In these difficult times many of us are tweaking and reviewing our budgets. If self-storage is one of your regular bills, here are some ways of managing your costs.
Speak to your storage provider if you are having money troubles
If you know you can’t pay your storage bills during the current crisis, your first step should be to speak with your storage provider. They should be able to help you out before the situation gets worse. Don’t ignore this problem. Your storage company would rather help you now when the debt is small, than later when it is much larger. And they would much prefer not to get into a dispute with you about unpaid bills, so ask for advice now.
You can also get help from Citizens Advice about managing bills during the coronavirus situation.
Can I move my stuff out of storage during the lockdown?
You would certainly be able to save money by moving your goods out of storage. But ask yourself whether this is an essential journey.
Before you decide to visit your storage unit find out how your facility can help you if you have something stored that you now urgently need. If you phone or email, bear in mind that some storage companies have fewer staff than usual, so may take longer than expected to get to your enquiry. Many of the larger storage companies are posting information on their websites about their response to coronavirus, so check this before calling or visiting.
Some storage companies deliver your goods to your home if you want them out of storage, and this might be a reasonable course of action at this time. This might allow your storage facility to transfer the rest of your goods to a smaller, cheaper unit, which would, of course, save you a bit of money.
Can I save money on my self-storage insurance bills?
Did you know that many self-storage facilities offer insurance to their clients as a money-making exercise, rather than as a service? At Store and Insure, we focus only on insurance services and as a result we can offer premiums that are often lower than those of facility-provided insurance. We think our terms and conditions give you better protection in many cases, too. Store and Insure is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority so we offer you more protection and certainty than unregulated insurance products purchased through a storage facility.
How do I switch to a new self-storage insurance scheme?
It’s easy to switch to our self-storage insurance scheme, as long as you haven’t got a claim open or reported.
All you have to do is tell your self-storage insurance provider that you are going to switch, and then buy a policy from Store and Insure. That way there will be no gap in cover. Store and Insure provides coverage by the day, so there is no need to pay insurance for a single day that your domestic goods are not in store.
What should I do if my previous insurer won’t let me cancel my policy?
Most self-storage insurance policies will allow you to cancel immediately without penalty – but if you have any problems, ask us and we will give guidance and assistance. Use our contact form to get in touch.
In tough times, be prudent
Make checking your storage costs – including insurance bills – part of your regular financial review. That way, you can be sure that you are not spending out when you don’t need to. S&I can bring significant savings on premiums in comparison with the premiums charged by your self-storage facility, so get a quote from Store and Insure today.
