There are more than two billion square feet of self-storage in the United States; a testament to the realities of modern life and how we often find ourselves having to relocate while our belongings are kept in a storage unit for safekeeping. Although storage facilities typically have their own insurance, it sometimes doesn’t cover items stored by the various tenants renting out the storage spaces themselves. Tenants will sometimes have their own insurance policies cover items stored in their storage facilities by either extending existing insurance coverage to items stored elsewhere/outside of their home (i.e. not their own premises) or by purchasing an entirely new insurance policy specifically just to cover their stored items. The Quality of the Unit Under what circumstances do these insurance policies actually help provide you with the security that you need, and is it better to ensure that you find a better quality storage unit instead of relying on an insurance policy to protect you, regardless of how safe or clean the storage facilities look? One poor family learned the hard way that, in fact, making sure that the storage facility itself provides particular guarantees is a better idea than relying on your insurance policy to cover you if an incident occurs. Specifically, for the short period of time that they had to store their precious belongings—irreplaceable items like wedding photos, sentimental kids’ toys, antiques, etc.—unfortunately, their storage unit experienced an issue that led to the destruction of their valuables. And when they contacted their insurance company, they were informed that their policy did not cover the damage in this specific type of incident. Questions to Ask This unfortunate story highlights just how important it is to choose a storage facility that protects you and your belongings from this kind of loss. In addition to asking questions about security and fire risk, asking about any history of other types of damage is crucial. You also need to thoroughly inspect the specific unit where you plan to store your belonging before moving anything in and ask the storage facility how climate control works in the units. These are some very specific ways that storage facility owners can prevent damage to stored items. Feel free to ask your storage unit about what they are doing regarding these items: Units should have air- and water-tight seals (silicone caulk can be effective in ensuring this); Shrubbery and bushes should be eliminated near the units; Garbage should be stored in sealed containers; and Facility owners should control sources of moisture, such as gutters. Call US Storage Centers Today to Learn More about Our Self Storage Options At US Storage Centers, we provide only the highest quality storage units to our customers. Our Phoenix facility offers a variety of unit types that not only offer the very best in protection for your belongings, but are also extremely cost-effective. Contact us today at 602-842-0456 or online. US Storage Centers 1201 East Cinnabar Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85020 (602) 842-0456
