By Russ and Tiña De Maris
A wannabe full-timer posted this query on an internet forum:
“We are planning to RV full time for about a year. When our home sells, we will place our personal effects (furniture, etc.) in storage and go on the road. Our problem is that our insurance company will not insure our goods when they are placed in storage. As long as we have a house, our homeowners insurance covers the items in storage, but as soon as we sell the home it stops. We were offered insurance through the storage company, but it was very expensive.”
What’s a person to do? Many wannabe full-timers face similar decisions: Unsure if they’ll really enjoy the lifestyle, they don’t want to burn their bridges, so they hang on to various possessions and see how things develop. Not all insurance comes from a “homeowner’s policy.”
Some self-storage outfits will be happy to point you in the direction of insurance – and it may well be that these folks aren’t always looking out for their customers’ best interests. It could be what you’re offered in terms of rates could, in fact, meet the criteria of the poster’s description of “very expensive.”
The Internet comes to the rescue, however. Depending on what “very expensive” is in your book, we were able to set up a scenario wherein an RVer wanted to insure his storage unit items for $10,000. Using an Internet advertised self-storage insurance program, we got a quote for $38 a month. If that’s not expensive, it may be a way to give yourself peace of mind. Here’s a link to one such provider, MiniCo Customer Storage Insurance. [Editor: Not connected with RVtravel.com, and we are not making an endorsement — just listing for information purposes.]
Read the “frequently asked questions” and the “terms and conditions” closely. Not everything that can be stored is covered, and not every peril is something that comes with a payoff. For example, this company excludes payoff if your stuff is damaged by a flood — and there are several ways to define a flood. But if you find your situation is compatible with the insurer, it may take care of a nagging problem and let you get on with your new lifestyle.
##RVT778
