Improved protection for household goods Published Oct. 29, 2009 SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFNS) -- Relocating can be one of the most stressful events in a person's life. With approximately 500,000 household goods shipments every year, the military is the largest moving population in the United States. Officials with the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command are committed to making every move a better experience for service members, their families and DOD civilians. One way that experience has been improved is with better protection of household goods and improved repair or replacement policies. Mandated by Congress, Full Replacement Value does just that. FRV significantly improves the coverage for personal property. Under the previous program, a transportation service provider was only liable for the depreciated value of a household item, not the cost to repair or replace it. With FRV, the provider has the option to either repair the item to the same condition it was in prior to the move, or replace it with a like-value item. If an item is lost or destroyed, the provider must replace it with a like-value item. FRV provides up to a maximum of $50,000, depending upon the shipment weight and the method of the move. Within 75 days from delivery of household goods, a customer must report personal property loss or damage on the 'Notification of Loss and Damage at Delivery/AFTER Delivery' form with the provider, and file a claim directly with the moving company that delivered the shipment within nine months from delivery. If a claim is filed after the nine-month window, the customer will still have additional months from the shipment delivery date to file a claim. However, the shipment will be covered at a depreciated value. A customer should remember to fill out DP3 Customer Satisfaction Survey after every move. This gives all DOD and U.S. Coast Guard members, and families, direct say in which moving companies DOD transportation officials use more or less frequently depending on their quality of service. For more information, visit www.move.mil and click on "DoD Customer." Then, scroll down to the "Claims" section and click on your branch of service. You may also contact the military claims office for your branch of service.