By Terry Anderson
There is a practice I was taught as a kid in Boy Scouts: If someone’s clothing catches on fire, tell them to “Stop, Drop and Roll!” Though a dramatic thought, this mantra protected a friend from major injury when his jacket caught fire while we were camping. And boy, were we glad we remembered to do the right thing!
There is another “protection phrase” like this that one of our nation’s founding fathers, John Adams, stated we all should live by: “It is more important that innocence be protected than it is that guilt be punished, for guilt and crimes are so frequent in this world that they cannot all be punished.”
So why, you wonder, am I sharing these inspirational quotes in the intro of an RV and boat storage article? It’s because I want you to ponder: “How is the innocence of an RV and boat owner protected?”
These quotes have led me to create three simple steps to add peace of mind and protection to an innocent RV and boat owner’s information inventory. These steps are likely something a vehicle storage operator should provide to their tenants, so they can soundly evaluate their insurance needs
Step 1: Take Stock
Make an inventory of all your assets, their receipts/documentation, and take pictures. This alone will establish your ownership and innocence in an item’s questionable loss or theft.
Step 2: Coverage and Replacement Costs
Learn what your vehicle and homeowner’s insurance coverage will do to protect you against the loss or theft of assets or contents, whether it is a part of the vehicle or a personal item stored within the car.
Remember, there is a deductible and actual cash value or replacement cost reimbursement to consider if one uses their homeowners or vehicle insurance coverages. If one’s insurance is used to protect against loss or theft, make sure the coverage provided mirrors the actual cost of items that are highly likely to need replacing.
Step 3: Park ’n’ Protect
A new alternative to one’s own vehicle or homeowner insurance policy is to obtain the new deductible protection plan, RV Park ’n’ Protect. For $15 per month (50 cents per day), an RV and boat owner is provided $1,500 (higher amounts available) for a deductible reimbursement, accidental damages and contents/parts coverage of $500 per incident.
In other words, that $1 for every $150 in coverage will provide an extra layer of protection from loss or theft and protect one from the homeowner or vehicle insurance increases for a reported claim.
As former founding father President Adams said, “protecting your innocence” will be more important than just being preventive! Share these three easy steps with clients so they are armed and ready to protect themselves in the event of future losses. You’ll be protecting your business at the same time!
Terry D. Anderson is the CEO/President of Tenant Property Protection, guiding their insurance and protection services. He’s a prominent figure in the Self-Storage industry for Risk Management and Protection Programs as a licensed Property & Casualty Producer in all 50 states. Terry now serves as the Board Chairman for Toy Storage Nation, “the voice to Executive RV and Boat Storage.”
PLEASE BOX THIS IN A SHADED BOX AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ARTICLE OR AS A SIDEBAR:
Toy Storage Nation is pleased to announce that Terry Anderson is presenting at the Executive Workshop in Las Vegas on April 14, when he will be leading a discussion on Ancillary Revenue. Attendees will learn how to create an ancillary sales center, what’s the best protection for RV, boats, autos and trailers, and how they can distinguish between different types of facilities and amenities. For more information, visit https://toystoragenation.com/las-vegas-2023-event/
