the property is worth. Without it, they go online, find what a current base-level item costs, and offer you the lowest they can.

Mistake 2: Not Supervising the Moving Company

Moving companies are contractors. They get a set price for a set job and they don't get paid by the hour, so the faster they finish, the sooner they get paid and move on to the next job. That means they're going to move as fast as they can, and mistakes get made.

So don't sit on the couch watching TV while they pack. Walk around. If they put a lot of delicate stuff in one box, ask them to wrap it up and protect it more.

Mistake 3: Not Taking Pictures and Video

Take good pictures and video of your items before the moving company arrives. We had a member who unpacked their TV, put it on the wall, plugged it in, and got the blue screen. Everything looked fine, but when they ordered cable and tried to get the TV to work, all they got was that blue screen. So video the TV actually working. Video the radio actually working. That shows it worked before the movers got there, and you have more leverage when you file your damage claim.

I also covered pre-move photos and the do-not-pack room in my complete PCS move guide on how MilMove works.

How to File a Household Goods Damage Claim

Here is the rundown I usually give people. Go to Military OneSource, where there's a page about personal property claims. There are two paths. The movers will hand you a form to file a damage claim with their company, but you also want to file a damage claim through the DPS system so there's an official claim record with the government. That way you hit them from both sides, it's more public, and they're more likely to give you a proper claim adjustment when the time comes.

Deadlines You Can't Miss

When your household goods arrive, you have 180 days to report anything that is damaged. I would not wait that long. Go through the boxes as soon as you can and check everything. The Navy's 2026 household goods claims instructions spell out the full set of deadlines: report loss or damage in DPS within 180 days of delivery, file your claim in DPS within 9 months of delivery for shipments picked up before May 15, 2026 or 12 months for shipments picked up on or after that date to keep full replacement value, and never later than 2 years after delivery. Rules change, so confirm your own deadline with your transportation office or claims office.

Record the Item Number

If something is damaged, take a picture of it as soon as possible and write down the item number from your inventory list. A lot of movers mark a single box as books or decor, and if one dish in that box is damaged, it makes the claim tougher. The more detail you can give on your claim, the more likely you are to get full value.

Prep Your House Before the Movers Get There

As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Here is what I tell people to do before the movers arrive. My checklist for prepping your house for PCS movers goes into more detail on the packing-day side.

Clean, Declutter, and Leave the Cheap Furniture

Go through the house and clean everything. Wipe down the dishes, do the laundry, fold everything nice and neat, and do the dusting and vacuuming. Get rid of anything you don't need or don't expect to need at destination. If you have things in the attic you haven't used in 6 to 8 months, get rid of them.

The items most likely to get damaged are Walmart bookshelves and anything else made of particle board and cardboard. They were meant to be temporary furniture that's cheap and does a quick job for you right now, and they aren't built for long-haul transportation or all the bouncing around and shuffling. Leave them at origin or sell them at a yard sale.

Make Sure Boxes Are Marked and Packed Right

When you see them packing lampshades, silk flowers, or anything else fragile, make sure the box is marked fragile, top load, or light. A lot of times movers forget. Dishes are heavy and can hold up, so those get marked heavy. That way, when they load the truck, they know not to put the dishes on top of the lampshade.

Movers get in a hurry and will throw a lot of different stuff in one box. That's typically fine, but make sure they put the heavy stuff on the bottom and the light stuff on top, and that they pack the box with paper on the bottom and the top. The paper on the bottom soaks up any moisture if the box gets set down on wet concrete or something spills.

Why Full Boxes Matter

Boxes have a burst rating, and if they're not full and you stack three or four boxes on top of them, the chances of them getting crushed go way up. A full box holds up better than a box with a lot of air in it. Also, the government pays for each box they use, and some crews will fill a box only halfway and use extra boxes to make a little more money. That's where you supervise. Your job is to make sure they fill each box as much as feasible without overstuffing it.

Storage in Transit and Hangar Rash

Storage in transit is another place your items get damaged, because the more boxes are handled and moved, the more chances there are for hangar rash. If you've been on the flight line, you know hangar rash: moving stuff around and banging it up against walls. The more it gets handled, the more it gets damaged.

If you already have a house waiting here, you can get a direct delivery and your stuff only gets handled a couple of times instead of a dozen. I just finished up a VA loan transaction for a military member heading this way in a couple of weeks. We've already closed, the house is sitting here ready for them, and they won't need temporary storage.

Selling at Origin and Buying at Destination

No matter where you are, I have a full network of real estate agents across the country. If you need an agent at origin before you PCS to Robins AFB, reach out and I'll connect you with one to take care of the house you're leaving, and when you get here I'll help you find the right house. At least 25% of military homeowners keep their house as a rental when they PCS, and I covered how a VA loan lets you keep your first house as a rental in another post.

Frequently Asked Questions About Military Household Goods Damage Claims

How long do I have to report damaged household goods after a military move?

You have 180 days from delivery to report damage, but I wouldn't wait that long. Go through your boxes as soon as they arrive, photograph anything damaged, and write down the item number from your inventory list.

What is the deadline to file my full household goods claim?

Under the Navy's 2026 instructions, you have 9 months after delivery if your shipment was picked up before May 15, 2026, or 12 months if it was picked up on or after that date, to keep full replacement value, and never later than 2 years. Confirm your own deadline with your transportation office.

What should I do if the moving company offers me 10 to 20 cents on the dollar?

Don't accept a lowball offer when you have records. Keep receipts, photos, and video so you can show what the item is worth and that it worked before the move. File your claim in DPS as well as on the mover's form so there's an official record.

Should I file my damage claim with the mover, in DPS, or both?

I tell people to do both. The movers give you a form for their company, and you also file through DPS so you have an official claim record with the government. It's more public, so they're more likely to give you a proper adjustment.

What records should I keep before a PCS move?

Keep receipts for your TVs, furniture, appliances, and other big items, and take photos and video before the movers arrive. Video your TV and your electronics actually working, because that is your proof they worked before the move.

Which household goods are most likely to be damaged in a PCS move?

Particle board and cardboard furniture, like cheap bookshelves, is the most common. It's meant to be temporary and doesn't hold up to the bouncing and shuffling. Leave it at origin or sell it at a yard sale.

Ready to Make Your PCS to Robins AFB Easier on Your Stuff?

Call or text me at (478) 273-8880, or book a time to talk and we'll go over your house at origin and your next home at Robins AFB.