Placing currently unused items in a self storage unit is a great way to free up space or keep things safe while a person is away from home for an extended period of time. Most of the time, there are no problems with the safety of those possessions. However, as with any other location where the possessions might be kept, there may be circumstances where the possessions are at risk. There might be damage due to vandalism or forces of nature. There is also the possibility of some or all of the possessions being stolen no matter how well they are looked after. It is these rare circumstances that many people are not properly prepared to handle.

The main thing that causes them issues is the fact that they did not get the possessions in their storage unit properly insured. Either they did not give it any thought at all or they assumed that their home owner's insurance policy would cover the possessions even when they were no longer on the property. Although some home owner insurance policies do offer a bit of coverage for possessions that are not actually on the home owner's property, it is usually not adequate to make a difference in the cost of replacing the stored items.