Yes, we know what you’re going to tell us: why hire a shipping many if an accident is going to happen anyway? Well, accidents happen whether we want it or not. You can’t predict what’s going to happen.
This is not a possibility we as humans possess. You hire an auto transport company to minimize the chances of an accident happening to your vehicle on a cross-country trip. But, as we said, sometimes, things will take an u-turn. It’s just how life goes.
When the worst happens it is vital to know how to react. This is why we’re here. In this article, we are going to discuss the six steps to take if your car gets damaged during auto transport. You’ll be thinking about all the worst scenarios when this happens, but it is important to keep a cool head.
Once you go through this article you’ll know better how to react and what to do. It’s good to get rid of the initial shock as fast as possible and start taking action. Let’s see how you’re going to do that. It’s not too hard, just keep reading, and remain focused. You’re in good hands.
1. Prepare For The Accident
How, you must be asking yourself, when you’re not expecting it? But, it can be done, and you should do it. Starting early is vital when you’re dealing with Car Shipping Carriers. So, before you hand over your car to them, you should have its appearance and general condition well documented.
Make sure that you have both exterior and interior handled before shipment, and make sure that all doors and windows are closed and that there are no leaks. These days all of this should be easy as you can take photos and create videos with your smartphone. It is all right for you to do this, as the people from the shipping company will do the same.
In this department you share a common interest – you want your care delivered undamaged and they want to preserve their company’s good name. The driver will be instructed to review your vehicle before loading.. once you both agree on the condition of your vehicle you’ll sign documentation that will guarantee its condition before shipping.
2. Check The Insurance
Of course, this is a move you’ll make before the shipment. Vehicle transport companies have insurance of their own, and you have yours. If the damage that happens during the transportation is covered by either, there’s no reason to get nervous.
But, what’s possible is that the damage that happens to your car is not covered by your insurance. In this instance, you need to make sure that the company in charge of transportation is responsible and that you get compensated.
Things can go south real quick when there’s money involved. So, before losing your mind, go through the insurance policies before you start taking legal action.
3. Do a Photo Session
If you notice the damage, you need to take action. Pull your phone and start taking photos. You already have pictures of the car before shipment, and now you need to have those upon delivery. It is vital to take the same set of photos so that the difference is visible.
This is the best way to prove that your vehicle was damaged during the trip. Even if the damage is not visible immediately you’re advised to take photos anyway. Sometimes you’ll see that something is not right when you go through the photos. While photos are seen as a pest these days due to the presence of social media platforms in this case they can do you a favor.
4. Try to Resolve Issues
Before filing a claim, you should probably try to do things peacefully. Sometimes it’s easy to spot damage, and the company will have no issues admitting its mistake. If the damage is visible, and the price can be quickly determined you can get compensated real quickly.
This is a move many companies decide to do right on the spot, as they’ll avoid any possible legal fees if they already see their fault. If you accept to receive compensation straight out of the pocket all that is left is to sign disclosure papers that you won’t be pursuing any future legal action.
5. File a Claim
If there’s no space for a friendly solution, this is your next step. You have thirty days to file a claim. In most cases, you’ll notice the damage upon the vehicle’s delivery. This is the moment to take action. Once you see what’s wrong tell the diver about it.
When you do this on the spot, you can file a claim on that same day. Even if you don’t react immediately, nothing is over yet. But, you need to know that in situations like these, there’s not much time to waste.
If you took the car from the spot of the delivery, the moment you notice the damage it is vital to contact the company in charge of transportation immediately. You need to do this within the set time limit of thirty days. Also, you need to provide enough evidence that the damage occurred during the transportation. If you took our advice, the first step should be of help here.
6. Take Bill of Lading
This is one of the most important documents you’ll receive upon the delivery of your vehicle. You must get a hold of your bill of lading once you take over your car. This document will have the condition of your vehicle beforehand, and you’ll be able to add the state in which you find it afterward.
The two reports will be compared and it will be evident this way what went wrong in the mid-time. Together with the photos and videos, you’ll have a great set of evidence if your designated carriers aren’t willing to cooperate. Luckily, you have many weapons at your disposal, and after reading this article your arsenal just expanded.
