Relocation
Here are the facts about the next relocation move, where two entities and a potential victim is involved. The first entity is JTI, the second one is Greabel and the potential victim is our family.
Let’s state the facts:
1. Graebel is not an insurance company, it is not a licensed broker, has no right to fool anyone offering a “cover” framed as an insurance policy. This “cover” has several levels of “protection” where the validity of the so called protection is as much as the document below:
JTI pays for a FAKE, a COUNTERFEIT, where there is no insurance involved.
2. We requested details of the so called “cover”, nothing has been provided. The standard insurance policy offered by serious relocation companies (i.e Asian Tigers, Crown Relocation) is: 3.85% of declared goods valuation, new for old replacement value and a door-to-door service
Here is the pseudo “policy”:
Graebel International Valuation Program 04.04.22
3. As confirmed by Asian Tigers, Graebel has the “cover” door-to-port only (if any is purchased). I requested the possibility to purchase a private insurance policy from Asian Tigers, they refused, as there is no cover on the last leg (port-to-door). The same, several other insurance companies refused to insure our goods, when they heard the word “Graebel”.
4. As per point H of the Premium Protection Plus “Coverage”:
This protection plan is considered as excess over any other valid and collectible insurance and/or liability protection program the customer or transferee may have purchased elsewhere.
That means that the goods are NOT INSURED at all and any attempt of insuring the goods privately is rejected by insurance companies.
We requested a draft of insurance policy, crickets…. (total silence)
5. The goods are in custody of Graebel and the “coverage” is done by Greabel. What can go wrong? Firstly the JTI pays the lump sum for the logistics, then pays for the “coverage”. (I recall here once again: Greabel is not an insurance broker and is not allowed to call any document an insurance policy, otherwise it would be a FELLONY). What happens when a damage is done? Graebel will do anything to diminish the payout value, as any payout for the damaged goods will be deducted from the sum paid by the JTI for so called “Coverage”.
6. Here is the life example how the relocation went wrong with one of the former employees of JTI:
The goods damage was for 8702 USD (7800 British Pounds), the person who made reclamation received 300 British Pounds, after weeks of retards in delivery, ruined holidays and huge stress. Where was JTI? Turned back on him totally.
Here are two documents, known to the JTI the case has been swept under the carpet. JTI turned back to the person. Data blackened to protect identity, but it JTI wants to compensate the parson, I will provide all the details.
7. Here are evaluations from the Trustpilot:
8. The first thing Graebel announced as a fact is that they will be moving our permanent storage from Geneva to Italy. First, I am not allowing anyone to touch my personal belongings by third parties without my presence.
Second, JTI could give us heads up, it doesn’t want to pay for the permanent storage anymore, so we would arrange other solution. Clearly Graebel figured out that can charge for an additional storage for the next several years. Sincerely, I do not need few hundred kilograms of floor tiles and few square meters of floor wood meant for the next renovation of our apartment in Switzerland to be transported to Italy. Ski equipment, bikes and other valuable belongings probably would disappear before reaching unauthorized storage of Graebel, and I would have zero chance to claim anything. Luckily this has been reverted as void claim from Graebel.
9. The other thing Crapel announced, was that the air transport is 3 to 4 weeks (!). Our air transport took 4 days from Switzerland to Hong Kong.
Let me describe how the mechanism works: (here is the extract form the “valuation policy” of Graebel:
Graebel will agree to accept responsibility for such goods while in temporary storage for up to 90 days at origin and/or destination. Graebel offers an extension of storage protection for an additional rate. After a total of 90 days in storage-in-transit, protection extension can be purchased for US$2.50 per US$1000 of declared value per month.
Let’s say that our belongings have a value of 200 000 usd. If the furniture and other belongings will not arrive, JTI will be paying to Graebel 200 x 2.50 USD = 500 USD extra per month. Crapel will do all to get the lowest transit rates, what means that the goods will be waiting for load to the cargo ship for an extended period of time, and can be waiting in the port for another indefinite amount of time (or being said “waiting in the port” and being kept in Graebelfacility. Any extra day gives prorated income to Graebel).
10. As informed by Asian Tigers, the furniture rental covers 8 weeks. As stated by Graebel, the sea shipment is 9 to 11 weeks, but the customer (should be us, but clearly we are not treated this way) has no control on the total time of the shipment, given that the delivery to London (example above) had several weeks of delay, delivery time of 4 months or more is totally possible. In the comparison to the statement of Asian Tigers, the sea shipment will be between 5 and 6 weeks (half of the time stated as minimal time). Our furniture delivery from Switzerland to Hong Kong (and Switzerland has no access to the sea) took 5 weeks. Malaysia is closer to Europe, yet, for Graebel the minimum delivery time is 9 weeks, what exceeds our furniture rental.
11. Anything we ask is NOT PERMITTED, or BULKY or WILL NOT BE TRANSPORTED, or another reason, There is no GOOD WILL to arrange anything or find a suitable solution, there is only a push back and expectation that we will throw things away (like our home gym or cross trainer). The latest development: Graebel decided that our table (travelling with us since 2019) is “too heavy” and the two kids beds are too complicated, and requested an additional payment from our pocket 6600 USD (!!!)
Agreeing to the Graebel LACK OF SERVICE will be a suicidal move. JTI turned back to the person who claimed all the damages, the same will happen to us.
Relocation is a source of enormous stress and is rated as the 3rd most stressful event in the life of a family, after death and divorce. Sadly, the employee doesn’t count in this equation, only the “global partner” imposed by force by the JTI, Graebel, arrogant and self-confident of having another sum in the pocket. Using Graebel will be an equivalent of putting a gasoline on all our belongings by JTI and setting the fire: there is no insurance policy, to cover anything when damaged, especially on the last stretch, from port to door.
We have belongings which we collect all our life, including belongings of sentimental value, high financial value, collectibles and antiques. This all or a big part can be damage without any recompense, as we can’t even pay an insurance policy from our pocket (the reason stated above). Whatever “insurance policy” (if exists) is refused to be on our name. This situation puts a dark shadow on our winter holidays, planned for a very long time, and puts me in the situation of enormous stress, as I have to supervise the entire packing and moving by myself.
As there is no other solution proposed, I have no choice as to pull the plug on the “offered relocation by Greabel” and organize the relocation by myself, with a company which OFFERS AN INSURANCE. I will finance the relocation from my pocket and I will be not humiliated by a worst relocation company on the planet. This cannot be contested and cannot be forbidden by the JTI.
For the last two years I have seen the deterioration of services offered by the JTI. After arriving to Malaysia we have been sleeping on the floor for 7 weeks, because the fantastic relocation services were not able to propose anything even remotely fulfilling the requirement for lodgment. Only when I took things in my hands, I managed to secure the house in 48 h.
Here I will not walk like a cow to a slaughter house, to witness lack of respect to our household belongings. I wonder who took the bribe to make Graebel a “global partner” because if I was in legal department I would never allow such proceedings without insurance and guarantee of quality for an employee.
I feel a moral obligation to inform everyone who I know and who will be moving soon with JTI to read this text and seriously reconsider to trust the move to Greabel. If JTI wants to be a cash cow, it will be not at the expense of my health and my relationship.