At this point you’ve made the decision to keep some of your things in a self-storage facility. Needless to say, you want to be assured that your precious belongings will remain safe and secure from any sort of physical damage. The question is, should I get an insurance policy for the things in my storage unit?

Jeff Daughtery, property manager for The Storage Guy, says “It’s their responsibility to insure their personal property or not.”

The Storage Guy has insurance on their facility, and also liability coverage if their negligence causes a loss to property. But it’s up to the renter to provide coverage for the things they keep in the unit. “We always recommend customers seek advice from their insurance agent to confirm [they’re covered] or purchase insurance” says Daughtery.

Many storage facilities will offer you an in-house coverage plan in the form of an add-on, similar to when renting a car. But just like renting a car, it’s optional and some people have auto insurance that already provides some level of coverage on that rental experience. That’s why it’s important to check with your agent that provides your homeowners or renters insurance policy. You might have coverage and you don’t even know about it!

Another thing to consider, is the stuff that you’re storing valuable enough to spend money covering in case something happens to it?

If you’re storing kids clothes they’ve grown out of, or holiday decorations, it may not be cost-effective to insure the property. However, if you’re storing expensive items like electronics, recreational vehicles, jewelry, or anything with a high value, an additional policy providing the coverage makes sense.

It’s also important to understand the climate of where your things will be stored. If the area has high heat and lots of humidity and your unit is not climate-controlled, there is a greater chance for damage due to weather conditions. If you’re in this type of situation, inquire with your agent about policies that cover climate damage.

The bottom line is most facilities don’t cover what’s inside the unit, so it’s up to you to figure out if what you’re storing is valuable enough to spend the money on covering.  If so, talk to a trusted source about putting the proper policy in place to give you that peace-of-mind.

About The Storage Guy

Based in Middleton, WI, the Storage Guy is locally owned and operates 5 self-storage facilities throughout the Madison area. They go above and beyond to satisfy all of their customers short or long-term needs. Whether your business needs storage for equipment, seasonal items, product or material inventory, data records, office furniture, trucks, trailers or tools, their storage units or storage condos will serve you well. If you have individual storage needs for personal property, boats, campers, RV’s, autos, trucks, motorcycles, snowmobiles, ATV’s, trailers, seasonal equipment or furniture, their storage units will provide you with the peace of mind that your possessions are well protected, safe and secure.