One of the biggest fears of anyone who books with an auto transport company is that their vehicle gets damaged somehow. Damages during transport are rare, but they have happened to many in the auto transport industry. For the most part, there is a process of how to handle these damages and we are here to go through it with you.
Before the Transport
Before any vehicles are put onto carriers, both parties will (or really should) take time to do a full-body inspection on the vehicles. The owner should have the car washed so that any chips, dents, and scrapes on the body of the vehicle (if there are clear damages, you still need to right those down). The driver will make an even better inspection when they came to pick-up the vehicle but comparing notes with them will make the process smoother. Before even this step, the customer needs to check that their engine, exhaust, tires, and everything in between is in top shape and is not prone to moving around, falling out, stalling, etc. If you need advice on what to check, feel free to contact the auto transport and ask what the list is. The reason to do this is because if any damages were to happen, you want to minimize any blame that damages were caused by neglect of care or faulty parts.
During Transport
If any damages happen during transport, then the driver will call the customer and notify them. Note that they will call only if they see any damages (chip damages by open car transport will not be reported or covered by any auto transport company). Sometimes, damages happen internally, but they mostly happen externally. Damages such as the top deck falling onto the lower deck in Open and Enclosed vehicles have happened due to lack preparation (this is rare, especially in experienced auto transport companies).
After the Transport
If any damages were not spotted, but as a customer you spot even one, do not accept the vehicle because then you cannot have the auto transport company insure your vehicle (look at the contract and ask the auto transport company for more details). If damages were discussed before- hand, then the auto transport company must be called to deal with insurance and logistics. As long as you can prove that you took all the precautions to every aspect of your vehicle, you will be more likely to not have to pay insurance for your vehicle.
