Car Shipping Basics

It is always best to have the car washed before getting it shipped. Remove any personal items, valuable or not, to avoid losses while the car is being transported. Since the weight of the car is one of the considerations on appraising the cost, remove any accessory that only adds up to the weight. Having the gas tank almost empty will also save up on the shipping cost. The alarm system should also be de-activated to save on the battery life. Make sure to have a spare set of keys when the vehicle is surrendered for shipment.

Insurance

Study well the insurance offered by the shipping company in order to be assured that any loss or damage to the vehicle throughout the transport will be covered. Secure a copy of the insurance policy before handing over the vehicle to the company.

Inspection

The company?s inspector must do a thorough inspection of the vehicle prior to the transport. The status of the car as well as all damages noted during the pre-transport inspection must be documented in what is called a Bill of Lading, a copy of which is given to the owner. Both the owner and the company representative must sign this. The owner must also talk to the company should there by any special arrangements needed for the vehicle. Upon the delivery to the destination, the vehicle must be re-examined for any new damage that might have occurred during the transport. If there is new damage, the owner must file an insurance claim within two weeks.

Cost

The price of car shipping depends on the distance of the location from the destination and the type of transport one would avail. There are open and closed transports. These two differ greatly in cost since the open transport costs almost half of the closed one. Considerations whether the company accepts checks, and whether there are additional fee for special services must also be noted. A person may try getting quotation first from different companies to compare the prices.