On your decision to ship your car, knowing precisely how your vehicle is handled in transit is extremely important for your peace of mind. One of the most typical questions the car owners ask is whether the drivers conduct vehicle inspections before and after the delivery. This tutorial will inform you about the necessity of car inspections, the things to expect, and the reasons that it is a must for your cars safety and good condition in the transport.
1. Why Vehicle Inspections Matter
Vehicle inspections are one of the necessary steps in the car shipping process. They act as a safeguard measure for the car owner as well as for the shipping company. Reasons are as follows:
- Documenting the Vehicle’s Condition: Vehicle inspections before and after the delivery give a description of the vehicles condition, which is vital in differentiating the new damages from the old ones.
- Insurance Protection: A cars condition set-up allows both parties to pinpoint any damage that might have occurred, thus facilitating the process of making insurance claims.
- Transparency: This technique ensures transparency in the shipping process, thus ruling out the chances of misunderstandings between the car owner and the transporter regarding the state of the vehicle.
If there is no proper inspection, then there is a possibility that disputes over the cars condition at the time of delivery can occur, which can lead to a series of unnecessary problems.
What Happens During the Pre-Shipping Inspection?
A complete inspection of your car will be done before the delivery of the vehicle. Here is a glance at the pre-shipping inspection:
• Visual Inspection
The driver or the company representative will visually examine the car to document any existing damages, such as scratches, dents, or rust. Usually, some photos are taken as a visual record. Besides, this inspection is carried out from the top to the bottom of the vehicle, thus no part of the car is left out.
• Checklist Review
Details of the vehicle covered in the inspection will be recorded in the checklist. The persons who make the inspection will, therefore, check the exterior, tires, windows, and lights, and, of course, the interior. Anything that might be relevant to the vehicle’s condition or functionality will be noted.
• Documentation
After the visual inspection, the driver will complete an inspection form. This form will note any visible damages and any other important vehicle details. Vehicle owners signature on this form is very important as it is considered the acknowledgment of the automobiles condition.
• Personal Interaction
Car owners at this time, during the car transport, might have lots of questions or concerns about their vehicles. Also, it is here that you get to ensure that the inspection report is correct, and that leads to your peace of mind.
We at Car Shipping Source are committed to the completion of the drivers thorough inspection, which gives you a very clear documentation with photos as evidence of the condition of your vehicle.
3. What Happens During the Post-Shipping Inspection?
After the vessel carrying your vehicle gets to the destination point, a post-shipping inspection will be done. The check is to ensure that your automobile has not suffered any kinds of injuries during the delivery.
• Final Condition Check
During delivery, the driver will re-check the vehicle to make sure that it is the same as when it was taken. Any alterations to the car’s state, even those minor ones, will be recorded.
• Documentation Comparison
The post-shipping inspection is compared with the pre-shipping one to find out if there are any differences in the documents. In case new damage is found, it should be the same with the damages in the inspection process to help the insurance claim.
• Sign-Off
After the inspection is done and both parties agree that everything is fine, the car owner signs off on the vehicles condition. Filing an insurance claim with the help of the documentation from both the inspections is the first thing you need to do if there’s damage.
4. What to Do If There’s Damage After Shipping
In the unfortunate circumstance in which the vehicle you are shipping is damaged during the shipping process, the procedures for inspection both before and after the shipping will be your primary means of settling the issue. Here is the method to proceed you should follow:
Step 1: Document the Damage
Have pictures taken of the damage to the vehicle that are clear and show the location and the extent of the problem. Alongside the close-up shots, there should also be a few shots of the larger area so that the context can be seen.
Step 2: Compare with Inspection Report
Go through the pictures of the damage and the pre-transport inspection report and compare them. Check whether the damages are new or there they have been already mentioned. Only then you will be able to tell if the damage has occurred while transport.
Step 3: Contact the Shipping Company
Call the car shipping company once you find the damage and share the proof with them. They might ask for the inspection forms and the pictures to complete the application.
Step 4: File an Insurance Claim
Only if it is allowed, you should submit an insurance claim for the carrier. Your insurance will check the provided evidence and the shipping company report and then will decide whether the case will be covered by their policy.
Step 5: Follow Up
In case of a big damage or the claim is taking longer than expected, it is very important to be in contact with both the shipping company and the insurance provider in order to get the matter expedited.
5. How to Be Sure That the Process of Inspection Will Go Well
While pre and post-shipping inspections are there to protect the parties, you can take certain measures to facilitate the process in a better way:
- Get Photographs of the Product Before Shipping: Taking pictures of the car or any other product is one of the best things you can do before the product is picked up. The photographs become your visual proof of the car’s or the product’s condition.
- Participate in the Inspection: If it is allowed, be present during the pre- and post-shipping inspections. This is your chance to query and clarify any doubts right away.
- Go Through the Report of the Inspection: Don’t just affix your signature on the inspection document; go through it step by step. Check that all damages are listed, and if the vehicle’s/stuff’s documentation matches the condition, you are good to go.
- Anticipate What’s Coming: The more you know the better the chances that you will be prepared for the unexpected. Know your rights, and be familiar with the insurance that comes with the shipping company. In case of damage, be well acquainted with the claim process.
First and last, the inspection before and after the delivery is really a guarantee of the vehicles safety during its shipment. It is a security measure for both you and the shipping company, as it provides a record of the cars condition. You can have a shipping process without problems and delays only if you realize the importance of these inspections and take the right steps in case of damage.
If you are in a position to transport your car safely, then I would say: Car Shipping Source is the right partner for your next car transport. We work with the highest professional standards, offer you reliability and keep you updated at all times. Get your free quote now!
