Our storage insurance protects you against the usual risks associated with storing your belongings in a storage facility away from your home. Our policy covers you against the loss or damage of your items from:
- Fire, lightning, explosion or earthquake
- Smoke
- Theft or attempted theft
- Riot, civil commotion, labour disputes or political disturbance
- Storm or flood
- Vandalism or malicious acts
- Collision
- Water or oil escaping accidentally
- Sprinkler damage
- Moth, insect or vermin from a source outside of the storage unit
- Collapse or partial collapse of the premises
- Subsidence
We think that this is a pretty comprehensive cover list, suitable to protect your items against almost all possible scenarios which may cause damage, here in the UK at least.
One risk we have not needed to include is the risk of damage by bears! That was exactly what happened to a storage facility based in Haines, Alaska recently. Ma’s Mini Storage was visited by the marauding animals over two evenings, who managed to rip through the steel doors ‘like tinfoil’, apparently whilst looking for food. Judging by items found at the scene, one of the units may have been holding tinned salmon!
According to the owner of the storage facility, the bears ripped the doors off each of the eight storage units on the site – leaving them looking ‘like tacos’. The bears reportedly tried, unsuccessfully, to get into the storage units via the back doors as well as the front, leaving a trail of large paw prints as evidence. Following the units being boarded up for security, the bears appear to have visited again, leaving further claw marks and pawprints on the wooden shuttering. Sadly for the bears, their escapades, which were thought to be largely as a result of food shortages, led to them being shot by state wildlife troopers - which means they won’t be troubling the storage owner again. The business will apparently need to make two separate insurance claims for the damaged units as the damage took place over two nights - let’s hope the storage customers also had their contents insured.
Fortunately, here in the UK, we are unlikely to ever need to update our cover to include attacks by wild animals. We will however continue to offer great value, comprehensive storage insurance for both personal and business customers. To make sure you get the maximum cover benefit for your specific needs – follow our recommendations below when taking out your storage insurance:
- Shop around - When looking for any insurance, always get a few comparative quotes to ensure you are getting the best value cover which is suitable for your needs.
- Make sure your insurer can provide you with immediate access to proof of cover. Your storage provider will want to see your cover.
- Make sure the insurance you are taking covers the specific kind of storage you are using (Some insurers, for example, will not cover items stored in metal storage containers.
- Make sure that the cost of insurance is not already ‘included’ in the storage rate and that your storage provider is happy to accept insurance from a third-party insurer.
- Think carefully about the level of insurance you will need. Insurance should be taken out for the full replacement cost of the items you are storing - read this blog to see the perils of under insurance!
Visit our website for a storage insurance quote. We also have a large amount of further information regarding storage insurance, and storage more generally, on our website blog.