Do I Need Insurance to Ship a Car?

There are several reasons why you need to get insurance for your car if you were planning to ship them across the US. Either you are moving from one city to another or buying a car hundreds of miles away from your location, renting a car transport company is really one of the essential things you need to do. But the questions are: 

• Do I really need to avail insurance for my car?

• Is it reliable? Is it expensive?

• What are the guarantees I can receive if an accident occurs while my car is in transit?

Car Insurance is needed and required for every car shipping services. The United States Department of Transportation imposed a law that all car shipping services must have the insurance in every transaction they make.

They must be duly registered under the US Department of Transportation and all car transporters across the US are mandated to register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. So if you want to verify a car shipping company, you can freely visit their website to get the registration number of this company and check for their legitimacy. It is a protection for their consumers whenever an accident or unforeseen circumstances arise. Car transporter companies may insure your car up to fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00). Never ever transact to a car shipping services that is not registered.

What’s your First Move?

Read and understand every detail on your document.

Ask. Call your shipping company and ensure you understand everything from the start they get your car, the document and fees down to receiving your vehicle.

Ask them what will happen if a damaged occurs while your car is still in transit. How much are their coverage from scratch down to accident? What are their policies on this matter?

Double check the company’s policies prior to your signed contract.

Another thing you may want to consider is to conduct a thorough inspection of the condition of your car before you sign the Bill of Lading. It is a detailed document describing the condition of the car. It is essential that you check every parts and angle of your car – undercarriage, exterior and sides, mirrors, etc. If it happens that a scratch, damage or dents occur while under their possession, contact the shipping company for reimbursement.

It is important that you do your part to avoid abusive car shipping companies. You can also leave negative reviews on their website or on yelp so that many will be aware about their behavior whenever a problem arises on their part and did not take any actions.

No operation is perfect and there are instances that an unforeseen accident may happen. And if this happen to you, call the shipping company and follow the rules for filing a complaint. If they fail to get a reimbursement for the damaged incurred, then you may want to file a complaint at the U.S. Department of Transportation. A reputable and trustworthy company takes their job seriously from beginning to end.