Renting a self storage unit has become increasingly popular as a way to safely store those important items you don’t need lying around the house. This frees up a lot of living spacing and gives you and your family a lot more breathing room in your home.
On the whole, Napa storage units are well built, very secure, and are monitored with 24-hour surveillance. But although your items are very well protected from intruders, it doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t vulnerable to other factors. There are some incidents such as natural disasters that can permeate those protective walls and camera systems and potentially damage whatever you have stored inside.
The good news is you can insure everything you put into your self-storage unit so that when mother nature gets more angry than usual, the value of your stored belongings are covered.
Possible Outside Threats
As stated above, no storage unit is 100% foolproof and some incidents could result in your items being damaged. Here are some prime examples of these threats:
- Hurricane/Tornado
- Floods
- Heavy Storm Factors such as wind, lightning, hail
- Smoke and Fire
- Earthquake
- Theft and Vandalism
When renting your Napa storage unit, you will most likely be asked to purchase self-storage insurance at the same time. When reading the agreement you will have an opportunity to see which of these dangers are covered. Typically, flood insurance is sold separately and so you must review your insurance contract thoroughly to know whether or not you need to purchase this additional type of coverage.
It’s also worth noting that in most cases, damages caused by rodents or vermin are not covered, so remember to read through each section of the agreement to be 100% sure where you need to look for additional coverage.
Different Ways to Purchase Self Storage Insurance
It is strongly recommended and often required by companies that Napa storage units are insured. As a renter, you can first confirm whether or not your home insurance would cover items that you keep in a self-storage unit. If this is the case, you can show this to the storage company and you’re all set. If your policy doesn’t currently provide this coverage, it would be a good idea to check with your insurance company to see if this type of coverage would be provided and what the cost of that extension would be.
When going this route, make sure you’re aware of what value of the stored items will be covered. Some insurance companies only provide 10% of the value of your total home insurance. This means, for example, if your current policy is $50,000, your insurer would only pay $5,000 worth of damages on items in your self-storage unit.
Purchasing Self Storage Insurance
If you don’t want to go the route of using your home insurance policy, this is still a great option to protect the value of your stored belongings. You’ll find there are many options you can choose from that can cover anywhere from $2500 up to $50,000. Make sure you take the time to assess the belongings you’ll put in your Napa storage unit and find the plan that best suits those items.
Wrapping it Up
Even on the off-chance your self-storage company doesn’t require you to have insurance, we think it’s not something you should go without. Remember to choose the plan appropriate for you and the items you’re storing so you can rest a little easier knowing their value is protected.