Instructions on Car Shipping to Europe

Often there arise sundry reasons to take one’s vehicle across the border. If you reside in Europe, taking your car over would save you from paying a rent for the hired car. In case you are moving there to take up a permanent residence, it is definitely wiser to take your car along with you than disposing of your old car and purchasing a new one there. You need to learn about the rules regarding car shipping to Europe.

The first step you need to take before you depart is to look for a reliable company that ships vehicles to Europe. A sound research work will enable you to find one. Make sure that the reputation of the company is sound. One such renowned name is Allstates Worldwide.

Next, communicate with the company and fix up the transportation of your vehicle. The expenditure ranges from 750 to 2000 dollars. The cost varies according to the weight and size of your vehicle. Usually companies engaged in car export, have access to several harbors. To keep the transportation time short it is better to opt for the nearest port.

The responsibility of taking the car over to the port can be given to certain transport companies who drive your car to the port. They are called domestic shippers. You can drive it to the harbor yourself too. Similarly, you can leave to them the responsibility of reaching the car to your new destination.

Before you can handover your vehicle to the company for car export to Europe make sure that you get the shipping insurance done. This will adequately compensate for the damages, if any, incurred by you during the transportation. Usually the insurance amount is calculated to be just two percent of the total valuation of your car. The amount varies between 400 to 20,000 dollars, depending on the car.

Remember to collect the necessary papers and documents from the car exporter before the ship leaves the port. You will need the basic papers like, the Shipper Export Declaration as well as the Dangerous Goods Declaration.

Stay prepared for other costs that you may have to pay. The laws differ so you may need to pay a fee for the entry into Europe. Besides, there are safety requirements in the country where you wish to be. For this you may require extra money that you had not expected.

Once you reach the port there are two things to be done. Before the ship leaves the car needs to be placed in the ship. Either the company you have engaged for the purpose will drive the car into the ship or they will leave it for the ship authority to load it on the container and carry it into the ship with the help of the crane. A similar procedure is followed when taking your vehicle off the ship. In both cases make sure that your vehicle is taken care of. Keep in touch with the authority until you are reassured of its safe keeping.