Action 9 investigates storage unit damage insurance claims

ORLANDO,Fla. — An Orange County man claims his property was ruined inside a self storage unit and then the company refused to pay his insurance claim. Action 9 has heard from other consumers who blame storage companies for serious damages.

It looked new, clean and safe. But Jeremy Kryvanis claims the belongings he kept at Compass Self Storage near Orlando, were ruined by rats and termites.

"They were chewing through cardboard boxes, my wood desk, my speaker stand, anything wood they were chewing through it," said Kryvanis.

Kryvanis said he purchased insurance through Compas,s but then was told rodent and pest damage were not covered.

" I want them to pay for it because it was their negligence that allowed this to happen," said Kryvanis.

In the past year, the Better Business Bureau had more than a thousand complaints nationwide against self storage companies many involved damaged or stolen property.

Roxanne Payne kept a house full of furniture and clothes at the American Stor-all in Orange County and claims a lot of her possessions were badly damaged by mold.

"I never expected to loose everything though, there are things I can't replaced," said Payne.

She also said she bought insurance and her claim was rejected.

"They said it was my fault," said Payne.

After Payne contacted Action 9's Todd Ulrich the company said it still doubted the unit was at fault but it would reopen the insurance claim.

And at Compass Storage where Kryvanis said his loses totaled several thousand dollars, Action 9 tried to get answers from management, (Todd Ulrich)

"He can't get any coverage for his damages?" Todd Ulrich asked a manager from Compass Storage.

"If he paid insurance, he has insurance coverage, but any other questions I can't answer," the man answered.

Action 9 reached the company's regional director who said there had been a rat problem so Compass would reopen the claim and work with the insurance provider to cover Kryvanis's losses.

"There wasn't anything left behind that didn't have something on it," said Kryvanis.

The insurance companies involved could not comment.

In both cases it paid to challenge the storage company denial and prove you weren't responsible for the damages.

WFTV