If you need to choose a car shipping company, the two key aspects to consider are the cost of transportation and the services you will get. Trust me, you will not want to load your vehicle in the best condition, just for it to arrive with dents, scratches, and damages that will create extra costs for you, especially if the company does not have an insurance policy in place.
Hence, it is important for you to understand what is included in the services you are paying for. In the text below, you will learn about the things that should be included in a vehicle shipping package plan. Let’s take a closer look:
What Type of Company Did You Choose
Firstly, it is important that you determine what kind of company you are working with. There are three types including:
1. Car Carriers – this type includes a truck picking up and delivering your vehicle. It is always a good thing to be able to communicate directly with the person in charge of transporting your vehicle, however, they will be driving constantly, hence, they might not be able to answer your calls.
2. Car Shipping Brokers – they will work as an intermediary the transportation carriers and you. They will not try to collect and sell your data, however, they will communicate with the carrier instead of you, hence, they will ensure that the shipment goes well.
3. Lead Providers – if you saw a website or several of them promising five quotes in one click, they are vehicle shipping lead providers. They will collect the email address and the data you provided. And, they will sell it to a company that offers the most money. They might also give your information to a third party.
The Services That Should be Included
Open-air and Enclosed Carriers
The first thing you should check is if you can choose how you will ship your vehicle. So, you will need to opt for either an open-air or enclosed carrier. An open-air trailer is what most people choose and it is the cheapest method.
However, you should be aware that an open-air carrier might not protect it from weather elements, such as rain, snow, or the Sun. Hence, if you opt for this one, do not be surprised if you need to wash or repair your car when it arrives. On the other hand, although an enclosed trailer is more expensive, it will keep your car protected against the elements and other things that might occur along the road.
Do They Offer Insurance?
For most people, their car is the biggest investment they have made in their lives. And that is why they want to protect it by getting it insured. However, you should know that some of the policies might not include or cover the damages done by shipping your car to a different place. That is why you will want to check what type of insurance the company offers. Keep in mind that they should be responsible for any damages done to your car – and that should be stated in the insurance.
Door-to-Door Shipping and Terminal-to-Terminal Shipping
Although it will depend on the business you chose, all companies should also provide these two shipping options. According to auto transport experts, the door-to-door method is more expensive, however, it allows you to be carefree about the pick-up location. The terminal-to-terminal method is cheaper, but you will need spear time to make the necessary arrangements.
A Specific Quote on the Transportation Costs
The expenses you will have will be determined by several factors including:
1. The route length that the driver needs to pass
2. The transportation type you opted for (either an open-air or enclosed carriers)
3. If you chose to buy an insurance policy from the shipment company
4. The model and make of the car
5. The size and weight of the car
6. Any import and export expenses
The things previously featured in the list above will all influence the bill you will get, hence, you should ask the company’s representative to provide you with a detailed quote on the expenses included. So, this will provide you with an efficient way to compare prices, as well as to determine if you are paying too much for the service you will get.
Give The Company More Details
If you want to ensure that your car gets to its location safely, you will want to provide the company with some details. The documents that you might want to provide include the title and registration, insurance policy, identification, and any other document that the company might ask for. The only thing you should expect from them is that your vehicle will arrive safe and in good condition to its location.
An Option for Choosing the Means of Transportation
Now, not all companies will have available options below for the vehicles they use for transporting vehicle, however, it is worth mentioning since you might want to choose another option instead of shipping your car by a truck. The options you might want to consider include:
1. Transporting by Truck
As previously mentioned, this is the cheapest way to get your car from one to another location. However, by opting for this option, you are at risk of getting your car back with dents, scratches, or larger damages. Keep in mind that the companies do take extra measures to prevent these things from happening, but it is possible.
2. Transporting by Train
Choosing train transport is safer, however, it comes with other disadvantages. The biggest one being that you will still need to use a truck to get it to the train and from the train to the destination you initially wanted. Hence, it does ensure safety but will end up costing more.
3. Transporting by Plane
This is perhaps the safest way of transportation from this list. However, it will be a major hit to your wallet since it will come with an expensive price tag. You should choose this option if your car is brand new.
4. Transporting by Ship
Yet another safe way of transporting. But, it also has its limits since it will take longer for your vehicle to arrive. Also, similarly to transporting it via train, you will need a truck to transport it on and off of it. Hence, it will also end up costing more money.
Conclusion
As you can see, these are some of the most important things a car shipping company should include in their service. Hence, now that you know what your options should be, do not waste any more time and start researching different shipping services!