Pat Goss' Tips & Expert Advice

Don't Ship A Car Without Adequate Insurance

While most car shipping companies are reliable and most employees they hire are honest, you shouldn't assume that nothing harmful will happen to your car during shipping. Horror stories have occured to people shipping a car both inside the U.S. and overseas. The most important thing to know is that you should never assume an auto shipper will guarantee coverage of any damage to your car. You must investigate car shipping insurance before you agree to have your car shipped.

First, you should check with your current car insurance agent to see what type of coverage might be available on your existing policy. Make sure you clarify detailed items such as deductibles, exclusions and how a repair will be made if a car is damaged during shipping. Next, you should see what types of insurance might be offered by the auto mover you choose to hire. Most often, you'll have to pay more to get adequate, additional insurance this way. Read the fine print and get guarantees in writing.

Although the cost of additional insurance might seem high, it may be worth it. Even if your car is damaged during shipping due to negligence of the shipper, the burden will likely fall on you to prove it.