Most people sign the moving agreement without reading it. They are busy, the move date is close, the company seems fine on the phone, and the quote sounds reasonable. So they sign.
Then move day arrives. The crew is an hour late. The quote has changed because “staircase charges were not included.” The truck is smaller than expected. A cabinet gets scratched and there is nothing in writing about who is responsible.
None of this has to happen. Every single one of these problems starts with something that was not asked before the agreement was signed.
A moving agreement is not just paperwork. It is the only thing that protects you if something goes wrong between your old home and your new one. Before you sign anything, you need clear answers to specific questions — not vague assurances, not “don’t worry we handle everything,” but actual written answers.
This guide covers every question worth asking. It is written for anyone who is about to book a packers and movers company and wants to know exactly what to confirm before committing.
Why the Agreement Matters More Than the Quote
People focus on the quote. That is understandable — moving costs money and everyone wants to know the number. But the quote is just one part of what you are agreeing to.
The moving agreement (sometimes called a service agreement, booking confirmation, or shifting contract) is the document that defines what the company will do, what you will pay, who is responsible if something breaks, and what happens if the move does not go as planned.
A quote without an agreement behind it is a promise with no consequences for either side. A good moving company will not hesitate to give you a written agreement. A company that resists, delays, or gives you vague verbal assurances instead of a written document is telling you something important about how it operates.
So — what should be in that agreement, and what should you confirm before you sign it?
Before You Even Get to the Agreement — Ask These First
There are a few things worth confirming before you request a written agreement. These are deal-breaker questions. If the answers are wrong, you do not need to see the agreement at all.
Are you a direct moving company or a booking agent?
This is the most important question and most people never ask it.
India has two types of entities that show up when you search for packers and movers:
Direct companies — they own vehicles, employ trained workers, and handle your shift themselves from start to finish.
Booking agents / brokers — they collect your enquiry, take a cut, and pass your job to whichever mover is available that day. They have no direct control over who shows up, what vehicle is used, or how your goods are handled.
Both types exist online. Both run websites that look similar. Both will send you a quote.
The difference shows up on move day. If something goes wrong — a damaged sofa, a missing box, a crew that speaks no common language with you — the broker says “we will follow up with the partner.” The partner says “talk to the company you booked with.” You are stuck in the middle.
Ask directly: “Do you own your vehicles? Will your own trained employees do the packing and loading?” A legitimate direct company answers yes without hesitation.
How long has your company been operating?
Not because newer companies are bad — but because the answer tells you something. A company that has been running household shifts for five or more years has a track record. You can look for reviews, ask for references, and check whether complaints have been resolved.
A company that was registered two months ago may be perfectly fine. Or it may have been started by someone who decided to get into the moving business last month. Ask and then verify what they tell you.
Can I speak to a recent customer?
Reputable movers will have no problem connecting you with one or two recent customers. A company that immediately changes the subject or says “you can check our Google reviews” when asked for a direct reference is not wrong — but you should at least check those reviews carefully, look at the dates, and read the ones that are not five stars.
Questions About the Written Quote
Once you have established that the company is legitimate, the quote is the next thing to dig into. Every question below should have a clear answer that is then reflected in the written agreement.
What exactly is included in this quote?
This sounds basic. It is not. In India, packers and movers quotes range from fully inclusive (packing, labour, vehicle, unloading, transit insurance) to barely-there (vehicle only, everything else billed separately).
Ask for a line-by-line breakdown:
Packing labour — included or extra? Packing material — bubble wrap, corrugated boxes, foam — included or extra? Loading charges — included or separate? Unloading at the destination — included? Staircase charges — how are these billed? Transit insurance — included, optional at extra cost, or not available? GST — is it included in the quoted number or added on top?
Every single one of these has been used by unscrupulous movers to add to a bill after goods are already in the truck and the customer has no leverage.
Is packing material charged separately?
This one deserves its own question because it is so commonly a hidden addition.
Some companies quote a low number for “packing and shifting” and then on move day, the crew starts unpacking rolls of bubble wrap and boxes and says these are charged separately — at whatever rate the company decides. By the time you find out, your goods are half-packed and the original quote is meaningless.
