The clocks have just been turned back which means one thing…the longer, winter nights have arrived. Us ‘Brits’ have always been obsessed with making the most of the land that belongs to us and our gardens are where we can let our creativity run free.
Figures have shown that the average garden is now worth around £1,500. Water features, ponds, ornaments and even statues can make up a large chunk of this figure but then there are all the tools that any keen garden will no doubt hold in their shed. Lawnmowers, strimmers and leaf blowers to name but a few.
With the nights getting darker earlier there is an even greater opportunity for thieves to strike and it is these types of items that are top of their list as they can easily sell them on for a tidy profit.
This is why you need to double check your home and contents insurance policy to make sure that there is adequate cover for your garden and all its contents.
In the video above, Felicity Hannah from the price comparison site MoneySupermarket.com talks about the importance of insuring your garden.
With every home insurance policy there will be limits to how much you can claim on certain items. The same can be said when it comes to the garden. Most insurers will include cover for your garden, your garden furniture and in some cases even your plants.
Cover is available for items in the garden from £250 to £2,000. For items stored in garden sheds and/or greenhouses, limits can start at £2,000 and with some insurers offering unlimited cover.
Ten top tips to protect your garden
Whilst insurance is a great safety net to protect you when something does go wrong, it is much more beneficial to take precautions and secure your garden beforehand. You never know in some cases it could even help reduce your annual premium.
Here are ten top tips to keep your garden safe from thieves this winter.
- Install additional locks at the top and bottom of your garden shed door to prevent leverage underneath the door.
- Fit heavy wire mesh inside any windows you may have in your shed.
- Bikes, lawnmowers and any other large item that is stored in the shed should be chained together, making them much more difficult to steal.
- Lock away all of your garden tools, especially those that could be used to break into your shed or house.
- Fit your shed with an alarm and make sure it is in a good state of repair.
- Purposely plant shrubs or hedges that are prickly around the boundary of your garden, thus making a thief’s life a lot more difficult.
- Keep all the valuable items of your garden locked away in your shed or your home.
- Security lighting that will illuminate your garden when movement is detected is a great way to deter would be thieves and can help reduce your house insurance premium.
- By laying any pathways in your garden with gravel it will be difficult for anyone walking on this NOT to make a sound.
- Mark your garden furniture with paint, ultraviolet pen or even engraving that will help police identify it is your property if it does go missing.
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