It is perfectly reasonable to be worried about transporting a car internationally and express concerns over the legitimacy of prospective companies? Take a look at this short guide before you go about shipping your vehicle overseas!

There are so many things that can go wrong when shipping a car internationally. The vehicle can get stranded at the port due to incorrectly filed paperwork, seized by customs on either end, damaged or even taken into possession by a car moving company via line sale. There are many horror stories about transporting companies holding a customer’s vehicle hostage until outrageous storage charges are paid, container sitting at the port due to forwarder’s negligence or unpaid shipping charges etc.

You do not want this happening to you. Don’t be a victim of car shipping scams! Hopefully, the few tips below will help you to find a small reliable car shipping company with a high safety record that is ready to do business with you.

10 Things to do before transporting a car internationally:

1. Make sure the autotransport company responsible for shipping your car is registered with Domestic Auto Transport (DOT).

2. Confirm the car transporter has current cargo insurance, with minimum liability exceeding the value of your car.

3. A great way to make sure the company is legitimate is by checking the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) if your car shipper is registered with FMC as a freight forwarder or non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC). Also verify if this particular car moving company has a current bond and moving license. If you cannot find the company there then you should avoid them at all costs as they cannot legally provide the shipping service you require.

4. As a general rule stay away from local car transport companies hoping to make extra money by carrying out a large international shipping job. Many truckers will offer their customers a "package deal" that includes car transport and overseas car transporting as well. Frequently they would offer "savings" and "discount" through their preferred car shippers. You should avoid using such companies by all means – international car moving is complex, and often customers, after paying the trucker for "the whole package", end up paying extra fees to the actual car shipping company.

5. Before committing to moving your car internationally with the car transporter of your choice, make sure to get the moving quote in writing. Read the fine print – many car shippers will hide extra charges behind it. Make sure the quote includes the following: origin (shipper’s door or port), destination (consignee’s door, port or unloading warehouse). Typically a car moving quote will breakdown what is being paid for such as marine insurance, shrink-wrapping, paperwork, tolls etc.

6. It is always best practice to get a shipping contract drawn up between yourself and the company you are using and it should use the companies letterhead, signed and dated by an authorised employee of the company.

7. Ask if there will be someone (an agent, or customs broker) who could assist with customs clearance and unloading at the country of destination. Also, do your homework on customs duties and taxes that may be due at the country you are shipping the vehicle to.

8. It doesn't take too much trouble to search on the internet for customer reviews on any one particular company. There are specific websites that may be worth checking. If you are looking for foreign car transporters remember you might need to search using the appropriate language whether its transporte de coches for Spain or trasporto auto con bisarca for Italy

9. Test the contact details provided by the company website by phoning the telephone number listed and talk to their customer service in person. If at any stage you are not getting the appropriate response, whether because of unanswered questions or delayed answers, you should probably do best to walk away and try somewhere else.

10. Common sense is your best friend - payment via Western Union should always ring alarm bells especially if in advance of the service as should sending paperwork and payment via the post.