The Fear Behind Every Car Transport Booking

The most common concern people have when booking car transport for the first time is simple: what if my car arrives damaged? It is a fair question. You are handing a valuable asset to a company you may have never used before, and it will travel hundreds of kilometres out of your sight.

The answer to that concern is not "it will not happen." Damage during transport is rare but not impossible. The real answer is: know exactly what to do if it does, and make sure you have the right insurance before the carrier leaves your driveway. Here is the complete process.

Before the Carrier Leaves: The Pre-Shipment Inspection

Everything that happens after the carrier leaves depends on what was documented before it left. The pre-shipment inspection report is the foundation of any successful damage claim.

Before your car is loaded, a company representative should walk around the vehicle with you and record every existing mark, scratch, dent, or chip. Both of you sign the report. You keep a copy; the company keeps a copy.

If the company does not initiate this inspection, you initiate it. Walk around the car yourself and photograph every panel in good lighting — front, rear, both sides, bonnet, roof, and all four alloys. Email these photographs to yourself immediately to create a timestamped record. This is your proof of the car's condition at the moment of handover.

Transit Insurance: What It Covers and What It Does Not

Your standard motor insurance does not cover damage that occurs during loading, unloading, or transport on a carrier. It covers the vehicle while it is being driven on public roads. Transit insurance — a separate policy or add-on offered by the transport company — covers the vehicle specifically during the transport process.

Before the carrier leaves, confirm:

• That transit insurance is active for your vehicle
• The declared value — the maximum payout if the vehicle is a total loss
• The deductible — the amount you pay before the insurance kicks in
• What is explicitly excluded — some policies do not cover interior damage, pre-existing conditions, or minor cosmetic damage below a threshold amount

Keep a copy of the insurance certificate. Without it, you have no basis for a formal claim.

At Delivery: The Critical Moment

When the carrier arrives at your destination and your vehicle is unloaded, do not sign anything immediately. Take time to inspect the vehicle thoroughly before the delivery receipt is signed.

Inspect in this order:

• Walk around all four sides and compare each panel to your pre-shipment photographs
• Check the alloys and tyres
• Open the bonnet and boot and check for any signs of impact
• Check the interior if accessible
• Inspect in daylight if at all possible — minor scratches and paint chips are very easy to miss in artificial light or at night

If you find damage that was not present at handover, do not let the delivery team leave before you note it. Write the damage clearly on the delivery receipt — describe each mark specifically: "5 cm scratch on rear left door, at handle height." Sign the receipt with the damage notation, and have the delivery driver sign it as well if possible.

If the driver refuses to wait or sign, photograph the damage and the delivery receipt immediately. Also photograph the carrier truck if it is still present.

Step 1: Document Everything Immediately After Delivery

Within the first hour after receiving the vehicle:

• Photograph all damage in good lighting from multiple angles
• Note the exact time of delivery
• Note the name and employee ID of the delivery team if you can get it
• Take a photograph of the carrier truck's licence plate

Do not move or repair the vehicle before the claim is initiated. Repaired damage cannot be claimed.

Step 2: Notify the Transport Company

Contact the transport company in writing — email, not just a phone call — within 24 hours of delivery. Send your pre-shipment photographs, your delivery photographs, and the delivery receipt with the damage notation. Request written confirmation that your claim has been received and a claims reference number.

Most transport companies have a formal claim submission window — commonly 24 to 72 hours after delivery. Missing this window may result in the claim being declined. Act quickly.

Step 3: Get a Repair Estimate

Take the vehicle to an authorised service centre or a reputable body shop and get a written repair estimate for the damage. This estimate becomes the basis of your claim settlement. Keep the estimate copy and share it with the transport company and their insurer.

Step 4: The Claim Settlement Process

The insurer — either the transport company's liability insurer or the transit insurance company — will review your documentation: the pre-shipment report, the delivery receipt with damage noted, your photographs, and the repair estimate.

Settlement may happen in one of two ways:

• Direct payment to the repair shop — the insurer pays the authorised workshop directly once repairs are authorised
• Reimbursement — you pay for repairs and submit invoices for reimbursement. Keep all invoices and payment receipts.

Claim processing typically takes one to three weeks for straightforward cases. Complex cases or disputes over pre-existing damage can take longer.

If Your Claim Is Disputed

If the transport company disputes the claim — arguing that the damage was pre-existing or falls below the policy deductible — your pre-shipment photographs and the delivery receipt with the damage notation are your evidence. Present them clearly and, if needed, escalate to the transport company's senior management in writing. In most cases, clear documentation resolves disputes quickly.

The entire process hinges on the quality of your documentation at handover and delivery. Thirty minutes of careful inspection and photography at each end is the best protection you can give yourself.