Claims
How to file a claim
Damage in transit is rare, but if it happens the claim is filed with the carrier that hauled your vehicle — they hold the cargo insurance. Here is exactly what to do, in order, and what evidence to include.
Read this first
Claims go to the carrier, not to the broker
Enterprise Auto Transport is a licensed transport broker (MC #774106, USDOT #2273104). We negotiate the rate, make the reservation and set up the contract. The carrier drives the truck and carries the cargo insurance on your vehicle, so every damage claim is filed with the carrier and its insurer.
We are not the ones with the cargo insurance and cannot pay or decide a claim. What we can do is give you the carrier's company name, MC/DOT number, dispatch contact and certificate of insurance from our file, and stay on it with you if the carrier goes quiet. Typical coverage in our network is $250,000 cargo coverage on open carriers and $1,000,000 cargo coverage on enclosed carriers.
Step by step
The claim process, in order
1. Inspect before you sign anything at delivery
Walk the entire vehicle with the driver in good light before you sign the delivery bill of lading. Check bumpers, rocker panels, mirrors, wheels and wheel faces, the roofline, the windshield and the lower front panels where road debris hits. If it is dark or raining, say so out loud and write it on the BOL.
2. Write every new item on the bill of lading
This is the single step that decides most claims. Any new dent, scratch, chip, cracked trim, broken glass or fluid leak must be written on the delivery BOL and initialed before the driver leaves. A signed clean BOL tells the insurer the car arrived undamaged, and a claim filed after that is very hard to win.
3. Photograph and video the damage on the spot
Take close-ups of each damaged area, then wide shots showing the damage in relation to the whole car, plus the truck and trailer in frame. Shoot a slow walk-around video. Keep the timestamps — do not crop, filter or re-save the files.
4. Get the driver's and carrier's information before he pulls away
You need the carrier company name, MC/DOT number, driver name and phone, the truck and trailer plate, and a photo of the driver's CDL. Ask the driver for the carrier's claims contact or insurance certificate.
5. Notify the carrier in writing the same day
Call the carrier's dispatch number and follow up by email or text so there is a written record with a date on it. State the order number, the delivery date, the damage found and that you are opening a cargo claim. Same-day notice is the safest move — carriers and insurers apply their own deadlines, and some are short.
6. Submit the claim to the carrier's cargo insurer
The carrier files with its cargo insurance policy or gives you the insurer's claim form. Send the complete evidence package in one email and keep a copy of everything you send. Ask for a claim number in writing.
7. Get repair estimates and follow up on a schedule
Obtain two written repair estimates from shops you trust (a marque-certified shop for exotic, classic or collector vehicles). Follow up every few business days and keep a short log of who you spoke to and when. Do not authorize repairs until the adjuster has inspected or approved, unless the insurer tells you in writing to proceed.
8. If the carrier stalls or denies, escalate
You can file a complaint with the FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database, contact the carrier's insurer directly using the MC number, and pursue the claim in small claims court for smaller amounts. Tell us as well — we can pull the dispatch paperwork and the carrier's insurance certificate from our file to support you.
Evidence
What to include with your claim
Send it all in one package. A complete, dated file is the difference between a claim that gets paid and a claim that gets argued.
- The signed pickup bill of lading showing the condition of the vehicle when it was loaded
- The signed delivery bill of lading with the new damage written on it and initialed
- Close-up photos of each damaged area, taken at delivery
- Wide photos showing the damage in context with the truck and trailer in frame
- Walk-around video taken at delivery before the driver left
- Your pickup-day photos and video of the load (front, back, both sides, top)
- Carrier company name, MC/DOT number, driver name and phone number
- Photo of the truck / trailer license plate and the driver's CDL
- Two written repair estimates from qualified shops
- Your order number, pickup date and delivery date
- Any texts or emails with the driver or dispatcher about the damage
Before the truck arrives
The photos that protect you
Insurers want time-stamped photos and video from the day of pickup, with the truck in frame. Pictures taken beforehand are not accepted.
- Photos of the truck and trailer that is picking up your vehicle
- A clear photo of the truck / trailer license plate
- A photo of the driver's CDL
- Photos of your car before loading — front, back, both sides and the top
- A video showing your car actually being loaded onto the truck
Do the identical walk-around at delivery, before the driver leaves, and compare it to the pickup set. If the carrier arrives without a bill of lading, use ours — print two copies and have the driver sign one.
Avoid these
Mistakes that sink a claim
- Signing a clean delivery bill of lading and reporting the damage later
- Letting the driver leave before you have photos and his information
- Accepting delivery at night or in heavy rain without noting it on the BOL
- Relying on photos taken weeks before pickup — insurers do not accept them
- Filing the claim only by phone with no written record
- Claiming for personal items left in the vehicle — cargo policies never cover them
- Waiting weeks to notify the carrier and missing its reporting window
- Starting repairs before the insurer inspects or approves the estimate
FAQ
Claim questions we get
Do I file the claim with Enterprise Auto Transport or with the carrier?
Always with the carrier. Enterprise Auto Transport is a licensed broker (MC #774106, USDOT #2273104). We negotiate the rate, make the reservation and set up the contract. The carrier physically hauls your vehicle and holds the cargo insurance policy that pays claims, so the claim is filed with the carrier and its insurer. We will help you locate the carrier's paperwork and insurance certificate, but we cannot pay or adjudicate a claim.
What insurance covers my vehicle in transit?
Federally licensed carriers must carry cargo insurance. On our network that is typically $250,000 cargo coverage on open carriers and $1,000,000 cargo coverage on enclosed carriers. You can request the assigned carrier's certificate of insurance before pickup — a refusal to provide one is a red flag.
How long do I have to file a claim?
Report new damage before the driver leaves and notify the carrier the same day. Carriers and insurers set their own written reporting windows, and some are as short as 24 hours for notice with a longer window to submit documents. Fast, written notice protects you no matter whose policy applies.
What if I already signed a clean bill of lading?
It is much harder, but not always hopeless. Gather your delivery-day photos and video, any texts with the driver, and a dated repair estimate, and notify the carrier immediately in writing. Expect the insurer to argue the damage was not documented at delivery.
Are personal items in the car covered?
No. Cargo insurance covers the vehicle only. Personal belongings left inside are never covered, and their weight can also create carrier issues. Remove everything before pickup, including toll transponders and parking passes — tolls incurred in transit are not our responsibility.
Does the deductible come out of my payment?
The carrier's policy deductible is the carrier's responsibility, not yours. If a carrier asks you to pay a deductible or offers cash to skip the paperwork, get it in writing before you agree to anything and call us.
Can Enterprise help if the carrier stops responding?
Yes. Call us at (239) 273-4649 during Mon–Thu 9:30am – 5:00pm ET, Fri–Sat closed, Sun closed. We can pull the dispatch sheet, the carrier's MC number and its insurance certificate from our file and point you to the insurer directly. The carrier is an independent contractor, so the number we would call is the same number you have, but the paperwork we hold can move a stalled claim.
Also read the broker disclaimer for how liability is divided between the broker and the carrier.
Ready for white-glove auto transport?
Open and enclosed semi-truck carriers, door-to-door delivery and a coordinator who answers the phone.