Homeowners have spent more money than ever before on their gardens with a third of people splashing the cash to create their own idyllic outdoor space since the lockdowns began, according to new research.
But many are falling short of their new landscaped gardens not being insured, which puts new furniture, sheds, barbecues, toys, gym equipment and plants at risk of being stolen and our investments lost.
This is despite a quarter (25%) of people reporting they had experienced garden thefts in the past, with DIY equipment, bikes, furniture, barbecues and scooters being the items most likely to be stolen.
Some 32% of those who had bought garden furniture in the past year had not insured these purchases yet, MoneySuperMarket found.
Only around one in 10 (11%) of those surveyed had sought to insure their recently purchased outdoor items.
This figure is likely to be climbing even more now, with more than half (56%) of people expecting to spend more on their gardens over the summer.
The comparison website calculated that the average garden contains £1,262-worth of goods.
“Summer is the time of year when we start to spend more and more time in our gardens,” says Kate Devine, a home insurance expert at MoneySuperMarket who added: “If you’ve spent money on your garden contents, it’s important that you keep your valuables safe.
“Bikes, barbecues, tools and furniture – a whole range of items commonly kept in gardens can be of significant value. Thieves know this, so they’re increasingly targeting sheds and garden storage units.
As a result, it’s really important you have the right protection in place.”
What do I do if I have items to insure?
So, if you’ve been splashing a bit more cash on your garden or outdoor space, and want to make sure items are properly insured, what should you do?
“You should start by checking your existing buildings and contents insurance policies, to see whether goods stored in your garden are covered,” Devine advises.
“While many standard buildings and contents insurance policies usually include a certain amount of cover for garden items, you could be at risk of leaving your goods uninsured if you don’t read the small-print carefully.
“You should also check home insurance policy to see if you could get a cheaper premium with another provider.
"If you haven’t switched for a while, this is likely going to be the case.
"It takes minutes to switch to a competitive policy and you could save up to 46% on your premiums in doing so.”
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