Protect your garden this summer: 4 insurance checks to make

With summer holidays around the corner and Brits investing in their gardens, Go.Compare home insurance expert, Tamzin Metcalfe, warns that many homeowners slip up when it comes to protecting outdoor items: 

“Garden theft is a bigger problem than most people realise. Creating an oasis in your outdoor space is great, but things start to add up quickly. Expensive garden furniture, a pizza oven and a state-of-the-art lawnmower can set you back thousands. When spending that much money it’s worth making sure you’re protected - remember to add garden items to your home insurance policy so you’re not left underinsured.” 

Tamzin advises that while structural parts of your garden are usually included up to your buildings insurance limit, other outdoor items are at risk of being left out of contents insurance policies.  

Protect your outdoor investments: The 4 insurance gaps to remember 

Tamzin shares the most common insurance gaps to be aware of to keep your outdoor possessions safe this summer: 

1. Unlocked shed trap 

25% of insurers won’t pay out for a garden theft claim from an unlocked shed or outbuilding - even if you have a robust policy in place [1]. Thieves often target sheds, expecting them to contain valuables like bikes or power tools, so it’s important to keep them secured overnight.  

If you do claim for items taken from a shed, your insurer might ask for a police report or photographic evidence that the thieves forced their way in. 

2. Garden contents cap 

Many homeowners wrongly assume their home contents insurance spans everything across their home and garden. But outdoor cover varies significantly - and some policies impose a maximum single item limit.  

This means if your £2,000 BBQ is stolen, and your single-item limit is £1,500, you’ll be left out of pocket. For those expensive items, it’s always worth listing them separately on your policy to get the right protection. 

3. Bike blind spot 

1 in 10 home insurance policies excludes bike cover, despite 77,000 being stolen in the UK each year [1]. Plus, where insurance policies do include bike cover, almost half (42%) cap it at £1,999 per bike [1]- which could leave cyclists with more expensive models really feeling the pinch. 

4. Gadget gap 

Families might presume their contents insurance policy covers their belongings wherever they are at home, from their bedroom to the patio. But this isn’t the case - phones, portable speakers and tablets stolen out of gardens might fall outside standard insurance policies altogether. 

Don’t leave it to chance: check your cover 

As the summer buzz comes rolling in, garden theft can be easy to overlook. But if you forget to tidy up after an impromptu BBQ and an expensive tool or piece of outdoor furniture gets stolen from your garden - you might find yourself without adequate cover. 

Tamzin concludes: “Make sure you include any items kept in your garden and shed when calculating the sum insured on your home contents policy, even plants in pots are covered! If you tally up the cost to replace your garden furniture, BBQ and lawnmower, you’ll be surprised at the amount.” 

“Before chilling out this summer, it’s worth checking in with your home insurance policy to see if you’re fully covered. Check for single item limits, any security requirements or specific item exclusions.” 

Homeowners are encouraged to use the Go.Compare contents insurance calculator to make sure they’re getting the right level of cover.