Tenant Support Center

Tenant protection and tenant insurance are forms of coverage that protect your stored belongings against covered losses like fire, burglary, water damage, and other risks. While the specific terms may vary, both provide financial protection for your personal property while it's in storage.

Most storage facilities require some form of coverage as part of your lease agreement. This protects both you and the facility by ensuring that your belongings have financial protection in case something unexpected happens.

Even if you have homeowners or renters insurance, that policy may not fully cover items stored off-premises, or may have a high deductible. Storage-specific coverage is designed to fill these gaps.

Important: Check your specific policy documents to understand exactly what's covered and what requirements apply to your storage unit.

SafeLease coverage offers several advantages specifically designed for self-storage:

• Storage-specific coverage: Designed specifically for common storage risks
• Convenient billing: Added to your monthly storage rent payment
• No impact on home insurance: Claims won't affect your homeowners or renters insurance rates
• Lower deductibles: Often more favorable than standard home insurance policies
• Waived deductible option: Use a recommended lock type and pay no deductible on burglary claims
• Easy claims process: File and track everything through the tenant portal

Stored belongings are protected against covered perils including:

• Burglary (with evidence of forced entry)
• Fire
• Water damage (excluding flood/surface water)
• Mold and mildew (up to specified limits)
• Building collapse (including weight of snow/ice or windstorm)
• Vandalism
• Rodent/vermin damage (up to specified limits)

Important: Coverage specifics vary by policy type (protection plan vs. insurance). Always refer to your policy documents for complete details on what's covered and any limitations that apply.

Common exclusions include:

• Flood and surface water damage
• Theft without evidence of forced entry
• Items you simply can't find (mysterious disappearance)
• Normal wear and tear or gradual deterioration
• Damage from insects, moths, or vermin (with some exceptions)
• Inherent vice (items that naturally deteriorate)
• War, nuclear hazard, or government action
• Intentional damage

Important: This is a general list. Your specific policy document contains the complete list of covered and excluded perils. Review your policy details for your exact coverage.

If you have your own qualifying insurance policy, you can opt out by providing proof of coverage at tenant.safelease.com.

Requirements for opting out:

• Your policy must meet or exceed the facility's minimum coverage requirements
• You must upload a current copy of your policy declarations page
• The policy must show coverage for property stored at the facility address
• You'll need to provide updated policy documents before your current policy expires

If you have questions about whether your policy qualifies, you can submit a Help Request.

File your claim online at tenant.safelease.com. The online portal guides you through each step:

• Submit your claim information
• Upload photos and documentation
• Track your claim status in real-time
• Communicate with the claims team
• View any additional information needed

The portal is available 24/7, so you can file whenever it's convenient for you.

Most claims are typically processed within 7-10 business days after we receive all required documentation. However, the timeline can vary depending on:

• The complexity of your claim
• How quickly we receive all required information
• Whether any additional investigation is needed

You can check your claim status anytime at tenant.safelease.com. We'll also email you updates as your claim progresses.

After you submit your claim, here's what happens:

1. Review: Our claims team reviews your submission to ensure we have all necessary information
2. Additional information (if needed): We'll contact you if we need any additional documentation or clarification
3. Investigation: We verify coverage, investigate the incident, and assess the damage or loss
4. Decision: We determine whether your claim is covered under your policy
5. Settlement: If approved, we'll process payment for your covered losses

You'll receive email updates at each stage, and you can always check your claim status at tenant.safelease.com.

Proof of Coverage is documentation that confirms you had active coverage at the time of your loss. This is essential because we need to verify that your stored belongings were protected under a valid policy when the damage or theft occurred.

In most cases, we can verify your coverage automatically through our system. If we need additional confirmation, we may ask for documentation such as your rental agreement or payment records showing active coverage on the date of loss.

Proof of Loss is documentation showing what happened and what was damaged or stolen. This helps us understand your claim and determine coverage.

What you need to provide:

• A description of what happened (when, how the incident occurred)
• A detailed list of affected items
• Photos or videos of the damage (if applicable)
• Any relevant reports (police report for burglary, facility incident reports, etc.)

The more detail you can provide, the faster we can process your claim. Photos and videos are particularly helpful in showing the extent of damage.

Proof of Value is documentation showing what your items were worth. This helps us determine the appropriate settlement amount for your claim.

