Homeowners insurance is the best to protect your belongings. While it's commonly known to cover items in your home, it also covers items in attached and detached structures on your property. When additional storage is needed, renting a storage unit on your property is what people do to keep their items secure. Your homeowners policy may not cover the items housed in storage units. To sufficiently cover these items, a different approach may be needed.
Your homeowners policy typically covers your personal property. In addition to the items in your home, your policy will also cover items you carry with you when you travel. Damage to these items caused by theft, severe weather, fire, or other mishaps is usually covered. A traditional homeowners policy will also protect your child's belongings if they are a student and live in a dorm room on campus. However, some items may be excluded if used to manage a home-based business.
Storing items in a storage unit may or may not be covered by your homeowners policy. You will have to read through your policy to find out. Sometimes, your stored items may be covered, but with a different limit than the items in your home. You should purchase an additional policy to ensure your items are covered sufficiently. This will increase your annual premiums but will protect all of your items no matter where they are located.
Many storage facilities offer insurance for the items you store in their units. Facilities may require that you have some insurance in place. If you don't, they may provide coverage for you and include the premium for the policy in your rental fee. This may be beneficial if you still need to get a policy. Be careful, though. These policies are often much more expensive due to being purchased from a third-party provider. While it's a good idea to have coverage, you are better off buying your policy from a provider you know.
If you need to put your items in storage, purchase extra insurance. You can enhance your protection by choosing a suitable facility. Find a facility that is gated and surrounded by a locked fence. Many self-storage facilities have installed video surveillance cameras to protect themselves and their customers. If you have items that will be affected by temperature and moisture, rent a climate-controlled unit that will maintain the same temperature and level of humidity. Taking an inventory of your items is also essential when protecting yourself against loss.
Storing your items off-site doesn't mean you can't protect them. Contact us at Fuller Insurance Agency as soon as possible to get it started. We can help you figure out what type of coverage you require to cover your needs. Our experts are well-trained to tailor your needs as soon as possible.
