Garden furniture warning that could leave YOU thousands of pounds out of pocket – vital check you must make now
HOMEOWNERS kitting out their garden to enjoy warmer weather have been urged to make urgent checks, as temperatures soar across the UK.
Furniture for outdoor areas can cost thousands of pounds making them a prime target for thieves to leave owners out of pocket.
And it's not just furniture that can take the fancy of criminals.
Insurer Aviva said it has seen cases where customers have had large potted plants stolen from front and back gardens.
Thieves have also been known to cut shed bolts to steal expensive plants such as palms which can cost in excess of £100.
In other cases, customers have had multiple plants stolen from their garden. One victim seen by the insurer had around fifty plants stolen while they were away.
Read more on cheap garden tips
The average garden plant claim runs into thousands of pounds, according to Aviva.
Home insurance usually covers items stolen from inside your home.
Yet, won't always pay out when items are swiped from the garden.
Experts are now warning homeowners to check policy documents carefully to avoid a nasty shock when going to claim.
Kara Gammell, money expert from comparison site MoneySuperMarket, says: “Most home insurance policies with contents cover offer some level of protection for outdoor items such as tables, chairs, barbecues, ornaments and furniture.
"However, every policy varies and some providers may offer additional protection for items in gardens, like furniture, as an optional extra, so it’s crucial you check the details of your cover before it’s too late.”
Warning over garden insurance small print
Even if your home insurance does cover garden items as standard, you can still get caught out.
Small print in policies can exclude indoor items and valuables that are left outdoors.
You may find that belongings won't be covered if they are more expensive than any individual limits given to single items.
For example, Aviva has a limit of £500 per plant.
You must also make sure that outbuildings are disclosed when a policy is bought and that they are suitably locked.
Claims for items stolen from unlocked outbuildings or without signs of forced entry cold be declined.
In some cases, damage to outdoor items will be declined if caused by a storm.
Kara says: “If you have expensive garden furniture, ornaments and plants, you may need to increase your cover to ensure you’re fully protected - particularly if the value of your items exceeds your insurer’s per-item limit.
“It’s also strongly advised to store your furniture in a locked shed or garage overnight, as some insurers may require proof of secure storage when processing a theft claim, and may even refuse to cover items that can’t be stored securely. Photographing your possessions can be useful as evidence if you do ever need to make a claim.”
“If your garden furniture is stolen, report it to the police as soon as you can and contact your insurer.”
How does garden insurance work?
The overall cost of your home insurance and subsequent garden cover depends on a variety of factors including where you live.
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Kara says: "Areas with higher crime rates will see higher premiums, for instance.
"Other factors include your claims history for your home insurance and how secure your garden furniture is - fencing and locked gates could help reduce the cost of insurance.”
How to find gardening bargains
Doing up your garden to enjoy on warm and sunny days needn't cost the earth.
Sun Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to get a top deal on items for the garden…
You can bag big savings on plants, shrubs and flowers, as well as gardening tools and furniture.
Many retailers have flash sales across entire seasonal ranges – often these promotions tie into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends, so keep a lookout.
Sign up to mailing lists of your favourite brands and you’ll be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too.
Use a price comparison site to search out the best value items.
And keep a close eye on the specialbuys at Aldi and middle of Lidl drops which drop a couple of times a week and usually mean great value seasonal items for your outdoor areas.
If you are not in a hurry to buy an item, try adding it to the shopping cart online and leaving it for a couple of days.
Sometimes big brands will try to tempt you into the sale by offering you a discount.
And always check if you can get cashback before paying.
It’s especially worth using sites such as Topcashback, Quidco and app Jamdoughnut when buying bigger ticket items such as garden furniture as you’ll get a nice kickback.