Common forms of proof:

• Original sales receipts
• Credit card or bank statements showing purchases
• Appraisals (for valuable items)
• Online listings showing comparable items and their current market value
• Photos of items in your possession
• Owner's manuals or warranty information

The key is providing as much evidence as possible. Even partial documentation helps support your claim.

While sales receipts are the best proof of value, we understand not everyone keeps receipts for everything. We will also consider:

• Photos of the items in your possession
• Photos showing items stored in your unit
• Credit card or bank statements showing purchases
• Owner's manuals or product documentation
• Warranty information
• Any other documentation showing you owned the items

The key is to provide as much evidence as possible showing both that you owned the items and their approximate value.

For burglary claims, you'll need to provide:

• Police report: File a report with local law enforcement and provide us with the report number and copy of the report
• Evidence of forced entry: Photos showing how the burglar entered (damaged lock, cut fence, broken door, etc.)
• List of stolen items: Detailed inventory of what was taken
• Proof of value: Receipts, photos, or other documentation showing what the items were worth

The police report and evidence of forced entry are required because coverage specifically applies to burglary with forced entry. Refer to your policy documents for specific requirements.

Forced entry means there is visible evidence that someone broke into your storage unit without authorization. This includes:

• Cut or broken locks
• Damaged doors, walls, or gates
• Cut fencing or barriers
• Pried-open door latches
• Any other physical evidence of a break-in

Simply having items missing without visible signs of forced entry would not qualify as burglary under most policies. Take photos of any damage as soon as you discover it. Check your specific policy documents for the exact definition that applies to your coverage.

No. Water damage coverage does not extend to damage caused by flood or surface water. Regular water damage from sources like burst pipes, roof leaks, or other facility-related water issues may be covered, but flooding from external sources or rising surface water is specifically excluded.

Check your policy documentation for complete details on water damage coverage and any exclusions that apply.

Valuable papers and records, including those that exist as electronic data and photographs, are not covered under tenant protection or tenant insurance. You should avoid storing important documents in your storage unit, or make sure you have copies stored elsewhere. Check your specific policy documents to confirm what is and isn't covered.

A deductible is the amount you pay out-of-pocket before coverage applies to a claim. For example, with a $100 deductible, you pay the first $100 of any covered loss, and your coverage applies to the amount above that (up to your coverage limit).

Some policies waive the deductible for certain claim types when you use recommended security measures (such as specific lock types). Check your policy documents for your specific deductible amount and any waiver provisions that may apply.

Many homeowners and renters insurance policies include some off-premises coverage for stored belongings, but storage-specific coverage offers several advantages:

• No impact on your home insurance: Claims won't affect your homeowners or renters insurance rates or claims history
• Lower deductibles: Storage coverage often has more favorable deductibles than standard home policies
• Simplified claims: File and manage claims directly through the tenant portal
• Storage-specific coverage: Protection tailored to common storage risks
• Deductible waiver: Some policies waive deductibles when using recommended security measures

You should check with your insurance agent to understand what off-premises coverage you already have. If you prefer to use your existing insurance, you can opt out by providing proof of your own qualifying insurance at tenant.safelease.com.

Here are some best practices:

Prevention:

• Use a high-quality lock (cylinder lock, disc padlock, or smart lock)
• Don't share your unit access code or keys
• Check your unit regularly for any signs of problems
• Store valuable items toward the back or center of your unit
• Elevate items off the floor (use pallets or shelving) to protect against water damage

Documentation (for easier claims):

• Take photos of valuable items before storing them
• Keep receipts, appraisals, or other proof of value
• Create a detailed inventory of what you're storing
• Take photos of your packed unit showing the items inside

Good documentation won't prevent a loss, but it will make the claims process much faster and easier if something does happen.

We recommend using one of these high-quality lock types:

• Cylinder locks: Traditional key locks with a rotating cylinder mechanism
• Disc padlocks: Locks with rotating discs instead of pins, which are harder to pick
• Smart locks: Electronic locks that use codes, apps, or biometrics

Note: The $100 deductible is waived for burglary claims when you use a cylinder lock, disc padlock, or smart lock on your unit.

Avoid using basic combination locks or simple padlocks, as these are easier to compromise.

You can get help through our tenant portal at tenant.safelease.com, where you can:

• View your coverage details and policy documents
• Check claim status in real-time
• See what additional information is needed (if any)
• Upload additional documentation
• Review claim details and updates

If you need additional assistance, you can submit a Help Request through our support system at support.safelease.com/hc/en-us/requests/new.