It’s one thing to order a book online and have it shipped to your home. It’s quite another to ship an automobile across an equally great distance. Whether you bought a car online or need to ship it to a new home when moving across the country, working with the right shipping company will ensure that your vehicle safely reaches its destination. While it’s best to look for freight companies close to your home, there are a few important factors every driver should consider when shipping an automobile.
1. Insurance
Regardless of how reputable a shipping company may seem, it is essential that you understand their insurance policy. Accidents happen, and the last thing you want is to be left financially responsible for damage that occurred to your vehicle during transportation. Be aware of all insurance issues that could affect your financial responsibility, including coverage limits and deductibles.
Inspecting the condition of your vehicle both before and after shipment will allow you to file a claim, should that be necessary.
2. Prepping Your Vehicle
Prior to dropping off your vehicle, you should remove all personal belongings from inside. This helps prevent accidental damage or property loss. Even toll road passes should be removed, as they could be scanned while on the road — an extra charge you don’t want to pay for!
In addition, make sure that your car battery is in good condition and that gas is in the tank. This will make it easier for the transportation team to load and unload your vehicle. Some shippers charge an additional fee if they are unable to drive your car on or off the trailer.
3. Price vs. Reputation
It’s understandable that you would want to save money when shipping a car across the country — but the cheapest solution isn’t always the best. For one thing, a higher price tag could mean the difference between an open or enclosed trailer, which directly affects how well your vehicle will be protected from road hazards.
While it’s certainly worthwhile to find someone who offers affordable rates, you should never neglect a company’s reputation. Getting recommendations from friends or family and checking online reviews is a great way to ensure that your company of choice will live up to its service promises.
The Right Shipper
When you select the right logistics team, you will be able to have peace of mind knowing that your vehicle is being cared for as it is transported across the country. By doing the necessary research and taking the proper steps to prep your vehicle for transportation, it will arrive at its destination looking just as good as when it left.
