Canceling an auto transport order can be done obviously, but there are still some things that you should be aware of should you decide to change your mind after placing the order. Each transit company will differ in terms of its cancellation policies, so you should always keep that in mind. With that being said, if you want to cancel your auto transport order, make sure to consider the following:
Check The Policy Of The Auto Transport Company BEFOREHAND
Most people don't bother to read the cancellation policy that a company has. They are not all created equal, which means that they do have some variations between them. Before you sign anything, you really should take the time to go over it. Otherwise, you might be locking yourself into something that you can't get out of.
So where do you find an auto transport company's cancellation policy? It's usually in their Terms and Conditions section, which should be accessible on their website. If it's not, make sure to ask the company directly. To be extra safe, you want to have something in writing.
What Does The Termination Policy Describe?
In most instances, a cancellation policy will lay out the instances in which you can cancel your order without too many complications, as well as minimal if any, fees that you will be responsible for.
It will lay out:
- The cut-off point in which you can cancel without minimal penalty
- What the penalty is for revoking
- Information about canceling the order at an advanced stage of delivery
When Should You Terminate By?
Ideally, when you revoke your auto-transit order, it should be before the deposit has been made. If you're going through an auto transport broker, the best time to cancel would be between when you first make the order and when they find a carrier, which is when you would normally have to pay the deposit. During this stage, it doesn't matter your reasoning for canceling, and there is no penalty involved, especially if you have not made a deposit.
Revoking After A Deposit Has Been Made
If you have already made your deposit, it gets a bit more complicated. There are two stages to consider:
- Making a deposit but it has not yet been picked up
Or
- Making a deposit and it has already been picked up
For the first one, if you've already made the deposit, but it has not yet been picked up, you will receive a refund, though you may also have to pay some sort of cancellation fee or penalty. It is not going to be much, and the important thing to note is that, by law, the transport company has to provide you with your deposit back no matter what. You may experience a delay in receiving the deposit back, so be mindful of that if you need the money returned to you right away.
Unfortunately, if you have already made a deposit AND your vehicle has been picked up, good luck being able to cancel it. It can be extremely difficult to do and results in major route changes in many cases for the carrier. You would, at the very least, have to pay an extremely large penalty or fee that could almost match the cost itself.
In short, be mindful of your auto transport company's cancellation policy and make a decision that you're fully confident in before you commit to anything, especially in terms of a deposit.