If you are currently searching for a facility to temporarily store your personal or business belongings then you may be wondering what insurance for storage unit contents is and whether you will need it. Storage unit insurance is a policy that is specifically designed to offer protection of your valuable possessions whilst they are in a storage facility.
What is it?
Storage unit insurance is a policy that is designed to cover your belongings against the risk from things like floods, fires, earthquakes, theft and vandalism. Additional cover can often be added for things such as moth damage. For many self storage facilities in the UK, storage unit insurance, also known as self storage insurance, is a requirement.
Storage facilities will have their own insurance in place that covers liability damage (protection in the unlikely event that your possessions were to be damaged by negligence), however they are not responsible for any damage that is out of their control. This is why storage insurance is so important.
My home insurance contents cover protects my belongings
Whilst this is quite uncommon, occasionally some home insurance policies will cover your belongings regardless of where they are stored, or have a separate clause for your belongings when they are stored outside of your home address or in storage. However, if you think this is the case, it is important to check this thoroughly before assuming your possessions will be protected. If you decide to use your current home insurance, your storage facility of choice may request to see proof of cover to ensure protection is in place.
How much will it cost?
Like most insurance coverage, the cost of storage unit insurance varies vastly between policies. Your personalised quote will depend on the value of the items that you want your policy to cover, as well as the addition of any optional extras. It is important to check that the full value of your stored belongings will be covered.
Why do I need it?
Self storage facilities are safe and secure places that are trusted to store valuable possessions. To limit risk as much as possible, you should always look for facilities that offer 24 hour CCTV, monitored alarms and access control. However, even with all these things in place, on the very odd occasion items can be damaged. Insuring your personal or business belongings whilst they are in storage is vital so that you can be sure you are protected should the worst happen. Many self storage facilities will be able to assist you with a storage insurance UK policy, just ask for more details.
What else can I do to protect my belongings whilst in storage?
Whilst there’s little anyone can do to prevent accidental damage to goods in storage such as flooding or fire, there are other things you can do to protect your items.
This includes:
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Keeping boxes off of the floor
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Protecting all of your items by placing them in boxes or covering them with sheets
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Not storing flammable items
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Ensuring fridges and freezers are fully defrosted before storing
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Not using your self storage facility for money or jewellery
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Storing any receipts for your belongings somewhere safe (but not inside the storage facility)
If you are currently looking to store your personal or business belongings and want to use a facility that is managed by friendly experts, you can contact us here.