Public Storage Lawsuit: Is There a Class Action or Settlement You Can Join?
Questions about this case?
AI Legal Assistant · free · answers in seconds · general information, not legal advice
Short answer, as of October 2026: no. There is no open Public Storage class action settlement, no claim form, no deadline and no payments. The cases people find online are old — a Florida tenant-insurance settlement that closed in 2016 and a California class action Public Storage won at trial in 2019. The newest lawsuit against Public Storage, filed in July 2026, is a shareholder suit over its merger with National Storage Affiliates, not a renter case.
Editorially Reviewed — Content reviewed for accuracy using published legal research, government data, and verified court records. See our methodology
Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
What the Public Storage Lawsuits Were About
Most searches for a public storage class action lead back to one theme: the tenant insurance sold at the rental counter.
Florida. The lawsuit alleged that Public Storage told Florida tenants their premiums would go to an independent insurance company, when it actually kept more than 75 percent of them. Public Storage denied wrongdoing.
California. Perez v. Public Storage, a $100 million class action, alleged that employees led renters to believe they had to buy insurance through Public Storage as a condition of renting, in violation of California's unfair competition law. Public Storage argued it requires tenants to have insurance but does not say where they must buy it.
Price gouging. Separately, prosecutors found that a Public Storage affiliate, PS Orangeco, raised prices by more than 10 percent during the emergency declared after the October 2017 Northern California wildfires.
Case Details
The Florida case is Morgan v. Public Storage (first filed as Bowe v. Public Storage in April 2014), Case No. 1:14-cv-21559-UU in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Perez v. Public Storage was filed in February 2016 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, a state court. It was certified as a class of an estimated 700,000 members in May 2018 and decided by Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl after a bench trial.
The price-gouging case was a joint action by the district attorneys of Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties, resolved in Sonoma County Superior Court before Judge Patrick Broderick in November 2019.
The July 2026 merger suit was filed in Colorado by a shareholder of National Storage Affiliates Trust against that company and Public Storage.
Status: No Open Public Storage Settlement
Florida insurance case — settled and closed. Final approval of a $5 million settlement came on February 29, 2016. The claim deadline was January 11, 2016, and it cannot be reopened.
California Perez case — Public Storage won. On February 21, 2019 Judge Kuhl ruled the plaintiffs had not shown “systemic violations.” At the time it was a tentative decision, with a further hearing set for June 12. We found no public report of a later reversal.
Merger shareholder suit — not for customers. Public Storage closed its all-stock merger with National Storage Affiliates on July 22, 2026. The suit filed July 2, 2026 challenges the merger. Its current status is not public in the sources we could check.
In its quarterly report for the period ended June 30, 2026, Public Storage says it is party to “various legal proceedings” but considers a material loss “remote.” It names no pending class action.
Who Was Covered — and Who Is Covered Now
Florida settlement: people who rented a unit in Florida and bought self-storage insurance through Public Storage from May 1, 2010 through June 18, 2015. Closed.
Perez class: people who rented a Public Storage unit in California between February 3, 2012 and February 8, 2016. The company won at trial, so the class received nothing.
Wildfire price gouging: affected customers in Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties received full refunds of the overcharge plus a $10 courtesy credit, under the 2019 judgment.
Today: if you rent from Public Storage now, there is no class you belong to and nothing to sign up for. If you are searching for a class action lawsuit public storage customers can join, none is open as of October 2026.
What These Cases Paid
For the record: the Florida public storage settlement totaled $5 million, and class members could claim up to 50 percent of their alleged damages, with claims due by January 11, 2016. The California Perez class action paid nothing because Public Storage won. The 2019 price-gouging case cost the affiliate $140,000 in penalties and costs, with refunds plus a $10 credit to affected customers in three counties.
If you lost property or money in a dispute with one facility — a lien sale, damaged goods, a disputed fee — that is an individual claim. It runs through your rental agreement, the insurance or protection plan you chose and, if needed, small claims court. It is not part of any class action.
Public Storage Lawsuit Timeline
- 1
April 2014 — Florida Insurance Suit Filed
A tenant sues in federal court in Miami, No. 1:14-cv-21559, alleging Public Storage kept more than 75 percent of the insurance premiums it collected.