Confirm in writing: packing material is either included at no additional cost, or the quote states a specific amount for it.
What is the rate for staircase loading?
If your current home or the destination does not have a working lift, goods have to be carried up or down stairs. This is harder, takes longer, and some companies charge per floor, per trip.
If your building is a walk-up, confirm the staircase charge before the agreement is signed. If both buildings have working lifts, confirm that the quote assumes this — and ask what changes if the lift is not available on move day.
Are tolls, fuel surcharge, and parking charges included?
For intercity moves — anything from one city to another — tolls can add up. Some companies include toll estimates in the quoted price. Others add them separately at the end.
The same applies to any fuel surcharge (common on longer routes) and parking or loading zone fees at buildings that charge for truck access.
Ask for these to be stated clearly in the agreement: included, capped at a fixed amount, or billed at actuals.
What is the payment schedule?
Standard practice for legitimate movers: a token advance to confirm the booking, and the balance paid after delivery is complete and you have verified your goods.
Any company asking for full payment before the truck leaves your old address is asking you to take a significant risk. You have already paid and have very little leverage if something goes wrong.
Confirm: when is payment due, in what parts, and by what method. Get this in writing.
Questions About the Moving Process
The agreement should say what will actually happen on move day, not just what it costs.
How many workers will come for the move?
A 1 BHK move might need 2–3 workers. A full 3 BHK with a dining room, three bedrooms, and a large kitchen realistically needs 4–6. If the company plans to send two people for a large home, the move will run four hours over schedule, the crew will be exhausted, and the chance of something being handled carelessly goes up.
Ask for the crew size in writing, matched to the estimated scope of work.
What vehicle will be used, and what is its capacity?
This matters for two reasons. The first is obvious: the vehicle needs to be big enough to carry everything in one trip. Multiple trips cost more time and usually more money.
The second reason is less obvious: the type of vehicle matters for goods safety. A closed-body truck protects your furniture from rain, dust, and sun. An open goods vehicle does not. If you have upholstered furniture, electronics, or anything that cannot get wet, a closed body vehicle is not negotiable.
Ask what type of vehicle they plan to send, confirm the capacity matches your volume of goods, and get it in the agreement.
Will my goods travel in a shared vehicle?
Some movers — especially at lower price points — consolidate multiple customers’ goods in a single truck to make the trip economical. Your sofa goes in a truck with someone else’s refrigerator and a third person’s wardrobes. The truck may stop at multiple addresses before reaching yours.
This is not necessarily catastrophic but you should know about it. It increases handling, adds time, and raises the risk of mix-ups or damage.
Confirm whether your goods will have the vehicle to themselves (a dedicated truck) or whether they will be consolidated. If consolidated, get clarity on estimated delivery time — not a vague “by evening.”
How will fragile items be packed?
Glassware, crockery, mirrors, artwork, electronics, marble tops — ask specifically how these will be packed.
Good movers use bubble wrap for individual fragile items, double-wall corrugated boxes for glassware and crockery, foam padding for electronics, and mirror cartons for large glass pieces. This is standard for any mover that handles fragile goods regularly.
If the answer is “we will handle it carefully” without any mention of actual materials or methods, that is not enough. Ask again and push for specifics.
What is the process for disassembling and reassembling furniture?
Large furniture — wardrobes, beds, modular kitchens, dining tables — usually needs to come apart to be moved safely. Confirm that disassembly and reassembly is included in the scope of work.
Also ask: who is responsible if a piece of furniture cannot be reassembled correctly at the destination? This should be in the agreement.
Questions About Liability and Insurance
This is where most customers go quiet because it feels awkward. But these are the most important questions on this list.
What is your policy if something gets damaged during the move?
Ask this directly. Listen carefully to the answer.
A legitimate mover will explain their claims process: you report the damage, photographs are reviewed, and compensation is calculated either based on declared value or repair cost. There is a process and a timeline.
A mover that says “that will not happen, we are very careful” is not answering the question. Press for an actual answer. What is the process? What documentation do you need? What is the timeline for resolution?
