{"id":4743,"date":"2024-01-01T14:27:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-01T22:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/?p=4743"},"modified":"2023-12-31T14:27:56","modified_gmt":"2023-12-31T22:27:56","slug":"storage-unit-insurance-in-washington-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/homeowners-insurance\/storage-unit-insurance-in-washington-state\/","title":{"rendered":"Insuring Your Belongings: A Guide to Storage Unit Insurance Options in Washington\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One of the biggest benefits of carrying homeowners insurance<\/a> or renters insurance is that you can claim it as a valid form of storage unit insurance. This is also known as self-storage renters insurance<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s right. Your belongings are covered even when they\u2019re not on your premises as long as you have basic insurance coverage on the home you own or the Washington living space you rent<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Is Storage Unit Insurance Important?<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Because bad things can happen to your belongings even when they\u2019re \u201csafely\u201d stored away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The irresponsibility of other unit renters or storage facility staff could result in fire or smoke damage. Thieves or vandals might find their way into your unit, even in the most secure building. Natural disasters could result in wind or water damage, or burst pipes could destroy your things through water, mold, or mildew damage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The list goes on. The point is that you\u2019ve spent good money to store your belongings because they mean something to you. These belongings include ones with financial or sentimental value. Or you just have a hard time parting with your stuff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You could hire a lawyer and fight the storage facility for the damage \u2014 and maybe win. But that costs time and plenty of money, and the outcome is anything but certain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, take a look at the homeowners or renters insurance policy you already own. Chances are good you\u2019re covered and can get a financial settlement for the belongings that were lost, damaged, or destroyed while in your storage unit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Isn\u2019t Storage Company Insurance an Option?<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Yes. You can likely get renters insurance for your storage unit from the company that leases you the space. And that\u2019s certainly a valid option if you don\u2019t own a home or have renters insurance on your apartment, condo, or other rented living space. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, if you do have renters or homeowners insurance, why pay extra for something that\u2019s probably written into the lease you already own? That\u2019s because most policies of this nature include off-premises coverage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This off-premises language covers the stuff you own that you might have stored in the trunk of your car until it got damaged in an accident. Or stolen from the back of your friend\u2019s pickup truck while you\u2019re moving your stuff into your new apartment. Welcome to the neighborhood! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yes, your off-premises protection also includes the self-storage unit your \u201cnot quite wanted\/not quite unwanted\u201d possessions occupy at the other end of town. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you own your residence, you have homeowners insurance because it\u2019s mandatory before any mortgage company will issue you a loan. (Not many of us can pay cash for a $250,000 home, and the few who do are money-savvy enough to carry homeowners anyway.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, if you rent in the PNW, you might not be required to carry renters insurance.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Smiling<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Reasons to Carry Renters Insurance in Addition to Storage Unit Protection<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Maybe you\u2019ve turned down renters insurance in the past because your property manager hasn\u2019t made it mandatory (as a growing number of property managers do). Or you figure it\u2019s your landlord\u2019s responsibility to protect you financially. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And it is! Sort of. Your landlord or property manager must carry insurance on the building. But the stuff in<\/em> the building? The stuff you own in your unit? That\u2019s up to you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The effects of a burst water pipe, burglary, vandalism, smoke or fire damage, or any number of calamities can result in the costly damage, destruction, or loss of virtually everything you own. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consider a break-in and theft of your computers and phones. In addition to the high expense of replacing your valuable electronics, you might be out of luck if you work from home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or imagine smoke or flame damage to your property caused by an irresponsible smoker in another connected unit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, you can be safe and responsible and still suffer valuable losses in your rented spaces. It could be the result of a serious mistake by a neighbor, the property management company, or yourself. It will be expensive, regardless. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet another reason to carry renters insurance is the liability coverage you\u2019ll get. Imagine a friend of a friend tripping on your stairs during a party<\/a> and suing you for medical expenses and loss of income. Your renters insurance can handle the bulk of your irate guest\u2019s medical bills and pay your lawyer and other legal fees for the lawsuit that\u2019s sure to come. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, there are significant on- and off-premise reasons to have renters insurance. And it comes at the cost of just a few dollars a month, typically. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talk with an independent insurance agent who can shop among multiple insurers for the best deal possible<\/a> on this coverage. In that way, you\u2019ll protect your possessions both in your living space and out of it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contact Us Today for Affordable Ways to Protect Your Storage Unit Belongings<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Whether the belongings you just put in storage are financially valuable, hold sentimental value, or might somehow be put to good use in the future, you\u2019ll have storage unit insurance when your home or rented space is insured. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t have renters insurance, or you\u2019re looking for homeowners insurance for your new home or a more affordable option, reach out to Vern Fonk Insurance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Call us at (800) 455-8276<\/a> and speak to one of our PNW-based independent insurance agents. You can also get a quick online quote<\/a> or use our office locator<\/a> to find a Washington-based Vern Fonk location and agent near you.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Find Your Office<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One of the biggest benefits of carrying homeowners insurance or renters insurance is that you can claim it as a valid form of storage unit insurance. This is also known as self-storage renters insurance.  That\u2019s right. Your belongings are covered even when they\u2019re not on your premises as long as you have basic insurance coverage […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4745,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,36],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4743","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-homeowners-insurance","category-renters-insurance"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4743","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4743"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4743\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4747,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4743\/revisions\/4747"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4745"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4743"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4743"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4743"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}