How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Car?
Unable to drive your vehicle during a move, spurs the question: how much does it cost to ship a car? The type of car you own and the method of transportation are just two of the many factors that influence your car shipping rates.
Mode of Transportation
The primary mode of shipping a car domestically is by truck, although certain companies offer train and/or airplane transport. Ships are most popular for international moves, but planes offer a more expensive, quicker means.
Trucks, trains and ships all offer more expensive enclosed option moving estimates for shipping both household goods and vehicles by national moving companies. Enclosed trucks are smaller than open trailers, only ship a few vehicles at a time, can provide door-to-door service and are often more flexible in terms of scheduling. You can secure your car portside in an enclosed container and have it placed onto a ship. Furthermore, an exclusive container only holds your car and most transporters that offer this option allow you to place additional belongings inside the container.
Regardless transportation mode, the overall distance traveled affects total cost.
Type of Car
Choices related to the type of car you own influence the final price. If you have a new, exotic, vintage or expensive car, you might want added precautions that protect the vehicle on its journey and cover the cost of incidental to severe damages.
Closed transports increase the cost to ship a car but decrease the risk of external damage – specifically scratches, dents and rust caused by harsh weather conditions such as hail, rain and snow.
If you own an old jalopy, with visible external wear and tear, or are not concerned with the possibility of weather damage, you can save money by choosing a large, open truck or roll-on/roll-off – driving and securing your car directly on the deck of the ship.
Insurance
Although every auto transport company must legally extend a certain amount of liability once they take custody of your car, if you require additional insurance it will raise the overall cost to ship a car. The two most important factors to consider regarding insurance are coverage details and whether it is worth extra money to increase the coverage.
To determine whether you need additional coverage, consider:
- The condition and age of your car
- The make and model
- Mode of shipping
- International moving – regulations associated with car shipping by boat only require a company to pay a nominal fee, regardless of the extent or cause of damages; if shipping overseas, most companies recommend purchasing full coverage or total loss insurance no matter the shape, age or type of car you own
- What the company covers
Find out the details of the company insurance such as the specific damages and parts covered and deductibles and limits – make sure that you have sufficient coverage in relation to your vehicle. Extra insurance should be realistic in terms of the risk of damage and worth of your car as well as provide you piece of mind.
Final Calculations
Primary factors that contribute to the total cost to ship a car are travel distance, open versus closed transport and additional insurance coverage. The choices you make regarding the latter two items should be in accordance with the worth, condition, age and type of car you own.
