Insuring your belongings in storage: why it is required at Cobalt Box

You put your sofa, moving boxes or business stock into a storage unit because you want to use them again later. The last thing you need is an unexpected financial loss if something is damaged or stolen.

That is why insurance for your stored belongings is required at Cobalt Box. You arrange it for the full storage period. This means thinking about protection before something goes wrong. The requirement also applies when you rent a storage unit in Terneuzen or Vlissingen.

Why insurance goes hand in hand with storage

Add up the value of everything you put in your unit. A dining table, a few chairs, a bed, kitchen equipment and boxes of clothes may seem ordinary individually, but together they can be worth a considerable amount.

Security helps reduce risks. Even so, damage or theft can never be ruled out completely. Insurance offers financial protection for events covered by the policy. The policy sets out which losses are covered and the conditions that apply.

At Cobalt Box, your goods must be adequately insured for their full replacement value throughout the agreement, against risks including fire, water, theft and other relevant risks. You can find the insurance requirement in Article 14 of our general terms and conditions.

Does your home contents insurance cover your storage unit?

Do not assume that insurance for your home also covers belongings at another address. Ask your insurer explicitly whether your goods are covered in an external storage unit.

Ask them to confirm:

• The storage address covered by the policy.
• Which goods and events are insured.
• The maximum amount payable and how replacement value is calculated.
• Whether an excess applies: the part of a claim you pay yourself.
• How long cover for external storage lasts.

Simply confirming that you “have home contents insurance” is not enough. The policy must be suitable for what you store and where you store it.

How do you arrange the required insurance?

You can use suitable insurance of your own or participate in the goods insurance or group cover available through Cobalt Box. Separate policy terms, coverage limits, excesses and exclusions apply.

Using your own insurance? Before you start using the storage unit, and upon first request, you must be able to demonstrate that suitable insurance is in force. Ask your insurer in advance for written confirmation of cover at the storage address. Contact our team if you need to know what evidence to provide.

If you cannot or do not wish to provide evidence of suitable insurance of your own, our terms require you to participate in the cover through Cobalt Box and pay the applicable premium. You remain responsible for any additional cover above the insured limit. Arrange this before you start storing your belongings.

Make an inventory of your stored belongings

Good insurance starts with knowing what is in your unit. Before loading it, make a simple inventory and record the value of your belongings.

Look beyond the large furniture. Tools, clothes, household appliances and the contents of smaller boxes all add up.

Take overview photographs and keep digital copies of any receipts you still have. These can help substantiate your possessions and their value if you need to make a claim. How the insurer calculates value and any settlement depends on the policy terms.

Adding more belongings later? Check that your insured amount is still sufficient.

Being insured does not mean every loss is covered

Insurance comes with conditions, limits and exclusions. Ask in advance how the policy deals with fragile items, damp, theft and damage during transport to your storage unit, for example.

Also check whether your items are allowed in the unit at all. Insurance does not change the storage rules. Read more in our frequently asked questions.

Continue to pack and stack your belongings carefully. Put heavy boxes at the bottom, protect fragile items, label your boxes clearly and only store dry belongings. This keeps your storage unit organised and helps prevent avoidable damage.

Book your unit and arrange insurance in advance

A storage unit gives you extra space. Suitable insurance helps you manage the financial consequences of unexpected events too.

Before you start, decide what you will store, how much it is worth and how you will insure it. Unsure about Cobalt Box’s insurance requirements? Contact our team before bringing in your belongings.

Ready to make room? Use the storage calculator to estimate how much space you need, or book your Cobalt Box storage unit in Terneuzen or Vlissingen.

Illustrative photographs: Ketut Subiyanto via Pexels — packing belongings and labelling moving boxes, used under the Pexels licence.