Ship Your Car in One Piece and Ensure Peace of Mind
Hastily trusting your car to the first trucking company you come across is the last thing you want, sign a contract on faith, have your car picked up already that day, and then in Pompeii or Paris have the shipment delayed. Your vehicle is finally but with damage and you can’t prove it wasn’t there before.
Informing you on how best to submit your property for transportation themselves is something good companies may do. Save time by preparing your car beforehand and it is best to be self-informed. The responsibility for any overlooked issues rest wholly with the client so make sure the busy clerk doesn’t forget a point or two.
It is better to be fastidious than a careless slacker where your car is concerned. It is not uncommon for occurrences of scandalous customer service involving expensive cargo. Inspect you car minutely before admitting it to a company clerk, pay particular attention to the motor. So that later you will not have to wrack your brains about a bunch of wires you never before noticed it is better to be fully aware of the motor’s condition before shipment.
It is better to remove any removable customized accessories, radios, alarms, mirrors, etc. Make sure not to leave in plain sight inside the car any precious or even not so precious objects which might invite a break-in (some people think nothing of breaking into a car to steal a false Zippo). Check the tires for air and wear. Any damage that remains unrepaired upon submission should be listed in the agreement and signed by both parties. A company official will likely want to check the car himself in your presence, but don’t be afraid to nag them with a host of small detail – good carrier companies will only be glad to oblige their customers and a display of vigilance might deter bad companies from carelessly handling your property.
Over the phone and by mail there are too many insurance policies offered and a reasonable person would be insane to pay for all of them. It is better to buy insurance from them against damage and theft no matter how trustworthy they seem.
Decide whether you want primary or excess insurance and inquire beforehand if the company offers the one you prefer. The primary insurance policy will cover damages independently of what is covered by your regular auto insurance. The excess policy covers only what your regular insurance doesn’t: make sure you know precisely what you are and aren’t currently covered against.
There are companies which specialize in shipping exotic vehicles, antiques or classic cars. Their carriers are specially designed to handle such precious property, but an insurance contract which will cover everything that is dear to you about the unit is still advisable.
It is good to take digitally-dated photos of your car prior to shipping, inspect the car with the truck driver no matter in how a shipshape shape the ship is, and to inspect the car for apparent damage immediately and it the presence of the driver/official at the destination, filing a claim immediately, if politely, in case you find any new objectionable damage.
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