Storage insurance
Researched and written by Ashley Davis · Reviewed by Emily Johnson · Last reviewed August 2026
Storage insurance covers the contents of the unit, and the rental contract almost never does. Facilities usually require proof of cover as a condition of the lease and then sell a policy at the counter, but that policy is one of three options and often the narrowest: an existing homeowner or renter policy may already extend to goods off premises, and a standalone storage policy is sold by independent insurers. Read what is excluded before comparing prices, since flood, mould, vermin, cash and jewellery are commonly carved out of all three.
Does the storage facility insure your belongings?
No, and the contract says so in terms. A self-storage agreement is a lease of space, not a bailment of goods, and the standard form disclaims liability for loss or damage to the contents including in most cases loss caused by the building itself. The facility insures its building and you insure your property, which is why most leases make proof of cover a condition rather than a courtesy.
What are the ways to insure a storage unit?
Three. An existing homeowner or renter policy, which often extends to personal property away from the residence at a reduced limit. A standalone self-storage policy from an independent insurer, bought directly. Or the protection plan offered at the facility counter, which is convenient and is priced for that. All three are worth a quote, and the first is worth a phone call before anything is bought, since it may already be in force.
What is normally excluded?
The exclusion list decides the value of the policy far more than the limit does. Flood and water damage from outside the unit is commonly excluded, as is mould and mildew, vermin damage, and gradual deterioration of any kind. Cash, securities, jewellery, furs and collectibles are usually excluded or capped at a low sub-limit. Damage caused by improper packing is excluded almost everywhere, which is where the loading order becomes a coverage question rather than a tidiness one.
What do you need to make a claim?
Evidence of what was in the unit and what it was worth, which cannot be assembled after a loss. Photograph every wall of the loaded unit and keep a written inventory with values, and retain receipts for anything of significant value. This is the same discipline as the moving inventory and it exists for the same reason: a claim is decided on the document, not the recollection.
How does this differ from the mover's liability?
They are separate systems. While your goods are in the mover's care, including in the mover's warehouse, they sit under the liability level you chose on the bill of lading, which by default is released value at 60 cents per pound per article. A unit you rent yourself is outside that entirely. Moving insurance covers the first and this page covers the second.