Uninsured garden items 'cost thousands'

Thursday, July 2 2009

The typical homeowner could be left with a bill in the thousands to replace uninsured items stolen from their garden, it has been revealed.

Legal & General estimates that a well-equipped garden could contain up to £1,500 worth of items including furniture, statues, fountains and accessories.

If possessions from inside the home - such as children's toys - are left outside overnight, this value increases further.

Similar research from Virgin Money claims that the overall amount spent each year on garden furnishings reaches £4 billion in the UK.

The financial services provider asserts that 5,000 homes each week are robbed of garden items - including entire trees worth hundreds of pounds.

But, with suitable insurance in place, Virgin Money advises that £1,000 of goods could be protected against the cost of replacement.

Securing items and making sure that home insurance also covers sheds that are separate from the house itself are further steps recommended to help keep garden goods safe.