Insurance
Don’t forget your garden when you arrange home insurance
An estimated £32.9bn-worth of garden goods are left uninsured across the UK
More than half of the UK population – 59% – have never insured their outdoor possessions, according to Moneysupermarket.
This is despite the fact that the price comparison site found the average British garden contains £1,457 worth of valuable items, leaving a potential £32.9bn worth of goods at risk of theft.
Although standard buildings and contents insurance policies usually include a certain amount of cover for garden items, people could be leaving themselves exposed if they own high value outdoor items.
At risk of theft
The most common items that Brits keep in their gardens include furniture (57%), DIY tools (48%), bikes (36%) and BBQs (38%), said Moneysupermarket.
Of the 29% that have been victims of garden theft, the most commonly stolen items are bikes, (32%) lawn mowers and gardening tools (19%).
Over a fifth (29%) of those who have had items stolen from outside didn’t have those items insured, leaving them at a loss. Despite their common nature and often high value, only 20% of Brits have ever insured their bike under their home insurance policy.
Garden crime hotspots
Those living in the London are the most likely to have had items stolen previously, at 38%, compared to the national average of 29%.
They also have the highest value of goods stored in their garden, a total of £1,792, while gardens in Wales contain the lowest value items (£1,222).
Kate Devine, head of home insurance at Moneysupermarket, said: “As we look ahead to the potential lift of lockdown in the summer months, we can expect to see Brits heading out of the house to enjoy outdoor activities.
“Particularly in these months, there’s the temptation to leave items of value outside overnight or keep your shed unlocked. This can however leave you open to a risk of burglary and in turn, possibly void your home insurance cover if you need to make a claim. Most standard contents insurance policies include a small amount of cover for garden items, but specifics can vary – so it’s always worth checking to ensure that your valuable outdoor items are fully covered.”
