We have moved 14 times in the last 20 years, so I do have a little experience with this.
Just have to use your brain and not allow yourself to be intimidated by these guys...which I have not always done.
We lost an entire shipment of lawn care, trampoline, swingset and stuff in our outbuilding, because we listened to the packer who was running late and ran out of stickers. He “promised” to label them and said he was driving straight to our new house (across country)...so we could yell at him, if he didn’t have the stuff..well he passed our shipment off of course..and we lost it all.
Live and learn.
Last move was overseas. The papers they have you sign, says that they do not insure nor pay for the replacement of antiques.
The packer for the airshipment kept asking me what I was going to have put into storage...it was none of his business. But, he asked if my antique wagon wheels were gonna be in storage—several times. I didn’t answer. Then the dolt went on to tell me that I would love his house, because he has a ton of antiques which he had gotten from “his job”!!! He wasn’t too smart now was he?! He tried to correct himself and say that people had GIVEN HIM their antiques! Sure. I complained to the company and they were furious! They stated that they trusted the man so much that he even had a key to their storage area....imagine that.
Speaking of antiques.
My dad gave me a bunch of antique woodworking tools worth quite a sum of money. Beautiful hand tools and I was the only one of his sons who loved woodworking.
Anyway, right after I graduated and received my Commission I had to PCS real fast. My parents had to supervise the packing and movement of my stuff and all those beautiful tools disappeared with no trace nor mention on the packing list.