Author: seattle_bound
Subject: Re: Broadway Express Move Gone Way Bad
Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 5:49 pm (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 8
Update (finally)…
The delay in posting an update is not the fault of Broadway or their insurance carrier. I simply didn’t have a chance to sort through everything until fall. The job was bigger than I imagined it would be.
One important thing to note is that it definitely *does* matter how well you pack. I was quite surprised to find that lots of my china and crystal actually survived without damage. Ceramic items didn’t do so well, nor did the large number of pressed-board bookcases (which became kindling wood in Fargo).
It actually reassured me a bit that it wasn’t completely clear to the insurance company or Broadway what the process for handling this claim and what the insurance coverage was. That may seem odd, but if they had been able to immediately tell me all of the details, it would have lowered my opinion of Broadway since I would suspect that they have been through this a lot and that’s why they were so crisp on the info.
It did turn out that the catastrophic coverage that Broadway adds (which I don’t believe is included when booked indirectly through a broker) kicked in and covered my stuff. It was full replacement coverage, and not the 60 cents per pound coverage that applies to most cases.
The insurance company was helpful and reminded me a month before my claim was due that the deadline was approaching. Apparently a 9 month deadline is mandated by the ICC(?) [or some government agency covering this] for all claims to be submitted. My State Farm homeowners insurance was a backup and had a 24 month deadline.
I submitted a detailed claim to Broadway’s insurance carrier with pictures, best estimated values, comparables, and information about what I purchased to replace destroyed and damaged items. I also submitted a claim for travel expenses from Minneapolis to Fargo for the triage and repacking that I helped with (mileage, hotel, meals). I had used frequent flyer awards to get back to Minneapolis, so the costs were minimal.
Broadway’s insurance carrier replied quickly once they had the claim and told me that they normally don’t cover the travel. I hoped that I didn’t have to press on this, since it seemed more than fair to me. After a quick review, they decided they didn’t need to send out an adjuster to look over everything in person (since they had already sent someone to be at the scene in Fargo, documenting and estimating).
They sent a claim release for the entire amount I submitted (just shy of $28k) which included the travel! I think we were both surprised that the amount was not much higher (and it could have been if the packing had been a bit less thorough).
The release had to be witnessed and sent back. I hoped that my bank would help me with this, but they refused to witness a claim form for their customer. Boo, Wells Fargo! They are far less customer friendly than Broadway or its insurance carrier. A local State Farm office had no problem signing this for me. I had a check shortly after!
Overall, my review on this move needs to be a neutral. The move did go way bad, but I think it was handled as well as possible by Broadway and its insurance.
And on the assumption that lightning rarely strikes twice, I’m actually using Broadway again in 2 weeks to move. They definitely remember me and are doing everything they can to get me Zeke for my driver, who drove the second half of the trip and helped restore my confidence.
I hope I will be able to post a new report about “Broadway Express move gone way good” after this next move.
Please take my neutral rating with a caveat, since I am using them again and am happy with everything except the actual “incident” 
