Cancellation, Refund & Payment Terms

1. Who we are and what we do

Carvato is a licensed transport broker (USDOT 3314113 · MC-1053256). We arrange the transport of your vehicle with a vetted, FMCSA-authorized motor carrier. We do not operate our own trucks and we do not take possession of your vehicle. The carrier that moves your vehicle is an independent company and is responsible for the vehicle while it is in their care.

2. Your quote and your price

2.1 The price in your written agreement is the price for the shipment described in it: the pickup and delivery locations, the vehicle, its condition and the transport type (open or enclosed).

2.2 Your price stays locked for 30 days from the date of the agreement, as long as the shipment details stay the same.

2.3 The price can change if the details change or turn out to be different from what we were told. Examples: the vehicle does not run and was booked as running, the vehicle is modified, lifted, lowered or oversized, the pickup or delivery address changes, or extra items are loaded in the vehicle. We will tell you the new price before the vehicle is picked up and you can accept it or cancel under Section 4.

3. Card on file, deposit and payment

3.1 Card on file. When you request a quote we collect your card details through Stripe. Your card is not charged at that point. Carvato does not see or store your full card number.

3.2 Authorization. By signing the agreement you authorize Carvato to charge the card on file for the amounts stated in the agreement, at the times stated in the agreement. We do not charge anything you have not approved in writing.

3.3 Deposit. Once a carrier has been assigned to your shipment, we charge a deposit of $250.

3.4 Balance. You choose one of two ways to pay the balance:

• Pay the driver on delivery (preferred). You pay the balance directly to the carrier at delivery by cash, Zelle or cashier's check. Personal checks and credit cards are not accepted by drivers. Your deposit is applied as Carvato's broker fee, and you pay only the rest to the driver.
• Pay by card. We charge the balance to the card on file 24 hours before pickup.

3.5 Late or failed payment. If a card charge fails, we will contact you before we send a driver to pick up your vehicle.

4. Cancellation

4.1 Before a carrier is assigned. You can cancel at any time before a carrier is assigned to your shipment at no cost. Nothing has been charged, so there is nothing to refund.

4.2 After a carrier is assigned. If you cancel after a carrier has been assigned, the deposit is non-refundable. This covers the work already done to secure your carrier.

4.3 After the carrier has been dispatched to you. If you cancel once the truck is on its way, or the driver arrives and the vehicle is not available, we keep the full deposit for the wasted trip (a "dry run").

4.4 How to cancel. Cancellations must be sent in writing to steve@carvatoauto.com. The cancellation takes effect when we confirm receipt. A phone call or text alone does not cancel an order.

4.5 If Carvato cancels. We may cancel an order if we cannot assign a carrier at the agreed price within 10 days of your first available pickup date, or if the information we were given about the vehicle is materially wrong. If we cancel for the first reason you owe nothing and any amount charged is refunded in full.

5. Refunds

5.1 When you get a full refund. You receive a full refund of anything charged if Carvato cancels because no carrier could be assigned, or if you cancel before a carrier is assigned.

5.2 Services paid for and not delivered. If you paid for a service that was not provided, for example enclosed transport and the vehicle was moved on an open trailer, we refund the difference between what you paid for and what you received.

5.3 What is not refundable. The deposit after a carrier is assigned (Section 4). Any amount paid directly to the carrier, which must be taken up with the carrier.

5.4 How refunds are paid. Refunds go back to the original card. We issue refunds within 5 to 10 business days of approving them. Your bank may take additional time to post the credit.

5.5 Delays are not grounds for a refund. See Section 6.

6. Pickup and delivery timing

6.1 Pickup and delivery dates are estimates. Auto transport depends on weather, traffic, road closures, mechanical issues, other customers on the same truck and federal driving-hour limits. We do not guarantee a specific pickup or delivery date or time unless your agreement says in writing that you purchased guaranteed dates.

6.2 Carvato is not responsible for costs caused by a delay, such as rental cars, flights, lodging, storage or lost time.

6.3 You or someone you name must be available to release the vehicle at pickup and receive it at delivery. If no one is available, the carrier may charge a $100 fee, plus any applicable storage fees. Storage costs vary depending on the nearest available storage facility.

