Common Mistakes To Avoid When Shipping Your Car Overseas
Given that your car is probably the second-most expensive purchase you will ever make, if you are taking the trouble to ship it overseas it follows that you will want to take premium care of it and ensure that you avoid any potential pitfalls on the journey to receiving your vehicle. If there are delays in receiving your car it can be a major headache. In this blog post we discuss 5 common mistakes you can avoid by performing your due diligence before shipping your car internationally.
1. Choose the Wrong Shipping Company
As discussed in our last blog post, choosing a reputable shipping company is of insurmountable importance when hauling your vehicle overseas. Look for a host of good reviews to demonstrate that the company you have chosen is of high repute.
2. Choosing An Uninsured Shipping Company
In a similar line of thinking to choosing a reputable company, ensuring that your chosen shipping company is insured in the event of damage or lost cargo is of crucial importance. If you need more insurance to cover the entire cost of the vehicle you may have to pay additional fees, but this can be worth the peace of mind that follows.
3. Forgetting To Get Your Vehicle Serviced Before Dispatch
It’s important to get your vehicle serviced before shipping internationally to make sure that it’s compliant with the safety standards of the country you are shipping to. You also need to make sure that there are no damages that could be made worse during shipping. In particular, it’s important to make sure that your car is not leaking any fluids.
4. Leaving Personal Belongings In The Car
In some cases, you can store personal items and small furniture in your car if you are shipping it overseas. However, in other cases this is prohibited, so you will need to check before packing your car with personal items. Most insurers won’t cover the liability of personal items packed in a car. Neither will they cover the cost of damage to the car if it contains personal items during shipment.
5. Not Prepare Your Paperwork Properly
International car shipping is not just about booking a provider and getting your car there on time. You will also need paperwork since there are various legal parameters that must be met. To be able to get your car to another country, you will need the following:
- a copy of the bill of sale,
- a legible original title of the car,
- a copy of your passport.
When you talk with your transporter, check if the arrival or departure port for the shipment will need any additional documents. For instance, you may need an import approval and/or a notarized power of attorney.
By following this guide you ensure you have taken the necessary steps to protect your asset during transit overseas. If you have any further questions about what is needed to ship your car globally, contact Dolphin Cargo on 02 9059 6688.