Shipping Contract: What you Need to Know before Car Transport
Hiring a professional car transport company means experiencing a series of steps before the actual shipping takes place. Customers are provided with a shipping contract among other requirements in detail. Sometimes it is hard for customers to understand the terminologies and the contextual meaning of the contract.
Not many car shippers offer clarity about the contract. They just expect the customer to read it and sign it right away. After all, there’s a lot to handle. And of course, people do not read the detailed fine print either so that is where things go havoc.
But Ship and Deliver prioritize its customers.
That’s why we have decided to shed some light on the most important document involved in car transport.
In this blog, you will learn about a shipping contract and the factors involved in it.
Table of Contents
What is a Shipping Contract?
A shipping contract is just like any other document that outlines the terms and conditions of acquiring a service.
Your shipping contract illustrates a number of critical information about shipping obligations that the service provider and the customer are responsible for. It’s a legal and binding agreement between the service provider and the user.
In case of any damage or force majeure, the signed shipping contract will outline any liability in case of loss or damage.
Usually, the shipping contract includes;
- Names of both parties
- Delivery information
- The pickup and drop off locations
- Cost of car shipping
- Reimbursement policy (if applicable)
No matter what the car service company promises if it’s written it will hold power over a verbal promise. Once signed, the shipping contract is enacted.
Both parties are not allowed to make any changes when all details are finalized and therefore cannot forgo the mentioned terms.
Responsibilities of the Car Carrier in Shipping Contract
Handling customers for local shipping or international car shipping means that you need to create a contract covering all minor and primary details.
For instance, the customs clearance for international shipping is also mentioned in the document. Vehicle preparation guidelines are provided and so on.
So you need not worry about it. Ship and Deliver cover major specifications in the contract that explains the responsibilities we have towards the customers.
As a car shipping service, we take care of;
- Finding the right driver and transport carrier to ship your car
- The shipping to the drop off location as mentioned by the customer
- Booking the open transport of closed transport
- Car loading
- Export documents and bills of lading and much more according to the specific car shipping order.
Customer’s Responsibilities According to Shipping Contract
When a customer skims through the contract they are bound to make errors of judgment. It happens a lot. So before signing the shipping contract you need to be sure that the information you are writing down is accurate. Also, you need to read the clauses carefully to avoid any future troubles.
Any mistakes will lead to delay in car shipping and can even cost you any shipping surcharge.
And let’s not forget about the penalties too. For a trouble-free experience, you have to follow the standard protocol to avoid any fines.
In case of confusion, you are free to contact us. The customer representative will guide you in detail. Also, you can look at how car shipping works.
Ship and Deliver issues a Bill of Lading. It’s another important document that explains the shipping agreement. Read it carefully before you finalize booking your car shipping. To ensure you are paying the right price, get a quote. Certain factors will affect your car shipping charges so it’s best to ensure everything goes as scheduled.
Understand the Risk of Loss
Now that you have a basic understanding of the official document, a contract about the risk of loss is also applicable. Sometimes shipping companies may include it with the shipping contract or it can be presented separately.
So what’s the point of having another contract?
In essence, the customer is responsible for the car’s condition before it is loaded onto the carrier. After loading and until unloading of the vehicle, it becomes the responsibility of the service provider.
So in case of theft, or damage to the vehicle will be due to the car shipping company. However, you need to ask the car shipping company whether they offer insurance coverage for any damages or not.
This part is also mentioned in the primary shipping contract.
3 Expectations from Customers about Shipping Contract
Every auto transport company has certain expectations from its customers. So does Ship and Deliver.
Similarly, those expectations are laid out in the contract too. Some of the common expectations about the contract include;
1. Adequate Information
Auto transport companies rely on the provided information about car shipping by the customer like date and time of expected shipment, location, vehicle info, and so on.
When filling the quote form, customers are to provide accurate information about the vehicle’s year, make and model. This information generates the quote for the car shipping. Therefore the shipping contract too.
2. Condition and Size of the Vehicle
There are certain questions that every customer has to fill in to place a booking for car shipping.
- Is your vehicle operable or inoperable?
- Is it a used car?
- What is the size of your car?
Provide this basic information in the quote too. If the vehicle requires extra handling, it will cost you more. Any extra precaution used during car shipping will increase the company’s expenses.
For instance, inoperable cars require much love and attention while loading and unloading. So if you want to ship an inoperable car, expect to pay more.
3. Preparing the Car
Customers are responsible to prepare their car before shipment. Guidelines for preparing your car for shipping are always provided to ensure a trouble-free experience for both, the driver and client both like;
- Remove any items that can cause potential damage to the car during shipping.
- Disarm the alarming system before car loading.
- Remove personal items from the car to avoid any damage and so on.
Customers must make sure to take care of details. You need to understand that in case the customer is noncompliant with the shipping contract then booking/shipping can be canceled without compensation.
How to Receive a Shipping Contract?
There are two ways a professional car shipping company can opt for – send the contract via email: info@shipandeliver.com or fax at 214 221 3773.
Usually, the email method is the most convenient option for both parties. It is important when you receive the paperwork to make a copy and fill it first to avoid any rookie mistakes.
Points to Remember
- Any auto transport company will always provide a shipping contract to customers.
- In case you want to relocate your car, it is imperative to have it mentioned in the contract.
- The contract contains details about the estimated delivery time of the vehicle only.
If you have any queries, feel free to contact us at any given time. We are here for you.