Beware of Fraudsters When Shipping Your Car: Keep This Tips in Mind

When it comes to shipping your beloved car across the country, there are plenty of car transport companies to choose from. All the transport companies serve the same purpose, but there are some factors you need to consider to get the right company for you. 

You should know that different companies may have differences in their quality of service, or they may have involved in some fraudster in the past. There may be auto transport companies that play with deceptive tactics like offering car transport services at too low cost to attract service seekers. 

Since the internet allows easy market access to everyone, fraudulent can easily cheat and lie and deceive people. Thus, it’s crucial to be cautious and attentive to whom you hire to ship your car. 

The best thing to do as a consumer is to be especially cautious about who you hire to transport your car. Below are the guidelines that will help you find the right car shipping company:

Check If They Are Registered

Any business dealing with car shipping services, (especially when they are crossing state lines) need to be registered with the DOT Department of Transport. Interstate car shipping companies must also have a Motor Carrier number, which you can verify on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website. If you want to transport your vehicle overseas, the company must be registered with the Federal Maritime Commission.

Check Their Website

Reputed companies will not only invest in their website, but also care about the way they present themselves. Unusable, bad or outdated design are all signs of a company that is not professional and can’t be trusted for the long haul. A reputable and well-designed website will clearly have a contact number as well as the address of the company you are working with.

Be Cautious of Unrealistic Quotes

The importance of getting quotes before hiring an auto transport company can’t be overemphasized. You must obtain quotes from multiple auto transport companies. 

Cross-check if there is something suspicious or too good to be true. Do not forget to compare the quotes.  By the time you have multiple car shipping quotes, you will have an idea of the average auto shipping costs. Acceptable quotes would fall within the expected range. While many people tend to focus on the high-end companies, you should discuss everything with the manager to save yourself from high hidden fees.

Avoid Multiple Bid Sites

Be cautious of the websites that take your details and resell to too many different brokers. This can get you in trouble as you can get overwhelmed with emails and phone calls. Another major issue is that most third party leading companies have no screening processes, which means anyone can sign up.  Remember that the website operators are just in the business of selling your details to the highest and most times unscrupulous bidders.

Check Insurance

Established freight brokers carry additional insurance to ensure their customers with extra protection. While the DOT does not need brokers to have cargo insurance, renowned companies always do. Every broker is obliged to have a bond of a certain amount for the protection of the carriers in case of brokers go insolvent; they can get some of the money back. To protect vehicle owners and customers, brokers must buy contingent cargo insurance. This will help if the carrier’s insurance company disproves a damage claim.

Shipping your vehicle is a big decision, so do your research, take your time, and make an informed decision for your needs!