Moving anywhere can be nerve-racking, but moving across the ocean can make things even scarier. Moving to an island territory may not be all the way across the Atlantic, but moving to a place like Puerto Rico adds new challenges to an already challenging endeavor. Puerto Rico is a beautiful place with terrific food and a historical culture. If you’re lucky enough to get to move to this island paradise, you may be wondering if it’s worth moving your car. It’s not like you can drive it to Puerto Rico, so you’re going to have to find a way to ship it. Luckily, we break down the process and let you decide if shipping your car to Puerto Rico makes sense for you.
How Shipping to Puerto Rico Works
The first and maybe the most obvious thing about shipping your car to Puerto Rico is getting it to the ship. This part of the transport system is often overlooked but demands attention because it could be the most expensive part. Shipping boats can’t launch from any boat; they need a port. That means the first leg of your trip will take your vehicle to the port.
Some shipping companies don’t handle both the transport to the ship and the boat ride over. Make sure you communicate with your shipping agent about any of the details. In some instances, splitting the shipping obligation between two shipping companies makes it cheaper, and at other times it could be more expensive. It’s best to get the details squared away with your shipping company before your car is on the trailer. The biggest thing, though, is to make sure your car is on the trailer as soon as possible. Transporting over land is more flexible with the number of drivers floating around the country ready to pick up your car at a moment’s notice. Shipping boats don’t have that flexibility, and, for lack of a better term, you don’t want to miss the boat.
Once your car is on the boat, it’s going to come to port. Some options include picking your car up from the port, and others can find a driver to transport your car from the port to your new Puerto Rican home. However, there are far fewer drivers available in Puerto Rico than on the mainland. This means there may be delays and price surges. However, it could be worth it depending on your schedule and how close you are to the port.
Cost of Shipping
Most people think that shipping your car on a boat is going to make the whole thing much more expensive. The ironic thing is that, for the most part, getting your vehicle from its pickup location to the port is the most expensive part of the trip. The boat part is pretty smooth sailing, as they say. Like we stated before, not all companies can handle all the legs of the trip, so you may have to divide the price between a couple of companies. You are going to want to make sure every company you deal with is properly insured. The odds of anything going wrong are very slim, but they do exist.
Getting insurance can save you thousands of dollars in the long run. The challenging part is making sure the company you are using has insurance for traveling over land and sea. There are different licenses and insurance requirements, which can complicate things. The easiest way to check is to ask if the company is properly bonded. If they are, that means they had to submit all of the licenses to get approval for the bond. If anything does go wrong, you’ll have the insurance and the bond to protect you. After all of this, you could expect to pay anywhere between $1,200 and $4,000 for the trip.
It’s Actually Really Easy to Ship to Puerto Rico.
At least for a good car shipping company. Orlando Car Transport is one of the best at shipping cars to Puerto Rico. For over 16 years, they have been the leader in shipping cars across the country, including Alaska, Hawaii, and, of course, Puerto Rico. They’re live agents who help walk you through every step of the way. The best part is that insurance is included right there in the quote. So if you’re looking to move to Puerto Rico, you don’t have to leave your dream car at home.
