Garden goodies ‘attract thieves’
September 4, 2007 by admin
Filed under News, News-Insurance
People in the UK should ensure that the contents of their gardens are adequately insured as opportunistic thieves may be tempted to help themselves.
That is according to John Potter, the director of Saga, who has advised Britons to check that their policies cover items like garden furniture.
“Even the more modest garden furniture sets can cost hundreds and whilst many policies, like Saga’s, do provide cover as standard it is important for people to check to ensure their cover truly reflects the value of their set,” he said.
Research from the Target Group Index showed recently that more than a million people in the UK spend £150 each year just on plants.
“Add to that the cost of a barbecue, patio heater, garden ornaments, garden furniture sets and even bird tables and bird baths and the cost of a garden can soon run into thousands,” Mr Potter added.
A recent report from Halifax warned that during the summer months, many homeowners risk invalidating their home insurance by leaving windows open.
Check your garden is protected against theft
June 7, 2007 by admin
Filed under News, News-Insurance
Although the British summertime is a pleasant period for green fingered people and garden lovers, it is also a time that can increase the risk of theft from outside your actual house – from your back garden.
Many people are looking forward to spending time sprucing up their gardens, adding plants, and enjoying barbeques with families, and the popularity of garden programmes on television has seen more and more people invest in their gardens, often spending huge amounts of money on their pride and joy.
However, as summertime approaches insurers are warning consumers to check that they have adequate cover to protect the items on their gardens. Summertime thieves will target everything from expensive plants and shrubs to barbeques, lawnmowers, decorative ornaments, furniture, tools, and just about anything else that could be of value in your garden. And without adequate cover this could mean financial losses as well as a ruined garden.
According to the Halifax the average claim for garden based theft last year was around £400. Claims tripled between March and August last year according to the Halifax, and there were total claims of around £1 million last year relating to garden based theft. Some of the items may be covered under the regular home insurance cover, but many do not cover plants and therefore additional cover may be required.
Consumers should contact their home insurance providers to see what sort of garden items and equipment are already covered, and can then arrange additional cover if required. Cover on garden items can vary from one insurance provider to another, and terms and conditions for making a claim can also vary, so this is something else that consumers will need to check.
Tom Smith
7th June 2007
