Car Shipping Documentation

CAR SHIPPING DOCUMENTS

BILL OF LADING
An old English verb that implies "to load" is "lading." An official receipt or written statement is referred to as a "bill." As a result, the Bill of Lading serves as a record of the loading of your car onto a carrier. The necessity of this paperwork, sometimes known as the "BoL," cannot be overstated while transporting your car. It is evidence that a carrier has your car and that it was in good shape when it was picked up and delivered. Prior to signing this agreement, it is imperative that you make note of any damage to your car. Repairs won't be paid for by insurance carriers unless the damage has been recorded in the Bill of Lading.

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF INSURANCE
As a customer, you normally don't need insurance to send your automobile, but your auto shipping company most likely does. You should confirm that the transporters you're considering are sufficiently insured because coverage amounts can vary. Before you sign on the dotted line, always review the terms and conditions of your insurance coverage information.

LIENHOLDER AUTHORIZATION
You may need to obtain formal approval from the lienholder (such as your financial institution) before exporting an automobile if you're still making payments on your vehicle loan. We use the word "sometimes" because a lienholder's consent is only required if the car shipper will be using a sea port. The only state to which this truly applies is Hawaii, but if you're unsure, you can always check with your financial institution.

ABSENCE OF OWNER AUTHORIZATION
Only if your vehicle is being exported through a port will this document be necessary. If you wish to give someone else permission to pick up your car at the destination port instead of you, you will need this.

PROOF OF INSURANCE
Rarely is a customer needed to obtain personal insurance for their vehicle in order to ship their vehicle. However, not every shipping company will have sufficient insurance for the kind of vehicle you have. You might want to investigate additional shipping coverage options from your own insurance provider in these circumstances.

BOTH REGISTRATION AND TITLE
Your vehicle's title attests to your ownership of it, while the registration attests to the fact that it complies with all local and federal laws (the police can identify you when they scan your licence plate). The majority of businesses don't request these documents, but it never hurts to check with your carrier to see if shipping your automobile involves providing a title and registration.

A PHOTO ID
Rarely is a photo ID needed to ship a car. The key question here is whether transportation corporations want the data for their own databases or not. Typically, all you need is a driver's licence when a photo ID is required. Even while the majority of businesses won't need all of the aforementioned documents from you, it's always advisable to ask what papers you might need to gather before shipping. To make sure everything is current and to give yourself enough time to get in touch with your lienholder, if necessary, we advise finding your papers early in the process.

IN SHORT: CAR SHIPMENT DOCUMENTATION
When transporting your car, you must always deal with the following two documents: (1) The bill of lading and (2) the terms and conditions of the insurance. When your car enters a port, additional paperwork such as lienholder and absent owner authorizations are required. While some businesses may request information such as your photo ID, proof of insurance, and title and registration, these documents are not legally necessary to send your automobile.