Insurance for your garden

If you’re planning to buy anything for the garden - from a patio set to fountains and sculptures - then you should ensure these valuables are well protected by finding suitable home insurance quotes.

Why is home insurance important for the garden?

Home insurance is divided into: buildings insurance, which is designed to protect the structure of your home and its permanent fixtures and fittings; and contents insurance which protects the items you keep within a home such as furniture, carpets and so on. However, both buildings and contents insurance can apply to the garden too.

Many buildings insurance policies extend their cover to include outbuildings; while contents insurance can cover all the items you keep within a garden - from tools and lawnmowers to fountains and garden sculptures, depending on the policy you take out.

If you don’t think it’s worth considering your garden when taking out home insurance then take the time to assess how much your garden valuables are worth. According to research by a comparison website in May 2010, Brits were collectively planning a £6.8billion garden spending spree over the summer with the average Brit to spend £420 on their garden.

Our gardens valuables are also subjected to a great number of risks including storm damage and theft. According to the comparison website’s survey, the most common items taken from UK gardens included bikes, garden sculptures and ornaments; but some Brits even reported items such as hot tubs, patio heaters and trampolines being stolen.

So what should you look for in a home insurance policy for the garden?

Don’t assume that just because you have home insurance in place your garden items will automatically be protected. While most insurers do offer some form of garden cover they normally place a limit on items that can be kept outdoors – and this is often as low as £250. Depending on the value of the items you keep in your garden you may wish to look for a higher limit – caps in the region of £2,000 are available while some providers even offer unlimited cover for garden items.

Generally, there is a separate cover limit that applies to items stored in outbuildings such as sheds. However, you should still be careful of the sum these items are insured for which can range from £2,000 to £75,000 depending on the policy you take out. There may also be stipulations that apply to the cover – for example you may not be able to make a claim for stolen items unless your outbuilding is locked with a secure padlock. 

When shopping around, pay attention to the sum insured for garden items and valuables kept in outbuildings; while also looking for specified item caps. For example, some insurers may place caps on the amount you can claim for damaged plants and shrubs or garden furniture – expensive items may need to be declared separately on the policy.

If your garden is full of particularly costly items then you may wish to look into a specialist garden insurance policy. These policies typically carry much higher limits on the amounts you can claim and carry higher caps on individual items. They may also offer exclusive features that might not be available elsewhere such as cover for storm damage to fences and gates (not covered by most standard home insurance policies); cover for re-landscaping fees; and cover for ride-on lawnmowers.

So where can you find the cover you need?

If you already have home insurance in place then give your insurer a call and check its limits on garden items – it may be willing to extend its cover in some instances.

However, when your policy is next up for renewal you may wish to compare as many quotes as you can. This can be done quickly and easily using a comparison website as the leading websites compare deals from more than 60 insurers with a single search. Just remember however, that the cheapest quote is always listed first and this may not be the best for your needs – read the terms and conditions carefully to ensure you’re getting value for money and the level of garden cover you expect.

Top tips to avoid garden related claims

While home insurance can provide welcome peace of mind against garden-related mishaps, it’s sensible to take all the steps you can to ensure your garden is well protected from prying thieves. Here are some tips:

- Make sure that you keep gates and fences in a good state of repair and that they are locked and bolted to stop a thief gaining easy access.

- Keep all valuable items locked away at night – don’t leave anything on display.

- Use laminated glass for outbuilding windows and consider investing in a closed shackle padlock for sheds.

- Investing in security devices for the garden can be a smart move – security lighting and CCTV cameras can act as a deterrent; while some house alarms can be extended to cover outbuildings.

- Use gravel on pathways as this will be a noisy deterrent for thieves.

- Finally, consider strategically planting prickly hedges around the borders of your garden and using thorny shrubs around outbuilding windows to make life difficult for a thief.