Get this in writing. The agreement should have a damage liability clause that is specific, not a sentence that says “we take full responsibility” (which is meaningless without a defined process).
Do you offer transit insurance, and what does it actually cover?
Transit insurance and the mover’s internal damage policy are different things. Transit insurance is an actual insurance product — typically provided through an insurer — that covers your goods against accidental damage or loss during transit.
If the company offers transit insurance, ask:
Who is the insurer? What is the declared value of goods covered? What is excluded? (Common exclusions: electrical/mechanical damage not caused by accident, inherent fragility, goods packed by owner) What is the claim process? What is the typical settlement timeline?
A legitimate transit insurance policy has an insurer name and policy terms. “We provide insurance” without these details is not insurance — it is a verbal promise.
What is the process for missing items?
Rare, but it happens. An inventory list created before loading is the main protection against this. Ask if the company does a pre-move inventory — a written list of every item being moved, ideally with photographs.
Confirm that both you and the company representative sign off on this list before loading begins, and that you receive a copy.
Questions About Timing and Access
What time will the crew arrive, and is there a guarantee?
Movers running late on move day is one of the most common complaints in the industry. If the crew is scheduled for 9 AM and arrives at 1 PM, your entire day is disrupted — especially if you need to hand over keys at the old address by a fixed time.
Ask what the arrival time commitment is. Ask what the company does if they are significantly delayed — does your rate adjust, do they reschedule, or is it simply expected that you wait?
What happens if the destination is not ready when goods arrive?
Sometimes the new address has a delay — keys are not handed over on time, the building NOC is not in order, or the lift is blocked. If your goods arrive at the destination and cannot be unloaded, does the truck wait? For how long? Is there a waiting charge?
This is a practical question that most people forget to ask. Get the waiting policy in writing.
Are there any access requirements you need me to confirm?
A good moving company will ask you this question before you even think to ask them. They should want to know: floor number, lift availability, nearest parking for a large truck, any time restrictions on vehicle entry at the building, and whether there is a gate access process.
If they have not asked you these questions during the booking process, ask them why — and then answer the questions yourself to make sure they have planned correctly.
What the Agreement Itself Should Contain
After all the questions are answered, the written agreement should reflect those answers. Here is what to look for before you sign:
Full company name, registration number, and contact details. If a company operates without giving you a traceable legal name and registration, stop.
Pickup and delivery addresses — both written out in full.
Move date and arrival time window.
Complete scope of work — packing, loading, transport, unloading, reassembly. Line by line.
Vehicle type and number.
Total amount to be paid — with GST stated separately.
Payment schedule — advance, balance, payment method.
What is included in the price and what is not.
Damage liability clause — the actual process, not a vague statement.
Transit insurance terms, if applicable.
Cancellation and rescheduling policy — what happens if you or they need to change the date.
Dispute resolution — what recourse you have if something goes wrong.
If the agreement is missing more than two or three of these items, you are signing something incomplete. Ask for a revised document that includes them before you put your signature on anything.
Red Flags to Watch For
Some things should make you pause before signing regardless of how good the quote is.
The company resists giving a written agreement. Any legitimate mover operates on written agreements. A company that says “we work on trust” or “our process doesn’t need all that paperwork” is leaving itself no accountability — and therefore leaving you with no protection.
The quote is significantly lower than every other company you spoke with. A quote that is 40–50% below the market average is almost never a good deal. It usually means something is excluded, something is about to be added, or the service quality is not what was described.
The company cannot tell you who the insurer is for transit coverage. As mentioned earlier, real transit insurance has a real insurer. If they cannot name one, what they are offering is not insurance.
Full payment is required before the move. Pay a booking token upfront. Pay the balance after your goods are delivered and verified. Anything else is a risk that falls entirely on you.
The agreement has blank spaces. Never sign a document with unfilled fields. Fill them, or ask the company to fill them, before you sign.
The company pushes urgency. “We only have one slot left this week” is a sales tactic. A legitimate mover who wants your business will give you time to read the agreement.
