Do Car Transport Services Search Your Car When You Ship It?

1. What’s the Likelihood of an Auto Transport Service Inspecting Your Vehicle?
2. Is Shipping Things in Your Car Illegal?
3. What Are Some Basic Rules Regarding Shipping a Vehicle With Personal Items Inside?
4. Should I Worry About Possible Thieves Within Vehicle Shipping Services?
5. How Can I Learn More About Storing Personal Items Within a Vehicle I’m Shipping?

So, you’re ready to ship your vehicle. You may be sending your car to a nearby state, across the country, or across an ocean. Wherever your vehicle is landing, you might be wondering how auto transport services approach car inspections.

It’s natural to ask vehicle inspection questions when shipping your car. Maybe you’re feeling uneasy about the prospect of someone looking in your vehicle—empty or not. It’s a given that all auto transport companies are going to inspect the outside of your car. Exterior car inspections allow an auto transport service to document your vehicle’s condition before the car’s arrival. Recording a vehicle’s condition protects the transport company from false damage claims.

Interior vehicle inspections are another story.

What’s the Likelihood of an Auto Transport Service Inspecting Your Vehicle?

Most auto transport services don’t have much interest in what’s inside your car. Quick interior vehicle inspections are most common when a vehicle travels to destinations like Hawaii or international locations. When an auto transport company performs an examination, their primary aim is to see how clean the car’s inside is. An unclean vehicle poses a certain level of risk.

Having loose items inside your car like electronics, air fresheners, or other miscellaneous items can cause damage to your vehicle’s interior. Damage inside your vehicle can occur if your car hits some uneven terrain and loose items begin to get tossed around your car. Removing unessential items like air fresheners and safely storing away more essential items like electronic equipment can help you maintain your vehicle’s interior sections.

We’ll get more into car theft during auto shipping later on, but for now, we’ll make the obvious statement that every driver wants to minimize the likelihood of theft. GPS units are common interior vehicle accessories. Failing to remove an accessory like a GPS unit can signal an opportunity for theft—especially if you’re opting for open-carrier transport.

A vehicle’s exterior inspection is ultimately more critical to a vehicle shipping service. You should be the one that invests the most time in inspecting your vehicle’s interior to lower your car’s risk of theft and damage.

Auto transport customers often wonder about interior inspections if they plan to pack personal or household items in the vehicle they’re shipping. Before you set aside items to pack in the shipping vehicle, you must evaluate whether or not this is a legal practice.

Is Shipping Things in Your Car Illegal?

The Department of Transportation is the highest point of reference when evaluating the legal status of packing personal items in a vehicle that you’re shipping. As of now, the Department of Transportation has not put out a statement saying vehicle shipping companies can ship personal or household items being stored in a client’s vehicle. Don’t lose hope if you’re planning on packing some personal or household items in the car you’re shipping. It’s technically legal to store personal items in the vehicle that you’re shipping. Different auto transport companies have various rules surrounding these practices.

What Are Some Basic Rules Regarding Shipping a Vehicle With Personal Items Inside?

While it’s not technically illegal to pack personal or household items in the vehicle, you’re shipping, packing illegal items in your car is. Auto-shipping companies commonly communicate an item weight limit you’ll need to abide by when packing your car with personal belongings. The general weight range for this rule generally lies in the 100–150-pound capacity. Sticking within the 100–150-pound range allows you to pack personal items within your car free of charge. Many auto transport services will have a “below the window requirement.”

The “below the window” rule refers to the practice of packing personal items in your vehicle below a window’s sightline. Sticking to the “below the window” rule helps minimize the risk of theft. Tall piles of personal belongings on an open-carrier transport trailer can potentially tip off a thief. “Below the window” doesn’t only assist vehicle owners. Overpacking a vehicle can result in the obstruction of a vehicle’s driver seat. Drivers hauling your vehicle need to have an open driver seat to move your car on and off of the hauler.

Personal item weight limits are a great topic to explore during your consultation with an auto transport company. Ask for a specific weight limit per vehicle. Going over this weight limit commonly results in additional fees. Expect the auto shipping service to request that you secure the personal items that you’re shipping. Packing personal items in your trunk is a reliable way to secure your property. If you’re storing items in other sections of your car’s interior—do your best to pack these belongings away in closed boxes or containers.

Should I Worry About Possible Thieves Within Vehicle Shipping Services?

Working with a reliable and professional auto shipping company will help minimize your chance of dealing with shady activity. We emphasize the importance of conducting a background check on an auto transport service you’re considering since some companies are up to no good. You mostly have to worry about the possibility of third-party thieves snatching personal items within your car. Following the guidelines mentioned above, like the “below the window” rule and selecting enclosed auto transport, can help you minimize theft risks.

Car transport services won’t insure the items within your vehicle as their primary concern is the safety and condition of the car itself. The fact that personal items within your vehicle won’t be insured underscores the importance of locating a professional and reliable auto shipping company. While your personal items won’t have insurance, a reputable auto transport company will do its best to maintain the safety and condition of your personal property.

How Can I Learn More About Storing Personal Items Within a Vehicle I’m Shipping?

The widespread amount of auto shipping companies available at your disposal can make selecting a single company a seemingly difficult task. A-1 Auto Transport offers high levels of experience and professionalism so you can achieve a stress-free vehicle shipping process. Contact A-1 Auto Insurance today at 1-888-230-9116, so we can answer any questions you might have about us transporting personal items within your vehicle.