Many people enlisting auto transport services commonly inquire whether they can pack personal belongings in the vehicle for shipping. While the request is valid, the response is not so cut and dry.
It’s reasonable to want to save as much as possible when moving. You could save on household movers’ expenses when shipping a car and including personal effects in the load.
While it’s legal to ship cars containing personal items from one state to Oklahoma or even across the country, each transport company has its own policies on handling the situation.
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Some prefer to prohibit the practice because there’s the possibility of damage or loss due to theft while the car is in transit. These carriers expect that clients will have these items removed before the vehicle is loaded for transport.
Shipping services that do allow some personal effects in the auto could charge a higher rate for shipping due to the vehicle make/model exceeding the allotted weight limit or the transport could be rejected based on these belongings.
Factors To Think About When Considering Shipping a Car with Personal Effects
Many car shipping companies in Oklahoma urge clients to remove personal belongings from vehicles before the car is picked up for transport.
If the shipper allows items in the vehicle, the request is that these containers remain below the window’s edge or be stored in the trunk. It reduces the possibility of damage or the chance of loss due to theft.
Most carriers don’t travel straight through to a single destination. The driver will make a few stops along the way, some to refuel or take a break. With open trailers, cars are exposed to the outside, and motorists can see if vehicles are loaded with personal belongings.
This can be tempting for the wrong person when they see items packed in a car. Some view this as an opportunity to break a window, pry open the hatch, or possibly the door and find something of value.
It’s not that different from being in a parking lot with packages visible to others. Most people keep these out of sight in order to keep the car and valuables safe.
For those who prefer to keep valuables in a car being transported and hire a car shipping service that allows this, a few factors should be considered before moving forward.
The insurance
Suppose you have a lot of household items to transition to your new home in Oklahoma. In that case, you may hope to save a few dollars on professional household movers by packing the car with some personal effects.
Some Affordable Oklahoma car shipping companies will allow up to roughly 100 lbs. in personal items to be shipped with the vehicle, while others prohibit the practice. It’s essential to be mindful that the effects inside the auto are not included in the carrier’s cargo insurance.
These are transported at the car owner’s discretion, with the shipping company bearing no responsibility. For those carriers that allow up to 100 lbs., some stipulations need to be followed:
- 1. The containers must be stored below the window’s edge.
- 2. Certain objects are deemed unacceptable, such as firearms, drugs, flammable items, alcohol, explosives, and anything illegal.
- 3. The weight of the items must not exceed 100 lbs.
The carrier and the driver should be fully aware of the items packed in the car. A reputable, quality car shipping service will make every effort to maintain the safety of your items despite these not being covered by the insurance plan. Click here to learn if you need auto insurance when transporting a vehicle.
Packing the trunk
Auto transport companies encourage car owners to contain personal effects in boxes or suitcases and store these in the vehicle’s trunk, if possible, for optimum safety. The recommendation is to keep the cab empty of personal items since these will be exposed to the public through the windows.
The front and rear seats should be clear, along with the front floorboards. An exception is for those who choose enclosed trailer transport in which car owners have the option of shipping certain items inside the trailer but outside their vehicles. These must be contained in crates.
Anyone shipping items to Hawaii is strictly prohibited from packing their cars with personal belongings.
The possibility of vehicle damage
When transported on a trailer, there’s the potential for vehicles to shift. The cars have carrier cargo insurance coverage, but that’s not the case with items loaded in the auto.
If a shipping service allows you to pack your car with some personal items, these will need to be secured in containers or bags to prevent these from shifting around and potentially damaging your items.
If damage does occur, you’ll be responsible for any repairs. In that same vein, you will need to replace the items if there’s a loss.