How to Photograph Your Car at Pickup and Delivery
Photos and video at pickup and delivery are what make a loss during transit documentable. Without them, a carrier or insurer is looking at two people's memories. With them, you have a before-and-after record. It takes a couple of minutes on each side.
Why condition media matters
Carriers carry cargo insurance, and AAAT will work a claim with you either way. Evidence is what makes that process straightforward instead of a dispute about whether a scratch was already there. If you capture condition on the order, you are protected. If you skip it, we still help — it just gets harder.
This is the customer half of VS3: AAAT vets the carrier; you document the vehicle when custody changes.
What to capture (pickup and delivery)
Use good light. Walk slowly. Capture:
- Full front and rear (plate visible when you can)
- Full driver side and passenger side
- Wheels, tires, and rims
- Glass, roof, headlights, and taillights
- Interior, dash, and odometer
- Close-ups of every existing scratch, dent, or chip
- A slow 360° walkaround video
Do this before the car is loaded at pickup, and again before you sign at delivery. Compare delivery shots to pickup shots on your tracking page. If the condition report is wrong, do not sign — call 1-800-227-7447 while the driver is still there.
Capture it on the order, not just your camera roll
Your own phone photos help, but photos and video saved through aaat.com/verify sit on the AAAT order. That is the file we, the carrier, and (if needed) insurance can all use. After a green driver verify, the same page walks you through the shots above.
Then inspect the bill of lading
Do not sign until the paper matches what you just documented. Keep a photo of the signed bill. If something is off, report it immediately — waiting makes a claim harder. For the short version of that rule set, see the car shipping cheatsheet. If damage already happened, start with what happens if your car is damaged during shipment.
Questions about a live order: 1-800-227-7447 or AAAT@AAAT.COM. Ready to book the next one? Get a car shipping quote.