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Shipping your car has never been easier. With online quotes, a fleet of trailers at the ready, and online quotes and logistics, it’s just a matter of calling to schedule a pickup. However, with things becoming faster and easier, some things may fall through the cracks. Shipping companies are delivering more vehicles than ever before. This means it’s important for you as a customer to know you’re getting all the information you need. Some things may only be important if things go wrong. Since more often than not, car shipping goes off without a hitch, shipping companies may glance over some important documents you really should pay attention to. However, we break down these two very important documents just incase you’re unfamiliar with them. That way you know what to look out for. These include the insurance terms and the bill of lading.

The Insurance Terms

Some shipping companies may not include their insurance right there in their quote. If they don’t, that’s a red flag. Others may not carry insurance at all to make shipping cheaper. If they don’t, find another shipper ASAP. This is because, more often than not, your own insurance won’t cover your vehicle while it’s in transport. Shipping companies not only should carry insurance, but in most cases, they are legally obligated to. The question is, how much is enough?

Obviously, you need to make sure that they have enough insurance to cover your vehicle. If you have a luxury vehicle or a classic car, that may be a lot. However, chances are your car isn’t the only car on the shipping trailer. Large double-deck open transport trailers can carry up to ten vehicles. That means you’re going to want to make sure they have enough for your vehicle plus nine additional vehicles. Just ask your shipping provider to send you the insurance terms. A simple glance can save you a ton of headaches in the long run.

The Bill of Lading

This document is a tricky one. Your shipper may present it to you as a receipt of shipping, but it’s so much more than that. If you’ve ever rented a car, you’re already somewhat familiar with how a bill of lading works. When the driver arrives, they’ll perform an inspection on your vehicle. Here they’ll mark any prior damage and write it in the bill of lading. This ensures they’re not liable for any preexisting problems. When your car arrives at its destination, they’ll ask you to sign the bill of lading, and you’ll be on your way. However, don’t sign just yet. What you’re signing is saying that the car arrived exactly how it left. Before you sign, take a moment to perform your own inspection to ensure that’s actually the case.

If something does go wrong, the insurance company may only look at the bill of lading. They’ll see that you signed without marking any additional damage and dismiss your case. They see the bill of lading as law. If it’s not on there, it doesn’t exist. It’s more than likely nothing went wrong and everything’s fine. However, in the rare case they do, you’ll be happy you have an up-to-date bill of lading.

Important Documents Only Matter if You Use Them.

It’s no fault of the shipping company for glancing over these documents. After all, they hardly ever need them. Your car arrives in perfect condition, and these documents just become protocol. They’re only really required if something goes wrong. However, an informed customer is a happy customer.

If you want to be a happy customer and still need a shipping company, give Omaha Car Transport a call today. With industry-leading insurance included right there in the quote delivered instantly to your inbox, there’s no reason not to call. We offer an assortment of trailers for any vehicle type and door-to-door shipping for the easiest shipping experience. Let us be your go-to shipper today!