For most families with young children, the holidays are a busy and happy time of year. You’re making memories and enjoying time together at parties, school performances, and visits to Santa. At the same time, all of these activities can be overwhelming. You have gifts to buy, baking to finish, and events to plan. It gets complicated. 

In an effort to stay organized you schedule your time, and plan ahead. You’ve been shopping diligently and you found the perfect solution for stashing your gifts. You’ve leased a convenient, secure, affordable self storage unit to hide the presents. You found the perfect-sized, climate-controlled self storage unit to fit your needs, and flexible month-to-month leasing means that you don’t have to worry about a long-term commitment. In fact, you’ll probably hang on to the unit to store your Christmas decorations. You can relax knowing that your belongings are safe because the facility that you chose has state-of-the-art security features.

You checked with your insurance agent to verify that your homeowners’ policy will cover the off-premises items in your storage unit. You’re covered for fire, lightning, theft, and vandalism, but the bad news is that your coverage limits are lower for property located away from your home. Purchasing self storage insurance from your facility is a good idea, and it will cover you for certain damages not included in your homeowners’ policy. 

In any case, you still have some concerns, and you don’t want to risk a loss, especially at this busy time of year. The best solution for you is to add additional security with a tenant protection plan. 

Why Do You Need a Tenant Protection Plan During the Holidays?

Below are some of the reasons that a self storage tenant protection plan can be a lifesaver during the holiday season. It will provide you with that extra layer of protection that you don’t have with insurance. If your gifts are damaged or stolen, you’ll be reimbursed at replacement cost (clothing and household linens are subject to depreciation). Protection plan fees are conveniently collected with the monthly rent, and there are no deductibles.

• First of all, a tenant protection plan is not insurance. A tenant protection plan is a contractual agreement between the facility and the tenant. The facility assumes limited responsibility for your belongings while they are stored in a locked unit. In other words, operators agree to pay customers for damages to belongings up to a specified dollar amount. 
• You will be reimbursed at replacement cost for damaged or stolen property (clothing and household linens are subject to depreciation). Protection plan fees are conveniently collected with the monthly rent, and there are no deductibles. 
• If you’ve stored expensive gifts, you know that you’ll be reimbursed at replacement cost for those items. If one of your lucky children is receiving a car for Christmas, as long as it’s stored in an enclosed unit, a tenant protection plan has you covered.
• Your insurance covers fire, lightning, theft, and vandalism, but did you ever think about the damage that can be done by a moth or a few mice? You don’t want your favorite aunt to open her gift and find that expensive sweater full of holes.
• Speaking of pests and vermin, they can do extensive damage to books. It’s not fun to read a book with chewed and missing pages.
• Don’t forget about the weather. In many areas of the country, this is the time of year for freezing temperatures, ice storms, or snow. As a result, you could end up with water damage from leaky pipes or a damaged roof.
• Theft is always something to consider. Even with the most well-maintained facilities, protected with state-of-the-art security occasionally will experience theft. Yes, your insurance does cover theft, but a tenant protection plan will provide replacement costs with no deductible. 

To learn more about the Storage Shield tenant protection plan, read Is There A Difference Between Storage Insurance and a Tenant Protection Plan? and The Benefits of a Tenant Protection Plan

Conclusion

Enjoy a busy and happy holiday season, and give yourself the peace of mind of a tenant protection plan.