Storage Blog

Mini Storage in Needles, CA - "Insurance" - Safety Tip #2

Okay....You just rented a unit to store your belongings in a beautiful, state of the art, self storage facility.  The management of the facility has pointed out to you that the contract which you just signed does not hold the facility liable for ANY of your personal assets.  The manager hands you some pamphlets and suggests that you obtain some insurance.  And you think "why" or my homeowner's  or renter's insurance will cover any problems....But will it?

• Insurance:  Some home owner's and renter's insurance cover your personal belongings in storage while other do not.  Did you check to see if yours is one who will cover what is stored in your storage unit?

• Rodent Rascals:  All storage facilities instruct all of their tenants not to store any food products.  The reason behind this request is to keep rodents out of the facility. Most facilities have some kind of rodent abatement program if it is possible.  However, management can't inspect everything that is brought in.  I caught one tenant bringing in a large bag of dog food.  I told him he wasn't allowed to and he was surprised.  He didn't think dog food was food.  The rodents can't tell the difference.  Suppose the guy in the unit next to you is storing dog food....
• An Unexpected Visitor?  Most facilities have an entry system and surveillance cameras.  However, these don't stop intruders...they only deter them.  The best of all facilities cannot and will not guarantee that your unit will not be broken into.  In 10 years of owning a facility, we have been fortunate to have had only one incident.  Suppose that one time had been your unit?
• Remember Mother Nature....The best of all facilities cannot guarantee that they can protect your belongings against Mother Nature.  Just look at what is happening to the facilities in Tennessee, etc.  what can an owner of a storage facility do to protect against floods, hurricanes, tornados, etc.

I read in one insurance policy that for twenty cents/day, you can obtain $4,000 coverage.  If your items are worth storing, aren't they worth being insured?  Here are 3 companies (there are many....I just found these three on the internet) that would be happy to insure all of the wonderful items in your storage unit:

1. MiniCo Customer Storage Insurance - www.tenantone.com
2. Safe Store, Self-storage Insurance - www.safestor.com
3. Deans & Homer Insurance - www.deanshomer.com

It's your responsibility, not the storage facility's, to protect your personal items.   BE PROACTIVE!  YOU'LL SLEEP BETTER!!!!