10 Step Car Shipping Checklist to Prepare You and Your Car for Shipping

Are you getting ready for a move? Are you a snowbird? Or, are you relocating a family member to a new location? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might want to consider shipping your car for either, need or ease. If you’re planning to ship your car, we are happy to offer you this list of 10 steps to help you in your car shipping process. If you follow these 10 simple steps you will find your car shipping process to be a stress free experience!

10 Step Car Shipping Checklist to Prepare You and Your Car for Shipping:

10. Auto Insurance – Call your own insurance company to see if your coverage will give you a buffer in the event that you’ll need to file a claim. While you are talking to the car shipping company, it is best to inquire and learn in detail what their insurance does and does not cover for you. And, ask them to email or mail any information they have about it so you can go over it yourself. Keeping your car safe when you’re shipping your car is very important!

9. Wash your car and do a pre-inspection before the driver shows up to pick up your car for shipping can be a great ease of mind. Look it over for scratches, dings, dents, and scuffs. Record photos for extra security. Shipping a car can be worrisome, it’s best to alleviate as much worry as you can when your car is in the process of being shipped.

8. If your car has customized accessories like a spoiler kit, skirt, or under-carriage lights, secure or remove them prior to shipping to prevent damage.

7. Make sure the car works – If the car doesn’t start, and the driver was unaware they may not have the equipment with them to load the car, creating a car shipping nightmare for you. We suggest checking the night before, morning of, and right before the car is to be picked up for shipping.

6. When you’re shipping your car, it is best to leave around a quarter of a tank of gas. There is no need to have a topped off or full tank of gas in the car you are going to ship.

5. If you have any EZ-passes or toll passes, make sure they are not left on the windshield of the car you are shipping. If you leave them in the car being shipped, every toll the truck goes through the scanner will also scan your car and you will get billed for it. You are shipping your car to save money not spend more!

4. Make sure the driver has a copy of your alarm to turn it off in case it engages on the trip, or you can unplug the alarm before your car is shipped.

3. If you are not paying your entire car shipment on credit card upfront, be ready to pay the rest when the driver shows up to ship your car. Not all drivers will be able to take credit cards there, so make sure when you set up your car shipping that you know what forms of payment can be used to finalize the shipping of your car.

2. Don’t panic if the car is running late. A lot of things can slow down and change the time a car will arrive once it has been shipped. Traffic, weather, road work, and mechanical failure are all things that could happen along the way. Be sure to leave as much of a window as you can when shipping your car, just in case the world doesn’t work perfectly in your favor and an issue arises while your car is being shipped.

1. When the car arrives, be sure to check it over and make notes or take photos of any damage that occurred during the shipping. You will need to take this up with the broker and not the driver. Be sure to have a copy of all the information you will need to send to both the broker and to your car insurance company. Doing a thorough background check before you hire a car shipping company can help you avoid any need for this worry.