Home insurance with garden cover
Whether you have a hot tub, a patio heater and a ride-on mower or just a pot plant and a table, replacing the contents of your garden could be more expensive than you think. So, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re insured – here’s how.
Whether you have a hot tub, a patio heater and a ride-on mower or just a pot plant and a table, replacing the contents of your garden could be more expensive than you think. So, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re insured – here’s how.
Insuring your garden
For some of us, our garden is our pride and joy. For others, it’s a place to have a glass of wine and barbecue with friends.
Whatever your garden means to you, it’s easy to overlook its value when you’re totting up assets for home insurance cover.
When you think about all the pots, plants, furniture and tools you’ve got out there, you’ve probably invested far more in your garden than you realise. These items can be easy pickings for an opportunistic thief and could cost more than you think to replace.
Does home insurance cover things in my garden?
Some standard buildings and contents insurance policies provide some degree of cover. Any sheds or outbuildings are usually covered under your buildings insurance, as are your external walls.
Your home insurance policy will typically cover the contents of outbuildings, if they’re kept locked and secure, but there’s likely to be limits in place so check your policy if you’re concerned.
Some insurance providers offer cover for your plants and shrubs. There’s usually a total monetary limit for the amount of cover you’ll get, so check if your provider offers the cover and what the limit is if this is something you’re worried about. However, there are some special cases, like Japanese knotweed. If you’re at all unsure, it’s best to read your policy documents carefully or speak to your insurance provider.
Is my garden furniture insured?
Possibly, but it depends on your policy. Some standard home insurance policies may only cover garden furniture up to a certain limit. If you have a larger garden with lots of furniture, you might need to take out extra cover with a separate garden insurance policy.
Some policies may also only cover items which are locked away in a shed or garage. This means you should read the policy wording carefully, before taking out cover. If you leave your garden furniture out all the time (like many people in summer) then you need to make sure you’re protected.
Is my garden equipment covered by my insurance?
If your garden equipment is kept locked away in a shed or garage, it should be covered under your home insurance policy, which will usually include cover for outbuildings. However, there are usually single item limits to this type of cover, and if you have expensive garden equipment, like a ride-on lawnmower, then you’ll likely need to get a more specialist garden insurance policy and cover these items specifically.
Does home insurance cover fences?
Yes, your fences and gates should be covered under buildings insurance, as it forms part of the structure of the property and its boundaries.
However, it’s unlikely that your fences and gates will be covered against storm damage.
What valuables might be vulnerable to theft?
In general, smaller items of higher value tend to be the easiest targets for would-be thieves because they can carry them out from your garden – power tools, for example. But, from hot tubs to bird tables, pizza ovens to parasols, our gardens are full of items that would cost a lot to replace. Even flagstone paths are sometimes stolen as the stone is expensive.
What will be covered under my home insurance?
There’s usually a limit on how much you can claim for garden items under your policy. This limit may also be spread between a number of items in outbuildings, such as your shed, greenhouse and garage. So, it’s always worth checking that your overall limit is sufficient.
If you keep bikes in an outbuilding, it’s worth checking they would be covered against theft. Some insurance providers will cover bikes stolen from within the boundaries of your home, but there could be conditions that need to be met – like the bike being secured to a permanent fixture or fitting or at least being safely under lock and key in a shed.
What do I need to think about when comparing garden insurance?
- Check there aren’t any gaps in your insurance cover – is the contents cover high enough for everything you own? Take into consideration if you have particularly mature or valuable plants that would be costly to replace – you may want to make sure they’re insured
- If you buy expensive garden equipment such as furniture or lawnmowers, keep the receipts – this will likely make any claims easier to process
- Check your policy for conditions and exclusions. If you have valuable items like patio heaters and pizza ovens, do you have to keep them locked up at night?
How can I make my garden more secure?
- Always lock back gates and side doors
- Install security lights
- Keep expensive items (BBQs etc.) in a locked shed or garage overnight
Read your policy to make sure you have the right level of cover to protect your outbuildings and garden equipment.
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