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Insurance for contents kept in storage

Packing furniture, boxes or the “we’ll deal with this later” stuff into storage? If you have NRMA Contents Insurance, you may be able to add optional cover to include general contents kept in storage (in Australia).

Does Home Contents Insurance cover contents held in a storage unit?

It can, but it’s not automatic.

Before we can provide cover, you’ll need to let us know about:

  • Your intentions to put your items into storage
  • When and where you plan on putting them into storage
  • The value of your items.

Keep in mind, we can’t cover valuable contents while they’re in storage.

So, if you’re about to put your couch, fridge, boxes, rugs or other general contents into a self-storage unit, contact us first. We’ll let you know whether we can add the Contents in storage benefit to your policy and whether an additional premium applies.

What's the difference between storing my home contents in a home shed versus a storage unit when it comes to cover?

If your belongings are in a shed, garage or outbuilding at your insured address, they may already be covered.

If your belongings are in an off-site storage facility, like a self-storage unit, you’ll need to arrange the contents in storage benefit before the items go in.

In short:

  • Stuff in your shed at home: check your Contents Insurance.
  • Stuff in a storage unit somewhere else: ask us about contents in storage before you move it.

Read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for the full terms, limits and exclusions.

Your pre-storage checklist

Before you bubble-wrap the TV or label your fifth box “miscellaneous”, contact us with a few details.

To see if we can cover your contents while they’re in storage:

  1. Create an inventory: List out the items you intend to put in storage.
  2. Calculate their value: Work out how much each of the items would cost to replace if they were to be lost or destroyed.
  3. Lock in the logistics: Decide on a date and location for when and where you intend to store your items.
  4. Call us for a chat: Let us know about your plans to store your contents.
Insurance

What does Home Contents Insurance provide cover for when you have added optional cover for your contents kept in storage?

Included

Covered events may include:

  • Theft and vandalism
    Cover if your stored general contents are stolen or damaged by theft or vandalism.

  • Fire, including bushfire
    Cover for loss or damage caused by an unintended fire.

  • Storm, flood and rainwater run-off
    Cover for damage caused by certain weather events like flood, rainwater run-off, storm, storm surge and tsunami.1

  • Impact damage
    Cover if your items are damaged by impact from things like a vehicle or fallen tree.2

  • Lightning
    Cover for damage caused by a power surge or lightning.

  • Items being moved to your home
    Cover for damage to items while in transit.

  • Water leaks
    Cover for damage caused by certain liquid leaks3, like from a burst pipe.

Contents Insurance may cover belongings such as furniture, clothes, rugs, fridges, washing machines, TVs and other general contents, with limits and exclusions set out in the PDS.

Not included

Some things aren’t covered while in storage. These can include:

  • Computers, mobile phones and other excluded items
    This includes jewellery, artworks, tools of trade, and money.

  • Items you didn’t tell us about before storage
    You need to contact us before your general contents go into storage.

  • Contents in transit during the storage period
    Storage cover applies while items are stored, not while they’re being moved, unless another part of your policy applies.

  • Items outside the policy terms
    Limits, exclusions and conditions apply, so check the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) before you move anything expensive, unusual or hard to replace.

Why Australians choose NRMA Insurance

You may not need a brand-new storage policy

If you already have NRMA Contents Insurance, contact us to check whether we can add contents in storage cover to your policy.

A little less admin

Moving house is already heavy on the admin. If we can cover your stored general contents, it could help ease the load.

Keeping things simple

Before your items go into storage, tell us what you’re storing, where it’s going and how long it’ll be there.

FAQs

FAQs

Read more

General contents held in storage may be covered under your Home Contents Insurance policy. You’ll first need to let us know your intentions to move items into storage and meet our acceptance criteria.

Storage cover helps protect your general contents while they’re sitting in an approved storage location.

Storage costs are the costs of renting storage space. For example, if an insured event makes your home unliveable, your policy may help with reasonable storage costs for your contents, depending on your cover.

Contents in transit applies when your contents are being moved, not while they’re sitting in storage. We may be able to cover contents at both your current and new home for up to 14 days when moving, and items being moved to your new home may be covered for certain events while in transit, up to a total of $10,000.4

Not always. Some facilities may ask you to show that your goods are insured, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you must use the policy offered by the facility. It’s best to check with the storage facility and read their terms and conditions to determine what’s required.

Things you should know

  1. We don’t cover actions of the sea, such as tides and waves. Check the PDS for a full list of exclusions. For insured properties in NSW, ACT or Tasmania, if we give you the option to remove cover for flood, rainwater run-off and storm surge from your Contents Insurance and you choose to do so, you won’t be covered for loss or damage to your contents caused by flood, rainwater run-off or storm surge.

  2. We don't cover loss or damage caused by tree cutting, lopping or felling, unless it was performed by a professional.

  3. We don’t cover damage caused by water leaking or escaping from a shower recess or shower base. We don’t cover loss from erosion or other earth movements. We don’t cover the costs to repair or replace the item that the liquid leaked or escaped from.

  4. Cover applies at your current and new home for up to 14 days from when you start moving, as long as you give us details of your new home within this time.