7. Your vehicle

7.1 Condition. Tell us before booking if the vehicle does not run, steer or brake. Inoperable vehicles need a winch and cost more. If a vehicle is booked as running and is not, the carrier may charge an additional fee of $100 or refuse to load it.

7.2 Modifications. Tell us about lift kits, lowered suspension, oversized tires, racks, spoilers or anything that changes the vehicle's height, width, length or ground clearance.

7.3 Personal items. The vehicle must be completely empty of personal items before pickup. Do not leave any belongings inside the vehicle or the trunk. If personal items are found in the vehicle, the carrier may refuse pickup or charge an additional fee. Personal items are not covered by the carrier's cargo insurance, and neither Carvato nor the carrier is responsible for them.

7.4 Preparation. Leave about a quarter tank of fuel. Disable alarms. Remove toll tags and parking passes. Secure or remove loose parts and accessories.

8. Damage, inspection and claims

8.1 The carrier is responsible for damage it causes. Your vehicle is covered by the carrier's cargo insurance from pickup to delivery. Carvato verifies that each carrier holds active authority and insurance before assigning your shipment. Carvato is a broker and is not liable for loss or damage to the vehicle.

8.2 Inspect at pickup and at delivery. The driver will complete a bill of lading (the inspection report) with you at both ends. Walk around the vehicle with the driver. Take dated photos from every side. Make sure any existing damage is written down at pickup.

8.3 Write new damage on the bill of lading before you sign it. If you see new damage at delivery, note it on the bill of lading before signing and before the driver leaves. Damage that is not noted on the delivery bill of lading is very difficult to claim afterward. If delivery happens in the dark or in bad weather, write that on the bill of lading.

8.4 Tell us quickly. Report damage to Carvato in writing within 48 hours of delivery, with your photos and a copy of the bill of lading. We will give you the carrier's insurance information and help you open the claim. The claim itself is made against the carrier and its insurer.

8.5 What is not covered. Carrier insurance generally does not cover: damage that existed before pickup, ordinary road exposure on open transport (for example small stone chips, dust, rain, road film), mechanical or electrical problems not caused by the carrier, damage from loose or aftermarket parts, damage to the undercarriage or exhaust of vehicles with low ground clearance, damage caused by personal items inside the vehicle, and events outside anyone's control such as hail, storms, flooding or civil unrest. If ordinary road exposure is a concern, choose enclosed transport.

9. What we promise and what we do not

9.1 What Carvato stands behind. We will quote you honestly. One specialist handles your order. We assign only carriers with active FMCSA authority and cargo insurance. We will not charge your card for anything you did not approve in writing.

9.2 No other warranties. Except as expressly stated in this Agreement, Carvato provides its brokerage services on an "as is" and "as available" basis and makes no other warranties, express or implied, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. Carvato does not guarantee or warrant the performance of any motor carrier, any specific pickup or delivery date or time, or that transportation will occur without delays. Nothing in this Agreement limits or excludes any rights or remedies that cannot legally be limited or excluded under applicable federal or state law, including any rights a customer may have against the motor carrier for loss or damage to the vehicle during transportation.

9.3 Limit of liability. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Carvato's total liability arising out of or relating to an order or Carvato's brokerage services will not exceed the broker fee actually received by Carvato for that order. Carvato will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, exemplary or consequential damages, including loss of use, rental vehicle costs, lost income, lost profits or diminished value. This limitation applies only to Carvato's services as a transportation broker and does not limit any liability the motor carrier may have for loss of or damage to the vehicle during transportation. Nothing in this Agreement excludes or limits liability that cannot legally be excluded or limited under applicable law.

10. Disagreements

10.1 Contact us first at steve@carvatoauto.com or (224) 506-3676. Most problems are resolved by talking to your specialist.

10.2 If we cannot resolve it within 90 days, the dispute goes to binding arbitration in DuPage County, Illinois, under Illinois law, on an individual basis. Either side may use small claims court instead.