It’s resilient. It’s adaptable. And it could be a key opportunity for you as an agent. While the industry has matured and competition has intensified, demand for self-storage holds steady. Take a look at these self-storage industry trends to learn why you might want to investigate the opportunities for building your book of business.
1. A Large, Active Industry
Market intelligence expert Yardi Matrix tracks more than 32,000 self-storage facilities nationwide. Its December 2025 industry report notes transaction volume reached $5.9 billion in 2025, surpassing 2024 totals, with Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) accounting for roughly 28% of total deal volume. While growth has moderated, the industry’s scale continues to make self-storage an attractive niche for independent agents.
2. Resilience Through Market Shifts
Self-storage has always carried a reputation for holding up well when the economy gets shaky, but the way the industry stays resilient has changed. Early industry forecasting for 2026 indicates that while facilities saw plenty of move-ins and move-outs in 2025, overall occupancy stayed about the same. In other words, the market is steady, but competition is tight.
In today’s market, demand is shaped more by housing and economic conditions than by lifestyle trends, and growth isn’t automatic anymore. The days of just opening their doors and waiting for units to fill is over. Operators are winning by running smarter operations, staying efficient, and delivering better service.
3. Automation as the New Standard
The self-storage industry continues to lead commercial real estate in automation. Online leasing, digital payments, remote access, and minimal staffing models are now standard. Yet technology alone won’t win business. Industry reporting consistently identifies customer service as the key driver for business operators to stay competitive in a crowded market.
The most successful operators use technology to enhance, not replace, human interaction. From a self-storage insurance perspective, this trend indicates an opportunity for insurance agents to provide guidance to their clients about the growing risk of cyber exposure and data breach in addition to security systems, operational dependencies.
4. Stable Demand, Strong Competition
Consumers and businesses alike see self-storage as a trusted solution for their needs. However competition has intensified as new supply continues to enter select markets. Nationally, projects under construction represent about 2.6% of existing inventory, contributing to pricing pressure in several regions. Most operators expect pricing and occupancy to remain stable in 2026, making customer retention just as important as acquisition.
What Does This Mean for Insurance Agents?
It’s clear that agents have many opportunities when it comes to working with self-storage business owners. There is also significant opportunity for agents to dig in and learn about the unique exposures and risks inherent to the industry. One of the best avenues to access high levels of self-storage expertise is to partner with a specialized program administrator like MiniCo.
MiniCo has insured self-storage operations since 1974. Our dedicated self-storage program underwriters have access to exclusive markets for the full range of insurance solutions that these businesses need. We are committed to supporting agents with the highest level of flexibility in coverage options, limits, and policy terms. Agents also have access to MiniCo’s informational resources and risk management educational tools that can assist your clients to mitigate risk, reduce claims, and minimize financial exposures.
Contact MiniCo to learn more about our self-storage programs or get a quote. Our experts can help you grow in a niche industry that rewards specialization with success.