- 2
February 2016 — Florida Settlement Approved, Perez Filed
A federal judge gives final approval to the $5 million Florida settlement on February 29. The same month, Perez is filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
- 3
February 21, 2019 — Public Storage Wins Perez
After a rare class action bench trial, Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl rules for Public Storage, finding no evidence of systemic violations.
- 4
November 2019 — $140,000 Price-Gouging Judgment
Affiliate PS Orangeco agrees to pay $140,000 over price increases after the October 2017 wildfires and refunds affected customers.
- 5
March–July 2026 — NSA Merger and Shareholder Suit
The merger with National Storage Affiliates is announced March 16. An NSA shareholder sues over it on July 2. The deal closes July 22, 2026.
- 6
October 2026 — No Open Consumer Case
No Public Storage class action settlement is open. No claim form, no deadline and no payments exist for renters.
Three Things to Watch For
When searches for a Public Storage lawsuit spike and there is nothing to claim, these are the traps:
“Claim your Public Storage settlement” pages
The only consumer settlement closed to claims on January 11, 2016. A site that asks for your Social Security number, bank details or a fee to “file” a Public Storage claim today is not connected to any court.
Texts threatening an auction of your unit
Lien-sale fear makes people pay fast. If a text or email says your unit will be auctioned unless you pay through a link, ignore the link. Log in to your account directly or call the facility number on your rental agreement.
Fees to “claim” NSA merger shares
Former NSA shareholders were entitled to 0.1400 Public Storage share per NSA share when the merger closed on July 22, 2026. Nobody needs to pay anyone to receive them, and the shareholder suit is not a fund you can file against.
Public Storage Lawsuit — Questions People Actually Ask
Is there a Public Storage class action lawsuit I can join right now?
No. As of October 2026 there is no open public storage class action lawsuit for renters, no claim form and no deadline. The Florida settlement closed in 2016 and Public Storage won the California case in 2019.
Was there ever a Public Storage settlement?
Yes. A $5 million settlement for Florida renters who bought self-storage insurance from May 1, 2010 through June 18, 2015 received final approval on February 29, 2016. Claims were due January 11, 2016.
What happened in the California tenant insurance lawsuit against Public Storage?
Perez v. Public Storage alleged renters were told they had to buy Public Storage's insurance. After a bench trial, Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl ruled for Public Storage on February 21, 2019, finding the plaintiffs had not shown systemic violations. The class got nothing.
Do I have to buy Public Storage's insurance to rent a unit?
In the Perez case, Public Storage said it requires tenants to have insurance but not that they buy it from Public Storage. Its June 30, 2026 quarterly report says customers participate in its program “at their option” and that coverage is capped at $5,000 per storage unit.
What is the 2026 lawsuit against Public Storage?
On July 2, 2026 a shareholder of National Storage Affiliates Trust sued that company and Public Storage in Colorado over their $10.5 billion all-stock merger. It concerns investors, not storage customers.
Did Public Storage get in trouble for raising prices after a disaster?
Yes, once on the public record. In November 2019 its affiliate PS Orangeco agreed to pay $140,000 after prosecutors found it raised prices more than 10 percent during the emergency following the October 2017 Northern California wildfires. Customers got refunds plus a $10 credit.
My things were sold at a lien auction. Is that part of a class action?
No. There is no open class action over Public Storage lien sales. A disputed auction is an individual claim under your rental agreement and your state's self-storage lien law — keep every notice, payment record and message.
How will I know if a real Public Storage settlement happens?
A court-approved settlement has a named administrator, a case number and a notice approved by a judge. Class members are usually notified by mail or email. Check our list of open class action settlements before giving anyone personal data.
Separate from this case: were you injured in the last 2 years?
Class-action payouts are fixed amounts through an administrator. A personal injury claim is a different case — and often worth far more. Free estimate, no obligation.
Related Consumer Brand Lawsuits
Open Class Action Settlements
Settlements that are still taking claims, with deadlines
Class Action Payout Calculator
Estimate what a class settlement actually pays per person
Home Insurance Claim Calculator
Value a property loss claim before you talk to an adjuster
Property Damage Insurance Claims
When a denied or lowballed property claim is worth a lawyer