A Short Checklist Before You Sign
Go through this before any agreement is finalized:
Direct company or broker? Confirmed as direct. Written quote with line-by-line breakup? In hand. Packing material — included or separately priced? Confirmed. Staircase, toll, and parking charges — how handled? Confirmed. Vehicle type and capacity matched to your goods? Confirmed. Dedicated or shared vehicle? Confirmed. Crew size appropriate for your home? Confirmed. Damage liability clause — specific process in writing? Confirmed. Transit insurance — insurer name and coverage terms? Confirmed. Pre-move inventory process? Confirmed. Arrival time and delay policy? Confirmed. Payment terms — advance and balance, after delivery? Confirmed. Agreement has no blank spaces? Confirmed. You have a copy of the signed agreement? In your email or in hand.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a packers and movers agreement include?
A complete moving agreement should have the company’s legal name and registration, both addresses, move date and time, full scope of work, vehicle type, total cost with GST broken out, payment terms, damage liability process, and cancellation policy. If any of these are missing, ask for a revised document before signing.
Is a verbal quote from a moving company enough?
No. A verbal quote is not binding. Charges can change on move day and you have nothing to reference. Always get the quote in writing with a full line-item breakup before you confirm the booking.
What is the difference between a mover’s damage policy and transit insurance?
A mover’s damage policy is an internal commitment — it has no third-party enforcement. Transit insurance is an actual policy issued by an insurer that covers your goods against accidental damage or loss during transport. Ask for the insurer’s name if transit insurance is offered.
Can I cancel a moving agreement if I find a better option?
Cancellation terms vary by company. A legitimate agreement will state the cancellation policy — how much notice is required and whether the advance deposit is refundable. Always read this clause before signing.
What is the safest way to pay packers and movers?
Pay a booking advance to confirm the date. Pay the balance only after your goods have been delivered and you have checked them at the destination. Avoid full upfront payment. Digital payments — UPI or bank transfer — leave a paper trail, which is useful if there is a dispute later.
What if the mover refuses to give a written agreement?
Walk away. Any company that cannot or will not provide a written service agreement is not a company you should hand your household goods to. The paperwork is not the difficult part of running a moving company — refusing to provide it is a choice.
How do I know if a packers and movers company is genuine?
Ask for their GST registration number and verify it on the government portal. Ask if they are IBA approved (relevant if your employer is reimbursing the move). Ask for their physical office address, not just a phone number. Check Google reviews and look at how they respond to negative ones — a company that engages with complaints professionally is worth more than one with only five-star reviews.
What does “dedicated vehicle” mean in a moving agreement?
A dedicated vehicle means the truck is assigned only to your consignment. Your goods do not share space with another customer’s belongings. The truck goes directly from your pickup address to your delivery address. If a company uses shared vehicles, your goods may travel with others and the truck may stop at multiple addresses — adding transit time and handling.
Should I do a pre-move inventory myself?
Yes. Before packing begins, photograph every room and every valuable or fragile item. This takes 15–20 minutes and gives you a clear record of the condition of your goods before they were packed. If anything arrives damaged, this becomes your primary evidence.
What recourse do I have if a moving company damages my goods?
First, photograph the damage immediately on delivery. Do not sign the delivery receipt without noting the damage on the document. Then raise a written complaint with the company within 24 hours. If they have transit insurance, initiate the insurance claim. If the company does not respond, you can approach the consumer court with the written agreement, photographs, and your complaint correspondence as evidence.
Closing
Signing a moving agreement should not feel like a formality. It is the document that protects you — your furniture, your electronics, your schedule, and your money — if anything goes wrong between your old address and your new one.
The questions in this guide are not unreasonable or excessive. Every legitimate moving company expects them and has answers ready. If a company stumbles on these questions or pushes back when asked for written answers, that is useful information to have before the truck arrives.
Jangra Logistics provides written agreements for every move, a pre-move survey for 2 BHK and above, and a line-by-line quote before anything is confirmed. If you are planning a move and want to know exactly what you will pay and what to expect, call or WhatsApp us for a free consultation.
No surprises on move day. That is the only kind of moving experience worth having.
