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Self storage insurance: protecting what you store
Insuring the goods in your container is up to you. That is standard across the self storage industry, and it is part of how we keep our prices low. Here is what you need to know, and the simplest ways to get covered.
Why it matters
We use the standard storage agreement of the Self Storage Association of Australasia (SSAA), the same one used across the industry. Under it, you store your goods at your own risk, and you should not assume that any insurance we have covers your belongings.
One rule matters most. Irreplaceable items, or goods worth more than $1,000 in total, can only be stored if they are itemised and specifically insured. Most people’s stored goods are worth more than that, so in practice, insurance is something to sort out before you move in.
Your two options
1
Check your own policy
Some home contents and business policies cover goods kept away from home. Many limit how much, cap the time, or leave self storage out. Call your insurer and ask:
- Are my goods covered in a shipping container at a self storage yard?
- What is the limit?
- Does it cover theft, storm, flood and fire?
- Is there a time limit?
- Do you need a list of what I am storing?
Get the answer in writing.
2
Take out storage insurance
If your policy doesn’t cover it, specialist storage insurance is the simple fix. We point our customers to Self Storage Insurance Australia (SSIA), which specialises in cover for goods in self storage.
You buy it online in your own name, choose how much to insure your goods for, and choose how many months you need.
How SSIA’s Goods in Storage insurance works
A summary from SSIA’s own website, checked 28 October 2026. Your policy schedule and the Product Disclosure Statement are what count.
What it can cover
- Household goods, personal effects, and stock and equipment used in a small business, while they are inside your locked unit
- Loss or damage from the insured events in the policy: accidental damage, fire, lightning, impact, explosion, earthquake, tsunami, aircraft, riots and strikes, malicious damage, rainwater, and storm
- Theft, but only after forcible entry
- Items you list one by one, settled at the value shown in your schedule
What it doesn’t cover
- Flood. Rainwater is covered, but flood from rivers, creeks or dams is not
- Wear and tear, pests and mould
- Goods in transit, or while you load and unload
- Damage from poor packing: goods need to be packed to handle normal storage
Good to know
- Cover is for up to 12 months at a time. Policies don’t renew, so for a longer stay you take out a new one
- It is bought online through the SSIA portal, not by phone
- Cancel in writing within 15 days, with no claim, for a full refund
- It is only available at SSIA approved facilities. Sunshine Self Storage is one
Self Storage Insurance Australia: ssia.au · [email protected] · 1300 007 742. Read SSIA’s Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determination before you decide.
Habits that help with any claim
- Keep a written list of what is in your container, with photos, and a copy at home
- Pack properly, with everything clean and dry (how to pack a storage container)
- Keep goods off the floor on pallets
- Visit now and then, so you would notice quickly if anything changed
- If something happens, call us straight away on 03 9010 6147, report any theft to the police, then contact your insurer
Our part: a secure yard
We do everything we can to keep your goods safe: high fences, a card-access gate, your own access card and alarm code, an anti-theft lockbox for your padlock, and back-to-base alarms and cameras monitored 24/7. You hold the only key to your container.
Insurance covers the things no yard can fully rule out.
Insurance questions
- Do you insure my goods?
- Will my home or business insurance cover goods stored off-site, or do I need separate storage insurance?
- If something goes missing from my container, who is actually responsible?
- Am I covered if my container is damaged in a storm or flood?
This page is general information, not insurance advice. We don’t sell insurance, and only a licensed insurer can tell you what your policy covers.
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