Storage Unit Insurance: Self-Storage & Off-Premises Coverage

When you rent, your space may not fit all of your belongings. In 2019, the average apartment was just 1,156 square feet, 90 square feet smaller than apartments built in 2010. ¹ But what if you’re not ready to part with your things?

Self-storage is a great option if you want to declutter your apartment and hold onto your personal belongings until you can accommodate them again. You don’t want to just store your belongings, though. You want to protect them.

The best way to protect your things – whether they’re in your rental unit or your storage unit – is to make sure you have the right renters or storage unit insurance.²

Does renters insurance cover storage units?

Most standard renters insurance policies cover personal items in a self-storage unit just like they would be covered in your apartment – this type of coverage is known as off-premises coverage. Off-premises coverage means your stored belongings are covered for the same causes of loss, such as theft or fire, as the belongings in your rental unit.

However, there are a few instances in which your renters insurance might not cover items destroyed or ruined in a public storage unit. For example, your renters policy wouldn’t normally cover damage caused by pests, a flood, mold and mildew, or an earthquake.³ The same applies if your belongings are in a storage unit – they wouldn’t be covered.

Before moving your personal items to a self-storage unit, ask your insurance specialist whether your renters policy includes off-premises coverage.

How much will renters insurance cover for belongings in storage?

Coverage limits vary by insurer, but standard renters insurance policies cover items in a self-storage unit up to 10% of your personal property limit.³ If your policy covers $50,000, you would be insured up to $5,000 for the items in your storage unit.

If you plan on storing valuable property, such as art, antiques, jewelry or furs, in self-storage, you should add an endorsement to your renters policy for these items. If the property is scheduled separately, it is not subject to the 10% limit and will be covered in full up to the stated limit on the endorsement. Also, be sure to find a storage facility that offers on-site security, such as 24-hour video surveillance cameras, climate control and coded security pads.²

Be sure to find a storage facility that offers on-site security, such as 24-hour video surveillance cameras, climate control and coded security pads.²

How much is storage unit insurance?

If your renters insurance limits aren’t enough to cover your stored items, purchasing storage unit insurance from the storage company might be a way to increase your limits.³ Amica recommends preparing a storage inventory, just as you would for the belongings in your home, to help you recall and replace what you own.

Even though your belongings in a storage unit are not in your home, your renters insurance policy may help protect them. Before moving your things to a storage unit, thoroughly vet the storage company and verify that it’s clean, well maintained and secure.² Talk to your insurance specialist about storage unit insurance.

If you are living in a rental unit, there are a lot of benefits of having renters insurance. Learn how to protect your belongings and yourself.

• Average Home Size in the US: New Homes Bigger Than 10 Years Ago but Apartments Trail Behind, StorageCafé, 2020.
• Self-storage facility coverage and tips, Insurance Information Institute, 2021.
• Does Renters Insurance Cover Property in Self-Storage Units?, ValuePenguin, 2018.