BS: stashing guitar in storage locker

Subject: BS: stashing guitar in storage locker
From: MAG
Date: 27 Jul 11 - 04:34 AM

I'll be moving soon and getting my breakables into a storage locker near my new place for safekeeping.

I am sorely tempted to stash the guitars there too; safer that in my old house anymore; climate conditions seem pretty much the same as house, if not better security is good.

Is this a no-brainer or are there reasons not to do this of which I am as yet unaware.

Subject: RE: BS: stashing guitar in storage locker
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 27 Jul 11 - 05:11 AM

Are they insured?
Are they in hard cases?
If so they should be OK, I might be tempted to stick a couple of those Silica Gel sachets in with them though.

Subject: RE: BS: stashing guitar in storage locker
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 27 Jul 11 - 06:20 AM

For our move about a year ago, we sold the old house and put everything in rented storage while we looked for a new house.

In our case storage was two 10 ft x 20 ft plus two 10 ft x 12 ft commercial storage sheds (we had quite a bit of "stuff").

While we had the old house, with insurance, our things in storage were covered under that policy. Of course when we sold the house, we immediately had no insurance. I made an attempt to find an insurer, and was totally denied by every insurer I contacted. An email to our State Insurance Commissioner was answered (something of a surprise) with a very official statement that unless the premises where the property is stored was owned or leased by a licensed business who is the insured the only way it could be insured was under a rider attached to a homeowner's policy (which requires you to live at a fixed address) or similarly under a "renter's policy" (which requires you to live at a fixed address). There was (is) no insurer licensed to provide any other coverage in Kansas.

Since we were living in our tiny RV, and moving from camp to camp due to "length of stay" limits, there was no insurance and no way to get any.

We've estimated the loss in the burglary at about $8,000, just barely under the income based exception that would have at least allowed an income tax deduction as a "casualty loss" for part of it.

At least in my US state, and quite probably in most of the US, the only reasonably available insurance on "personal property" is via a home-owner or renter policy, and the instant the insured home is sold, or the "rental" is vacated, you have no insurance.

Conditions may be different in other areas, but if being insured is important to you, I'd suggest verifying any coverage you have, and talking to your insurer if there's any question about coverage in your specific circumstances, especially during a "transition" such as a move.

Actual storage conditions in rented storage here can vary a lot - and can be somewhat different than advertised. Your own assessment is about all you'll have to go on. In a larger storage space, you could put your instrument in something like a "wardrobe box" and mark it "dirty laundry" in hopes that anyone who gets in may pass it up for something that looks more "marketable." In most reasonable places where you might store things, with the exception of leaking-roof-moisture or rapid temperature changes most instruments aren't really all that fragile for a short while if they're in good condition to begin with.

John

Subject: RE: BS: stashing guitar in storage locker
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 27 Jul 11 - 07:12 AM

When I worked for a removals and storage company, goods stored in our storage warehouse were insured, at a rate based on the valuation of the stored items. I assume that if you use designated and secure storage, you should be able to obtain adequate insurance cover.
If you use one of those ad hoc 'Self store' facilities, insurance may be hard to come by.

Subject: RE: BS: stashing guitar in storage locker
From: Wesley S
Date: 27 Jul 11 - 07:41 AM

I was willing to pay extra for a climate controled storage locker. And I would check out the lay of the land to make sure that if the area was flooded that water seepage wouldn't be a problem. And of course if you miss enough payments on your unit the contents can be sold.

I'd also make darn sure that no one was around when I was filling the unit - so onlookers couldn't see that there were portable and easily pawned valuables inside.