Are personal items in my car covered by the carrier's insurance?

No. The carrier's cargo insurance covers the vehicle, not its contents. Anything you leave in the car, including the one declared bag our Terms allow, travels at your own risk. Neither the carrier nor Rivalane is liable for personal items, or for damage to the car caused by overloading it with them.

Cargo insurance for a car carrier is written for vehicles. It does not extend to luggage, boxes, electronics or anything else inside the car.

What the Terms say

You may leave one suitcase or one bag up to 100 lbs in the trunk or cargo area if you declare it before loading. You do so at your own risk. Neither the carrier nor Rivalane is liable for personal items of any kind or value, nor for damage to the vehicle caused by excessive or improper loading of personal items.

What that means in practice

If a bag goes missing or is damaged, there is no claim to file. If a loose item breaks a window or scratches the interior in transit, that damage is excluded too. Items that can be seen through the windows also invite theft at rest stops, which is a risk no policy covers.

What to do instead

Ship belongings separately, or carry them with you. Keep the car empty apart from factory equipment, the spare tire and the jack. If you must send one bag, keep it light, out of sight in the trunk, and free of anything you would mind losing.

Vehicles shipped by sea to Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico must be completely empty; the shipping lines enforce it at the terminal.

Related questions

Related service page
Terms and Conditions, section 3
Read the full guide

Still have a question?

Our coordinators answer the phone from 8 am to 10 pm Eastern, seven days a week, and every email gets a reply from a person. Rivalane is a licensed auto transport broker, USDOT 4178374 and MC-1608310.

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