Protecting Yourself when Hiring Auto Shippers
May 15th, 2008 by adminIf you’re looking to have some automobiles moved, the company you choose is important. Let’s face it, whether you own 1 car or 15, you want to ensure that your vehicles get moved the right war, and arrive in the same condition that they left.
With the wrong auto shipper, you may find that what you expected isn’t what you get at all. You won’t be doing yourself any favors if you choose a company who isn’t qualified, or that doesn’t carry the right insurance coverage.
Luckily, choosing the right shipper doesn’t need to be difficult. With a few simple checks you can ensure that you choose a company who will work for you, and in doing so, ensure that you get the service you expect.
Things You should Check
There are a few things you need to know before you hire a shipper for your auto transport needs. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a family moving across the country, and just need a single vehicle mover, or a dealership with extensive auto shipping needs; without knowing about insurance, authority, and business records you may be putting your car at risk.
- Insurance: The first thing you are going to want to check is the shippers insurance. There are two ways to confirm a transporters insurance coverage. You can go to the FMCSA’s web site (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration)and search by authority number. You can also call the carriers insurance provider directly. What you need to ensure is that they have liability coverage, and damage insurance that would cover the cost of your auto(s).
- Authority: You should also check the carriers qualifications. Are they registered with the FMCSA? Is there any local or state authority’s that they must be registered with where they work? Finding this out, helps you to ensure that you are choosing a carrier that takes regulations and safety seriously.
- History: The last thing you can check is the auto shippers business history. Do they have claims with the better business bureau, for example? If they do, were they satisfied promptly? Another way to check is to ask for references and then actually take the time to call those references. In doing so you will quickly learn about any past problems, and how they were resolved.
Conclusion
Choosing an auto shipper doesn’t need to be difficult. Taking a few minutes of your time, to check a company’s qualifications, can go a long way in protecting yourself, and your car(s). If you are in need of auto transport, we highly recommend that you take the time to make sure you pick a company that works for you.
May 15th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Many insurance carriers call the “damage insurance” you refer to cargo insurance. It is far more important to the shipper than liability insurance. Keep in mind that your vehicle could be on a large truck with many other expensive vehicles and so the coverage needs to be enough to cover 10 cars, not just yours. You also may want to check the deductible to make sure you are comfortable that the carrier can pay that easily if something goes wrong. The best thing to do is use a reputable carrier that will take care of any problems that do occur.
August 19th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
[...] Yes. You need to know where the company goes (obviously) to ensure there routes match your destination. You will also want to do a few background checks on the company before you hand them your keys. For more information, please see the article Protecting Yourself when Hiring Auto Shippers. [...]