Many Britons have building and home contents insurance, but a good proportion probably haven’t thought of insuring their gardens. Even though the garden is part of the property, it’s usually considered outside of the home. In a blog post, insurer Lark encouraged homeowners to take their gardens into account when purchasing home insurance.
Botanical expos such as the Chelsea Flower Show prove that gardens can be indeed expensive. Many garden owners have elaborate garden equipment such as greenhouses, conservatories, and bi-folding doors. Some owners also transform their gardens into outdoor galleries of art and sculpture, as well as innovative landscaping and planting.
Homeowners should have a valuation and photographic inventory of their garden, similar to the house interior, so it can be covered under the home insurance policies.
Landscaping and other external structures such as walls, paving, greenhouses, ponds, sheds, and other outbuildings should be covered under the buildings section of the home insurance policy. Meanwhile, outdoor items such as garden furniture and BBQ grills are part of the contents section of the policy, or for some insurers, part of a separate ‘outdoor items’ section. Plants, trees, and shrubs are usually also covered by most insurers.
Other higher-value items such as sculptures, statues, and garden antiques should be covered in a different policy, as these may be treated as fine art.
However, homeowners should note that not all hazards are covered. Some of the most popular sources of damage are fire, lightning, collision or impact, theft, or vandalism. Brokers and clients must communicate openly and work together in ensuring that the gardens are well-covered by the home insurance policy.
