What Carrier Insurance Covers on a Shipped Car

Cargo insurance in auto transport is the policy carried by the trucking company that has your vehicle, not a separate promise printed on an advertisement. Bigfella’s public line is cargo coverage of $150,000+ as shown on the assigned carrier’s certificate. The certificate is the document. The blog sentence is not a policy.

What to ask for

When a carrier is assigned, ask for the certificate for that shipment. Read the cargo limit and the name of the insured. It should match the carrier you are approving. How that assignment is checked is on carrier vetting. There is also a short site page: car shipping insurance.

Your own auto policy may or may not cover a car while it is on a commercial trailer. That is a question for your insurer. This page will not summarize a personal policy it has not read.

What the certificate does not do by itself

It does not notice a scratch. The bill of lading and your photos do that. If delivery shows new damage, note it before the driver leaves and follow if your car is damaged. The form itself is explained in what a bill of lading does.

A high limit does not mean every claim is paid. Exclusions exist. Pre-existing damage that was not noted at pickup is the usual fight. Photograph the car in daylight before it is loaded. That step is on how to prepare your car.

High-value cars

If the vehicle is worth more than the certificate you were shown, say so before you approve the carrier. Do not discover the gap after delivery. Planning notes are on shipping a classic or high-value vehicle.

Get A Quote when you are ready. $0 is charged today. You approve the carrier, and you can ask for the certificate, before the card is charged.

Questions people ask

Does Bigfella’s own policy replace the carrier’s?

No. The cargo coverage described on the site is the assigned carrier’s certificate. We do not publish a separate Bigfella cargo policy on top of that sentence.

Are personal items in the trunk covered?

No. Cargo coverage is for the vehicle. Take belongings out. Carriers commonly refuse a loaded car.

Is $150,000 the number on every truck?

It is the published floor as shown on the certificates reviewed for assigned carriers. The certificate for your shipment is the one that applies. Ask for it.