THEFTS & BREAK-INS ???
• This report (and photos) will be required by your insurance company and the police. The clearer it is the better.
11.Arrange for customers to come in and check on their units. If items have been stolen or damaged, give the insurance contact name and number to the affected customers.
12. If appropriate (or possible), offer affected customers a free unit to sort their belongings to see what’s been damaged or stolen.
13.If items have been left in the hall- way, take photos and collect items in a vacant unit so they can be re- turned to customers once positively identified.
14.Keep all files and photos in a safe place, as these may be needed again in investigations or court cases.
15.Maintain your professionalism and treat the situation seriously. Once the above steps have been taken, the immediate reaction portion of the situation will be over, but there is more to be done. As a facility owner, you will need to repair any damage as soon as possible and correct any security weaknesses that have been identified. Understanding how the crime happened and taking steps to correct your own security weak points is part
October 2022
of your responsibility to your customers and needs to be taken seriously. Remember that once a customer begins an insurance claim, the claim is between them and the insurance company. If a customer is underinsured (or uninsured), this may lead to an uncomfortable or difficult conversation, but as a facility, you owe no additional compensation provided no-fault provi- sions and/or value limitations are included in your rental agreement. Also remember that it is the responsibility of the insurance com- pany to manage fraudulent claims. As an owner or manager of a storage facility, your responsibility is to cooperate with the insurance compa- nies as they investigate the suspected fraud, not investigate it yourself.
What Happens If It Is A Vehicle? Typically, it is easier to break into a parked vehicle than a storage unit, but in the case of vehicles, most of the value of the loss comes from the damage done to the vehicle as op- posed to the monetary value taken. Unfortunately, we are seeing a rise in things like stolen catalytic converters, so make sure your parking areas are well covered with cameras to deter this sort of crime.
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1. Self-storage insurance, typi- cally, does not insure parked vehicles, so the customer will have to be directed to their auto insurance policy holder.
2. Requiring all parked cars to have valid insurance can allevi- ate tensions after a break-in.
3. The vehicles will need to be protected from the ele- ments to prevent further dam- age as soon as possible. • Car covers can be pur- chased, or plastic bags taped over windows.
4. Inspect all other vehicles and equipment to make sure the incident is isolated in nature.
5. All other steps are the same (police, photos, incident report).
6. Remember that vehicles stored inside drive-up self-storage units are typically not covered by self-storage insurance.
How To Prevent This From Happening
The unfortunate truth is that if somebody is totally committed to committing a crime, there is very little that can be done to stop them. But you can discourage it from happening, and you can discourage it from
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