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You know that you shouldn't drive your car without the right insurance,
but you might not know that you have to think about insurance when shipping
your vehicle too. When you load your automobile onto the transport truck
you don't know what it might be in for and if you haven't double checked
both your and your auto
shipping company's policies, you may be left footing the bill for scratches,
dents or worse.
Most reliable car
and truck transport companies carry the insurance required to cover
any damage that occurs to the vehicles they're shipping (and in the vast
majority of cases, transported cars arrive at their destination in perfect
condition). However, as with any kind of insurance, there can be lots of
caveats. Before you trust your automobile to a moving company, check out
123 Movers' advice on insurance and the vehicle shipping process.
Keep the following in mind:
- Before you settle on which auto shipping company to use, ask the companies
you're interested in for their insurance certificate. They're all required
by law to have one. Don't be afraid to ask questions about their policies
either. Will your car be covered for any damage that occurs during shipping?
Or are only certain parts of the car (i.e. the body) covered? Will you be
required to pay a deductible?
- Make sure to get any promises or assurances from the auto transport company
in writing.
- It's possible that your auto insurance will also cover the vehicle. Call
your company or agent check into the specifics. Is the coverage the same
while the automobile's being shipped? Do you have to provide the company
with any notification?
- Before handing over your keys, empty your car of any and all personal
items. There are a number of reasons for this: First, most transport companies'
insurance won't cover any objects in the car, should they end up damaged.
The extra weight, if it's substantial, could damage the vehicle's exhaust
system and objects inside the car could move around and damage the interior.
Chances are neither kind of damage will be covered by the transporter's
insurance. Also, be aware of the other ways you'll need to prepare
your car for shipping .
- When you drop your vehicle off at the shipping company, a transport truck
driver or company representative will inspect the vehicle before loading
it in order to note any pre-existing damage. Be sure to be there during
the examination. It can't hurt to take a few snapshots of your car before
the move either, as evidence, in case something should happen.
- When your automobile is dropped off the same inspection process will
take place again, this time to check for any damage that might have occurred
during shipping. It's important you do a thorough check and note all damage
on the condition report (also known a “bill of lading”) before
you accept the car. Make sure to check the vehicle's undercarriage and start
it up to check for mechanical damages, don't just look it over. Again, bringing
along a camera for documentation can't hurt. If you take possession of the
car at night, try to do the inspection under bright lights so you don't
miss anything.
- If any damage has been done to your vehicle during shipping, note it
on the bill of lading, get the driver to sign it and then contact the auto
shipping company directly for reimbursement.
- If you don't feel your auto shipping company has treated you fairly during
the claims process you can file a complaint with your local Better Business
Bureau. You can also contact the U.S. Department of Transportation if your
vehicle was transported over state lines. However, the U.S. DOT can't do
much to help unless you already have a court judgment against the moving
company.
It may be a lot to process, but there's no substitute for making sure your
auto transport insurance is set up right. To get the process started, scroll
to the top of the page for free auto transport quotes. |
