Classic & exotic car transport

Questions to ask before a classic ships

What is the cargo insurance limit per vehicle, not per load? Does the trailer have a liftgate or ramps, and what is the ramp angle? Are tie-downs over-the-wheel straps rather than frame hooks? Will the car be top-loaded to avoid drips from a vehicle above? Can the driver handle a car with no brakes or a manual choke? Tell the broker which of these matter so the load is offered to carriers that fit.

Preparation that protects your claim

Photograph every panel, the interior, the odometer and any existing flaws in daylight, and keep the images with timestamps. Note fluid leaks on the Bill of Lading so they are not misattributed; a printable condition report helps you record them. Remove or secure loose trim, and leave a quarter tank of fuel. An appraisal or agreed-value policy document supports the car’s value in any claim.

Agreed value and the carrier’s limit

A collector policy that pays an agreed value and a carrier’s cargo policy are separate contracts, and their numbers do not line up on their own. Before pickup, ask your own insurer a short list of questions. Does the policy cover the car while a carrier has it, on an open trailer as well as an enclosed one? Is the payout the value agreed when the policy was written, or can it be reduced to market value after a loss? Do you need to report the trip, and does the insurer want a recent appraisal and dated photos on file? If the car is damaged, which policy pays first, and will your insurer pursue the carrier afterward? Which deductible applies?

Then read the carrier’s side. Federal law makes a carrier liable for the actual loss or damage it causes, but lets it limit that liability to a value the shipper declares or agrees to in writing. Look for a declared-value line or a liability limit on the Bill of Lading before you sign at pickup, and compare it, together with the per-vehicle limit on the cargo certificate, with the agreed value on your policy. If the figures are far apart, raise it with the broker before the car is loaded, not after.

Serial numbers on cars built before 1981

The 17-character VIN became the federal standard with the 1981 model year, and NHTSA’s VIN decoder rejects earlier years. A car built before then carries its maker’s own serial number, which may be shorter, follow a different pattern, and sit on a door-jamb tag, a dashboard plate, the firewall or the frame, depending on the maker and the decade. That affects a shipment in three places.

First, the quote request and the Bill of Lading ask for a VIN: enter the serial exactly as the title shows it, and tell the broker the car predates the standard so nobody treats the short number as a typo. Second, the vehicle transport class lookup cannot decode an old serial, so use its year, make and model option instead. Third, if the car will be registered in a new state, expect the number on the car to be checked against the title; California, for example, requires a physical verification of any vehicle last registered out of state. Find the plate or stamping before pickup, confirm it matches the title, and photograph it so the record travels with the car.