SmartMoving’s Claims Settings allow you to customize how your company tracks, closes, and monitors customer claims. This guide explains how to configure complaint types, statuses, settlement options, and key compliance-related fields. It also outlines best practices for managing data and tracking legal deadlines accurately.
Accessing Claims Settings
To update claim settings:
Ensure you have permission to the Settings module.
Navigate to Settings > Claims
From here, you can manage complaint types, statuses, lifecycle dates, custom fields, and claim resolution rules.
Custom Complaint Types
Complaint types categorize the reasons customers submit claims. These are essential for identifying patterns and improving operational performance.
Common types include:
Damaged Item
Lost Item
Valuation Request
Exterior Damage (e.g., garage door, driveway)
DOT Incident
Legal Notice / BBB Complaint
You can use these types to categorize the source of a claim — whether it originates from a customer, a government entity, or another third party. You can configure this list based on the most common sources of claims your business encounters.
Default Complaint Types:
Customer Complaint
BBB
DOT
County
State
Attorney Letter
Chargeback
Lawsuit
Online Review
Movers often use these types to distinguish between operational mistakes, customer complaints, and insurance-related claims. Customize based on what your company encounters most frequently.
Settlement Types
Settlement types define how your team resolves claims. These appear in the Settlement section of each inventory item on the claim.
Common options:
Refund
Repair
Replacement
Denied
Insurance
Valuation
Note: Insurance and Valuation are fixed categories used in profitability and compliance reporting. Other options are customizable under Settings > Claims.
Claim Lifecycle vs. Claim Statuses
Understanding the difference between these two is key to managing and resolving claims effectively in SmartMoving.
Claim Lifecycle (System-Controlled)
This is controlled by SmartMoving for consistency, legal compliance, and accurate reporting. It is not customizable.
Lifecycle Stages:
New – The claim is created.
Acknowledged – The customer is notified the claim was received.
Open – Investigation and resolution are in progress.
Closed – The claim is resolved and a settlement is issued.
Lifecycle progression is triggered by system actions (like clicking Acknowledge or Close) and helps ensure your team meets regulatory standards.
Claim Statuses (Customizable)
Statuses reflect your internal workflow and are fully customizable. These help your team track operational progress and align with your process.
Examples:
Awaiting Photos
Needs Review
Pending Manager Decision
Escalated to Legal
Statuses are updated manually and appear in drop downs within the claim record.
Lifecycle vs. Status (What’s the Difference?)
| Claim Lifecycle | Claim Status |
Control | System-controlled | User-configurable |
Purpose | Legal compliance & reporting | Team workflow & coordination |
Updates | Automatic | Manual |
Customization | Not customizable | Fully customizable |
Use both together:
The lifecycle ensures compliance.
The status keeps your team organized.
Date Fields and Legal Compliance
SmartMoving tracks important claim-related dates to support regulatory compliance:
Claim Received Date – Original date received (editable)
Claim Created Date – When it was entered into SmartMoving
Acknowledgment Date – When the customer was notified
Closed Date – When the claim was resolved
Paid Date (per item) – When payout or repair occurred
⚠️ Reminder: Movers are often required to acknowledge claims within 30–90 days. Failing to do so may result in legal consequences.
Inventory-Level Tracking
Each claim allows detailed tracking for affected inventory items. For each item, you can:
Select commodity type (e.g., HHG, vehicle, property damage)
Add item name, quantity, weight, value
Record damage details and crew involved
Choose settlement type and amount
Mark each item as Paid with its payment date
This enables high-resolution reporting and accountability.
Valuation Tracking
Valuation offers extra protection for customers beyond basic coverage:
Basic Valuation – Included, not billed
Premium Valuation – Sold at a cost, with higher payout (e.g., $5/lb)
SmartMoving tracks valuation sold and connects it to claims and reporting.
KPI Metrics & Claims Dashboard
SmartMoving provides KPIs to help monitor claim performance and financial impact:
Claims Ratio = Claims ÷ Total Opportunities
Loss Ratio = Claims Paid ÷ Annual Insurance Premium
Valuation Balance = Coverage sold
Claims Paid YTD = Claims paid out-of-pocket
Use these metrics to improve profitability and process efficiency.
Tasks and Internal Workflows
Claims support internal task assignments via SmartMoving’s task module. Useful for:
Reminders (e.g., “Call customer for info”)
Checklists (e.g., “Inspect item”, “Review crew statement”)
Automatic email reminders to users
Tasks appear on the claim record for visibility and accountability.
Email Templates: Acknowledgment and Settlement
SmartMoving includes customizable templates for:
Acknowledgment Letters – Confirm claim receipt
Settlement Letters – Sent when closing a claim
Edit templates via: Settings > Email Templates > Claim Acknowledgment / Settlement Confirmation
All 50 states require claim acknowledgment. SmartMoving timestamps the acknowledgment to protect your business.
Offer Handling
Currently, offers (e.g., refunds or settlements) are sent outside of SmartMoving (e.g., via personal email). However, they can still be documented and marked as settled inside the system.
Claims Contact vs. Opportunity Contact
The Claims Contact is separate from the Opportunity Contact.
You can change the claims contact (e.g., to a spouse, property manager, attorney) without altering the original job record. This ensures accurate communication and preserves historical data.
Closing a Claim
Steps to close a claim:
Click Close in the claim record
A Settlement Letter email is auto-generated and logged
The status changes to Closed and is excluded from Open reports
✅ Always close claims only after full resolution for accurate reporting.
Permissions Overview
Action | Permission Required |
View claims | Opportunity View Access |
Create/Edit claims | Customer Service Module |
Configure fields/templates | Settings Module |
Best Practices Summary
✅ Always send acknowledgment emails for compliance
✅ Track actual received dates—even if entered later
✅ Use detailed inventory tracking for better analysis
✅ Assign claim statuses that reflect your workflow
✅ Set task reminders to avoid delays
✅ Only close claims when fully settled
✅ Use settlement templates for formal documentation
Glossary
Claim Lifecycle – SmartMoving-controlled claim stages (New → Acknowledged → Open → Closed)
Claim Status – Custom stages reflecting internal workflow
Claim Acknowledgment – Formal email confirming claim receipt
Settlement – Method of resolution (e.g., refund, repair, valuation)
Valuation – Optional protection with higher payouts
Claims Ratio – Claims ÷ Opportunities
Loss Ratio – Claims Paid ÷ Insurance Premiums
Claims Contact – Contact person for the claim (separate from booking contact)