Can you pack personal items in your vehicle during car shipping? It is one of the most asked questions by people who are in the middle of their shifting-to-new-place venture. It does make sense as when you are already shipping your car, then why not add some personal items in the backseat to save some money?
You will be happy to know that many companies don’t even charge extra for transporting a few items, but this doesn’t mean packing your car to the brink. You must be aware of the transporters’ rules and regulations, what’s ideal and allowed based on the method of transportation.
Unless you are a car shipping expert, possibilities are you don’t realize the pitfalls of shipping personal belongings in your car can be. While some companies allow carrying a few lightweight items, some don’t allow carrying a single one. Let’s have everything uncovered when packing your vehicle to the brim with items:
Risk of Theft
It rarely happens that an auto transport carrier takes a straight route from point A to point B while shipping your vehicle. They load and unload many other cars and have multiple stops and overnight stays in the long-distance transports. All this creates the probability of theft of the valuables.
The threat is not very common, but real. A vehicle packed with house goods makes a very obvious target. However, packing belongings below the window level makes them less visible and thus reduce the chances of theft.
Damages
A car standing on top of a trailer is not necessarily a smooth ride. It goes through various environmental factors, so if items in your vehicle are not intact, they can shift too and cause damage to your car. Even if your car is fully insured, you don’t want to cause harm to anything intentionally.
Even if the company allows you to do so, pack items at your own risk. While packing your belongings inside your car, make sure the driver’s seat is entirely clear to easily ship a car and on and off the vehicle from the truck.
Weight Limits
You must contact the car shipping company and ask the transporters about weight limits per vehicle. Whether it’s an open trailer or an enclosed trailer, each vehicle has a certain weight restriction. Crossing that weight limit means you can damage your car and also have to pay much more in fees.
Obviously, some car shipping companies have specific price quotes depending on vehicle sizes. For hatchbacks, you can save money, but for SUVs, you have to pay more. As a rule, transporting companies go as far as telling you to clear your personal belongings from inside the vehicle. On the other side, some companies allow a couple of extra cargoes that weigh 40-80 lbs, which you might have to pay for.
Don’t Put Fragile Items in Your Car
Items in the trunk being shipped might get defected. As far as the carrier’s concern, the trunk is empty, even when it’s not, and therefore they are not obliged to insure items. There is no doubt that your car is fully insured during the entire shipping process, and any damage to your vehicle is covered under the carrier’s insurance. But items in your car won’t be. If they break, it will be on you to fix them or replace them. This is the reason you should avoid putting fragile stuff in your car.
Conclusion
Shipping personal belongings in your vehicle is a thrifty idea, and the risk involved in this is not something to be ignored. If you want to do it anyway, be aware of the policies your transportation company adheres to!
