Contents insurance for your storage unit

Goods in Storage insurance covers your household goods, personal effects and contents while they are stored at an SSIA approved facility.

Get A Quote (Goods in Storage)See what it covers

General advice only. It does not consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. Read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDF, opens in a new tab) and Target Market Determination (PDF, opens in a new tab) before deciding if Goods in Storage insurance (called SSIA Storage Insurance in the PDS) is right for you. The quote button opens the SSIA quote portal.

Open storage unit holding packed boxes, a covered sofa and chair, a tub of folded linen and a bicycle

This cover is for goods inside your locked unit at an SSIA approved facility (not in transit, loading or unloading), bought online through the SSIA portal for up to 12 months at a time, subject to acceptance.

What it covers, and what it doesn't

Cover is for physical loss or damage directly caused by the insured events listed in the policy schedule. The exclusions matter just as much.

Insured events in the policy schedule

Accidental damage
Fire
Lightning
Impact
Explosion
Earthquake
Tsunami
Aircraft
Riots and strikes
Malicious damage
Rainwater
Storm or tempest
Theft following forcible entry

These are the insured events listed in the policy schedule. Your own schedule confirms your cover. Theft is covered only following forcible entry. Rainwater is not flood, and flood is excluded. The Product Disclosure Statement (PDF, opens in a new tab) and Target Market Determination (PDF, opens in a new tab) set out the full terms, conditions, limits and exclusions.

What it can cover

Loss or damage from an insured eventPhysical loss or damage directly caused by one of the insured events listed above. Your own policy schedule confirms your cover.
Household goods and personal effectsYour household goods, personal effects and contents while they are inside your storage unit.
Goods used in a small businessStock, equipment and other goods you use in a small business, stored the same way.
Items listed individuallyItems listed in your schedule are settled at the value agreed and shown there.
A sum insured you chooseYou decide how much to insure your goods for. It needs to be enough to repair or replace them.
A term you chooseCover for the number of months you need, up to 12 months. Policies are not renewable, so for longer storage you take out a new policy.

What it doesn't cover

FloodWater that escapes from a lake, river, creek or other natural watercourse, or from a reservoir, canal or dam.
Wear, pests and mouldNatural ageing, gradual deterioration, rust, corrosion, insects, vermin, mould and mildew.
Electrical or mechanical breakdownAn item's own electrical or mechanical fault or breakdown.
Poor packingLoss or damage because goods were not packed or prepared to withstand the ordinary incidents of storage.
Unexplained lossAny unexplained loss, disappearance or shortage.
Theft by people close to youTheft or dishonesty by an immediate family member, or by your own employees or agents.
Consequential loss and liabilityLoss from delay, loss of contract or profits, and legal liability of any kind.
Goods outside the unitGoods in transit, or while they are being loaded into or unloaded from the unit.

The excess is $250 for each claim, as shown in your policy schedule. It is subtracted from any covered loss that is paid.

Goods used in a small business sit under the same terms. Read about business stock in storage

Goods it can't insure

Some goods cannot be covered at all, or only below set values. If you store any of these, this cover will not protect them.

Motor vehicles and motorcycles
Boats and watercraftOther than those propelled by wind, by hand, or by electric motors under 15kW in total.
AircraftOther than model aircraft and drones.
Flammable liquids, gas and oilSuch as petrol, kerosene, LPG, aerosols, diesel and engine oil.
Hazardous chemicalsExplosive, corrosive, oxidising, flammable or toxic, such as chlorine or fertiliser.
Money and bullionIncluding notes, coins, deeds, securities, precious stones and precious metals.
Jewellery and watchesUnless valued under $500 an item and $1,000 in total.
Paintings and artworksUnless valued under $2,500 an item and $10,000 in total.
Tobacco and cigarettes
Alcohol, wine and beerUnless stored in the dedicated, climate-controlled wine and spirits area at your storage facility.
Paint and bulk tyresAny paint, and tyres stored in bulk.
Perishables

This is a summary. Other exclusions apply, including war and confiscation by a government authority. The Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determination set out the full terms, conditions, limits and exclusions.

