Insurance
Shipping Terms & Insurance
Most insurance disputes in auto transport come down to one thing: what was written on the delivery report before it was signed. Here is how coverage actually works.
Who insures your vehicle
Your vehicle is covered by the assigned carrier's cargo insurance policy while it is in their possession. Federal regulation requires authorised motor carriers to maintain this coverage.
As a broker we verify that the policy is active before dispatch, and we will send you the certificate on request. We are not the insurer, and claims are made against the carrier's policy rather than ours.
Before you book, ask for the certificate. A legitimate operator provides it without hesitation. Any reluctance to show current cargo cover is worth taking seriously.
What cargo insurance covers
- Damage occurring while the vehicle is in the carrier's care, custody and control
- Damage caused during loading, securing, transit or unloading
- Loss of the vehicle in transit
What it does not cover
- Personal belongings left inside the vehicle, without exception
- Pre-existing damage recorded on the pickup condition report
- Mechanical or electrical failure not caused by transport
- Acts of God such as hail, flood or storm damage, depending on policy terms
- Damage from undisclosed defects, such as a leak or loose part not declared at booking
- Normal road exposure on open transport, including dust and light road film
- Aftermarket items not properly secured or declared
Your own insurance
Keep your personal auto policy active during transport. Carrier cargo cover applies while the vehicle is with the carrier, but maintaining your own coverage avoids any gap, particularly around pickup and delivery.
Some personal policies and some credit cards provide additional protection during transport. It is worth a short call to your insurer before shipping.
The Bill of Lading
This single document determines almost every claim outcome. It records the vehicle's condition at pickup and again at delivery, signed by both parties at both ends.
- At pickup — walk the vehicle with the driver. Check that existing scratches, chips and dents are marked. Do not sign a blank or incomplete form. Keep your copy.
- At delivery — inspect before signing. Compare against the pickup report and your own photographs. Check panels, bumpers, wheels, glass and the roof.
- If there is new damage — write it on the delivery report before signing, photograph it clearly, and call us while the driver is still present.
This is the part that matters. Signing a clean delivery report and reporting damage the next day makes a claim very difficult to pursue. Two minutes of inspection protects you far more than any policy wording.
How to file a claim
- Note the damage at delivery on the Bill of Lading, before signing.
- Photograph it from several angles in good light, including a wide shot showing where on the vehicle it sits.
- Contact us immediately, ideally while the driver is still there.
- Send your documentation — signed pickup and delivery reports, photographs from both ends, and a repair estimate if you have one.
- We assist with filing against the carrier's policy and follow it through with you.
Claims must be reported within [number] days of delivery. Timeframes and outcomes are set by the carrier's insurer, not by us.
Preparing your vehicle to protect a claim
- Wash the vehicle before pickup so existing damage is visible
- Photograph every panel, wheel, the roof and the interior in daylight
- Remove all personal items and toll transponders
- Leave roughly a quarter tank of fuel
- Fold in mirrors and retract or remove antennas
- Disclose any leak, alarm issue or loose component
- Record the odometer reading at pickup
Want to see the certificate?
Ask and we will email your assigned carrier's cargo insurance certificate before you commit to anything.