Regardless if you are going on a business or vacation trip, you need a reliable way of shipping a vehicle overseas. It’s good to figure out early on how to transport your vehicle overseas in the best way possible. It would also be good to be considerate about your budget. Shipping your car to another country might not be a cheap endeavor. However, it is surely cheaper than purchasing a new one once you arrive at your destination.
Shipping a vehicle overseas – start with some research
Proper research and preparation go a long way when it comes to getting ready for shipping your vehicle overseas. It can prevent you from running into some unexpected obstacles along the way.
Start by finding out how the customs work in your destination country. Policies regarding vehicle taxing can be quite different between countries. Taxation may apply in some countries, while some make exceptions if you are relocating to them as a permanent resident. A company that deals with car shipping Kuwait will make the customs process much simpler for you, however, to learn more about the customs process, make sure to check with the appropriate department in the destination country.
Investigate what your current insurance covers. Call up your car insurance company and check if your existing insurance covers overseas shipping or if you would need to buy separate shipping insurance. It would also be good to ask whether it covers driving in a foreign country or not. In the case that it doesn’t, try finding one that will cover you while you’re driving abroad as soon as possible.
Prepare the documents required for the shipping
International shipping from Kuwait, often come with a lot of paperwork requirements both from customs and the port. This does make them a bit complicated, both at the beginning and the end of the journey. It helps to know all of the requirements for overseas vehicle shipping to make the entire process smoother and less stressful.
Validate the legal status of your vehicle. Find out if your vehicle is legally acceptable in the country where you are shipping it to. Age, make and equipment entry restrictions do apply in some countries. Even white headlights and tinted windows can be problematic when it comes to equipment restrictions in particular. Make sure that you provide proof of ownership, the original document or a certified copy will both do.
Acquire all of the documents needed to prove ownership. Although most shipping companies take care of most of the research for you, the right documentation needed to prove your legal ownership of the vehicle and that it has permission to leave the county is still required. In order to do that, get the all the necessary documentation
Make your vehicle ready for shipping
Even though you might be thinking about putting some of your stuff inside of your vehicle, that is likely not going to be an option. Items strictly related to the vehicle, like jumper cables and spare tires, are permitted to be left in the vehicle, ordinarily. Remove important documents like your registration and insurance information. Easy Move KW would be able to give you information about what you can and cannot leave in your vehicle during export. The amount of gas left in the car will likely need to be at a required level due to safety precautions. Usually, the fuel tank is required to be one-quarter full at the most.
Your vehicle will be thoroughly checked for pests and debris that are illegal to bring into the destination country by customs agents. Wash your car on the way to the export Port of Entry to avoid any possible unpleasant situations. It would also be a good idea to inspect the vehicle yourself and take some pictures of it, before handing the car over to the chosen auto transporter in Kuwait. In that way, it will be much easier to spot any damage that happened during transportation. Try searching for freight forwarding companies in Kuwait. If you would like to sell your vehicle and ship it overseas instead or would like to have some other goods that you are selling shipped overseas,
Distance related factors that influence costs of overseas shipping
- The pickup location and port of entry. The cheapest option would be to pick up the vehicle at the port upon its arrival. The other option of having your vehicle delivered to your residence. The middle ground would be to have the car delivered to a terminal where you would be able to pick it up.
- The travel route and its characteristics. Common routes with regular traffic will cost less than distant, uncommon routes. And of course, the longer the distance traveled, the higher the cost will be.
- Typical arrival time and shipment expedition. The entire overseas shipping process of shipping a vehicle overseas could take anywhere from 3 to 12 weeks. When in a hurry to get your vehicle delivered as soon as possible, give expedited shipping a go. The entire process could be reduced to a few weeks. However, that comes at an extra cost.
- The distance from your origin to a port. The further away you are from the nearest port, the higher the costs.
Container and vehicle type can also affect the price of shipping overseas
- Open or closed container – The price will also depend on your choice of using a shared or individual container. A shared container will include other vehicles besides yours, whereas an individual container will only contain your vehicle. The price of an individual container is much higher, almost twice the price of the shared one. Shipping your vehicle in a closed container would be the best choice. Best when you are shipping a car that you care about and would like to be sure that it is not damaged by other vehicles.
- The type of vehicle that you are shipping – The heavier the vehicle that you are shipping the more it will cost.
Researching the associated taxes is crucial when shipping a vehicle overseas. You could pay a small fee, but you might even pay an amount higher than the cost of shipping itself.