Choosing your sum insured

It is up to you to choose a sum insured that is enough to repair or replace your goods. The PDS recommends having your goods valued for insurance purposes on a regular basis.

Items you list individually are settled at the agreed value in your schedule. Anything not listed is settled at its market value just before the loss, not new for old.

Keep an itemised inventory of everything you store, with photos and receipts where you have them. It is a condition of the policy.

How to buy online

The SSIA portal is the only way to buy this cover. It is not sold by phone or in person.

Check your facility
Ask your facility whether it is SSIA approved. If it is not, this cover is not available for goods stored there.
List what you're storing
Make an itemised list, with photos and receipts where you have them. It helps you choose your sum insured.
Get a quote online
Answer the portal's questions accurately. You have a duty to take reasonable care not to make a misrepresentation. Then choose your sum insured and months.
Review and buy
Check the details and the policy documents, then buy online. Cover is subject to acceptance.

Get A Quote (Goods in Storage)

Fifteen days to change your mind.

If you decide you do not want the insurance, you can cancel within 15 days of the policy starting and get a full refund. Notify SSIA in writing, for example at storesafe@ssia.au. This does not apply if you have made, or are entitled to make, a claim.

After that, you can cancel at any time by telling SSIA. If no claim has been made, you receive a refund of the unused part of your premium.

Read the policy documents

Read the Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determination before you decide whether this cover suits you. In the documents, the product is called SSIA Storage Insurance.

Common questions

Does my storage facility's insurance cover my goods?

Many people assume their self-storage facility automatically covers the contents inside their unit. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. Goods in Storage insurance is in your name, as shown in your policy schedule. It does not cover the storage facility.

What if my facility is not SSIA approved?

Cover is only available for goods stored at an SSIA approved self-storage facility. If your facility is not approved yet, this cover is not available for goods stored there.

Are my goods covered while I move them in or out?

No. Cover applies while your goods are inside your locked storage unit or secured area at the facility. It does not cover goods in transit, or while they are being loaded or unloaded.

Is flood covered?

No. Flood is excluded. In the policy, flood means water that has escaped from a lake, river, creek or other natural watercourse, or from a reservoir, canal or dam, and covered normally dry land. Rainwater is one of the insured events listed in the policy schedule, but rainwater is not flood. Read the PDS for all exclusions.

Is theft covered?

Theft following forcible entry is one of the insured events listed in the policy schedule, and your own schedule confirms your cover. Theft or dishonesty by an immediate family member, or by your own employees or agents, is excluded. So is any unexplained loss, disappearance or shortage.

How is a claim settled?

Items listed individually in your schedule are settled at the agreed value shown there. Items not listed are settled at their market value immediately before the loss, or on the basis shown in your schedule. This is not new for old cover.

Can I insure stock or equipment for my business?

Yes, the cover can include goods used in a small business, such as stock or equipment, while they are stored at an SSIA approved facility. The same conditions and exclusions apply, including the excluded goods list.

How long does cover last?

You choose the number of months when you apply, up to a maximum of 12 months. Your period of insurance is shown in your policy schedule. Policies are not renewable.

What if I need to store for longer?

Policies are not renewable, and the maximum policy term is 12 months. If you need storage cover for longer, take out a new policy for the extra time, starting from the date your first policy expires. For example, if you take out a 4-month policy and then decide to store for another 3 months, you take out a new 3-month policy from the date the 4-month policy expires. You will be sent expiry emails in advance to help you plan.

Is there an excess?

Yes. The excess is $250 for each claim, as shown in your policy schedule. It is subtracted from any covered loss that is paid.

Your stored belongings deserve more than a lock and key.

Protect them with Goods in Storage insurance, arranged online in your own name.