The self-storage tenants of the Eagle's Nest Storage facility in Flagler Beach, Florida recently learned first hand that metal and concrete do burn, contrary to popular belief. While working on an old Volkswagen in his storage unit, a fellow tenant caused a fire that eventually spread to five other units. Three of those units suffered serious damage.
While the facility offers insurance, most tenants unfortunately decline the coverage.
Liability for Damages to Rental Units
Generally speaking, self-storage facilities are not responsible for the contents of a storage unit. That is, so long as the facility does not have control over the items inside and the facility itself does not cause any damage. Nevertheless, facilities should adequately insure themselves for the possibility of an accident.
Renters are generally responsible for their own self-stored property and should purchase insurance to cover theft, flooding and fire damage at the very least.
Liability gets murky when a fellow tenant causes damage. For example, the Eagle's Nest Storage facility may be liable for the fire damage if it knew the tenant was acting negligently and in a way that a fire was reasonably foreseeable. Facilities may also be liable for fire damage if they allow the storage of flammable chemicals. The question is whether the facility knew or should have known of the risk of fire and if so, did they act reasonably in protecting other tenants.
Storage Facility Insurance
Some storage facilities, like Eagle's Nest Storage, offer tenants insurance coverage. If tenants purchase it, they should carefully read the policy and consider complementing it with additional coverage to make sure the full value of their property is insured.
If you have fallen victim to a storage facility fire and have not been fully compensated, contact an experienced insurance claims attorney to discuss your situation and your options.
