Auto Shipping Glossary: Pre-Paid Orders
In the world of auto transportation there are a lot of different words that you may not necessarily know how they fit into the puzzle. Words like “pre-paid,” for example, or “insurance,” or “auto transporter.”
These are words that can have different meanings depending on who you’re talking to, which can make things a bit more difficult for customers, especially those trying to find the right car shipper for their specific needs.
Most of the time auto transport companies will charge you what is known as cash on delivery; in other words, you’ll pay a deposit to the broker and then the rest of the payment to the carrier when they deliver your vehicle. Cash on delivery is preferred by most everyone in the industry because it makes sure that everyone gets paid on time and no one gets screwed out of money.
But sometimes the only thing that you can do is pay for the entire shipment up front. Most of the time we recommend against this, but for things such as overseas shipments it’s generally best to let your auto transport representative handle all the paperwork between the port and the carrier as well as all the money.
But for most shipments from one city to another, going with a broker that offers pre-paid shipping services generally isn’t a good idea. Carriers are leery of pre-pays because it means that they don’t get their cash on delivery; they have to wait for the broker to send a check to them or to their dispatcher, which takes time, time that they usually don’t have.
It also creates more paperwork for everyone involved and generally just makes things harder than they need to be for most people. Sometimes taking pre-pays isn’t avoidable; in those situations, it’s best to talk to your representative and make sure that everyone knows what’s going on and nothing will get in the way of your transportation.
If you are interested in getting quotes to transport your vehicle, you can fill out our free online auto transport quote request form to get a free quote to ship with us directly. We work with only reputable and reliable auto transporters who can help you get your vehicle from A to B. We ensure every carrier we work with is top-rated as well as fully licensed and insured. This way, you’re in good hands from start to finish.
You can also call our toll-free telephone number to speak to one of our helpful representatives, who can answer any questions you have. They can also book your shipment over the phone, or give you a quote if you still need to think it over. But no matter what you’re shipping or where you’re coming from or going to, let American Auto Shipping help you get it done.
Since 2007 Dave has written all the content and blogs for American Auto Shipping and during this time added the duties of customer support and transport logistics.
He currently resides in Washington with his three kids and their mom and cat. A fan of Marvel movies and good stories, when not shipping cars Dave can be found working on his novel, enjoying a good book or playing some tournament HALO.
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