Posts Tagged ‘car shipping contract’

What to Look for in the Vehicle Shipping Contract

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

251732_agreement__signing

While all contracts are confusing, those from vehicle shipping companies may be even more so, simply because you don’t know what to expect and look for. Before you sign anything and put yourself (and your car) at risk, keep the following in mind:

Make sure everything that was promised orally is put in writing into the contract. If there are complaints, whatever is in the contract will be used to solve them.

Look for fees and other extra payments that are mentioned in the contract. There should be a cancellation fee quoted, which you should pay if you cancel the pick up. Also, look for fees added if you’re not at home when the car arrives (and it has to be transported to a new location).

Find out what the car shipping insurance coverage includes. Ideally, it should cover both damage and theft. Verify what the deductible is, if any. Also, insurance might be primary or secondary to your own insurance, which makes a big difference in terms of expenses. Finally, find out if anything voids the warranty, so you can prevent the problem. Many car transport companies will void your warranty if you leave items in the trunk, for example.

Understanding Car Shipping Insurance

Friday, July 17th, 2009

xxxx1

Not all car shipping insurances are the same, and just because your contract includes mention of insurance coverage does not mean all types of damages are covered.

The first step is to know what the basic coverage includes. In most cases, this covers protection against theft and damage during vehicle transport. Coverage, however, may not include damage caused during storage (if you’re not available to receive your car on the stop) or once the car is accepted into international customs. Also, insurance from your car shipping company may not cover accessories, such as radios, alarm systems or DVD players, especially if they are not factory standard.

Another thing to ask your car shipping company is whether their insurance is primary or secondary to your own. If it’s secondary, your own insurance company will pay for damages first, and the vehicle shipping company will pick up the tab for anything not covered by your own insurance. While this protects you against out-of-pocket expenses, it may result in insurance rate increases in the long run, so you might want to find out the pros and cons of each option.

Don’t Forget to Read the Fine Print of Car Shipping Contract

Sunday, May 31st, 2009

 

678902_contract_3

When dealing with any sort of problem with the shipping of your vehicle, always study your contract. The tendency for most people is to head to the car shipping company office and ask for clarification face to face with an employee. But the problem with this is that sometimes wrong information can be given, either by mistake or on purpose.

The way around this is to verify any questions you may have by consulting the contract and then speaking with your car shipping company rep. Rest assured, when a problem arises on the side of the auto shipper, they will always check the contract first.

Look for a few specific things in the contract. Make certain that the cost of auto shipping, as well as cost for cancellation, is listed. Once the cancellation fee is confirmed, consult with the vehicle shipping company that this fee will be waived if for any reason the company fails to pick-up the car within the time frame listed. Also, double check your dates for both pick-up and delivery.

Another consideration for customers concerns rental cars. In the instance where a car transport company cannot deliver your vehicle within a certain number of days of the stated delivery date, negotiate their picking up the tab on a rental car while you wait for your own car to arrive.