One of the main concerns for you will face when considering transporting a car is what happens if the car is damaged during the shipping process. If this happens to you, the car may be rejected upon the time of delivery. The proper procedures are what you need to know if this occurs.

This guide will give you tips on how to refuse a damaged delivery, and what you can do after that. Follow our guide on how to protect your vehicle in transport at Car Shipping Auto.

for your vehicle transport, we make sure that you have all the resources you need to handle such situations and protect your car.

Understanding Your Rights as a Consumer

Before I jump into how to ship a car, let’s talk about your rights as a car owner. Car shipping businesses are required to deliver your car in the same condition in which they picked it up. If you find your vehicle is damaged during transport, this is generally the liability of the transport company, and you have the right to refuse delivery of a damaged vehicle.

Legal Protections for Damaged Vehicles

The shipping company has to inspect your car and give a condition report, documenting the condition of the car before shipping. This document is called a bill of lading and is checked against the car’s condition on delivery. This is required by transportation law and standard shipping practices. If there is more damage, the shipping company is responsible for the repairs, but you can refuse to take possession of the vehicle until the issue is resolved.

Insurance and Claims

Most companies that ship cars are also insured, which pays for damages. However, there are limits to coverage, and deductible costs apply. Before you ship, check with your company’s insurance policy to see if you are covered for damage.

Steps to Take If You Receive a Damaged Vehicle

If the vehicle arrives damaged you can in principle refuse the delivery, if you do so in the correct manner.

Inspect the Vehicle Upon Arrival

Upon arrival of your transport truck, inspect the vehicle right away. Do not sign any papers or acknowledge receipt for your car until you have checked for damage.

• Exterior inspection: Walk around the car then check for visible dents, scratches, broken parts, also anything else of damage that looks damaged.
• Interior inspection: Check the car interior for broken windows, seats, and other damage signs.
• Check that it runs: Inspect the car for assurance it starts, runs, and is not giving you problems like flat tires or leaking fluids.
• Photograph/videotape: Capture clear pictures and videos of your car’s damage from various angles for documenting the incident.

Notify the Driver and Shipping Company Immediately

Politely but firmly inform the transport truck driver that delivery is unacceptable until damage resolution if damage is present. The driver should report the incident to and inform the shipping company’s customer service department once you reject the delivery.

Call the shipping company’s customer service in the event the driver is unhelpful or the issue is serious. Reputable companies – such as Car Shipping Auto – have dedicated teams to deal with such issues immediately.

Refuse Delivery if Necessary

Refusing delivery may be the best option in some situations if the damage is extreme. In the event you do this, ensure you follow these steps.

• Refuse the shipment: In the event you receive the shipment and it is damaged, write on the delivery receipt that you are refusing the shipment due to damage, and try and get the driver to sign as well.
• Ask the shipping company about redelivery of your car. They will either fix it themselves or get you a replacement car and will usually arrange to get your car back to where it was shipped from at no cost.
• File a damage claim: If you deny the delivery, you need to file a damage claim through the transport company. Include all documentation. Include the photographs and the original inspection report.

Follow Up on the Claim

Once you refuse the delivery and file the claim, the transport company should notify you of the following:

• When you can expect it to be repaired or replaced by them.
• What repairs will be made and who must pay for them.
• How the insurance claim process works, with what other steps you may need to take.

What Happens After You Refuse a Damaged Delivery?

After you refuse delivery, the next steps will depend upon the nature of the damage and the policies of the shipping company, but these are the general outcomes:

The Company Arranges for Repairs

In some cases, the shipping company will offer to pay toward the cost of repairing the damage. They may provide an approved repair shop for you to work with at their discretion, or they may allow you to choose your own.

The Company Offers a Replacement Vehicle

The shipping company may agree to ship the car back, replace it, or refund the shipping cost, depending on the contract and their insurance if damage to the car is too great to repair or is irreparable.

You Receive Compensation

The company might also pay for the repair or a portion of the shipping costs if you refuse to accept delivery due to this type of damage.

How Car Shipping Auto

• Car Shipping Auto’s customers know that if there are any problems with the delivery, such as damage, they can always count on us to take care of it.
• We inspect the vehicle in detail before and after transport for documenting any pre-existing damage or new damage.
• Transparent claims process: If there is any damage we will walk you through the claims process with clarity and assist you in getting the repairs or compensation.
• Customer support: Our customer support team assists customers with any issues and updates them in a timely manner on the resolution process.

Know Your Rights and Protect Your Vehicle

Therefore, the answer is yes, you can refuse delivery of a damaged item. You just need to be aware of your rights, take pictures and follow the correct procedures. Scratched or dented, minor or not, now you know what to do.

To summarize, if you deal through a reputable company like Car Shipping Auto, you can know that we obligate ourselves seriously and will try to resolve any issues to your satisfaction using speed. Call us if you have problems.

Ready for shipping your car? Contact your local vehicle shipping agent today and see how they can help you during every step of the process.