Keep everything in the garden rosy by having right insurance
GARDENING IS by far the nation’s favourite hobby. Its popularity is evident, not only by the vast sums expended at garden centres but by attendance figures for horticultural festivals. Arguably the finest is the Chelsea Flower Show which is held next week (May 19-23).
Estate agents estimate that an attractive garden can add between 10-20 per cent to the value of a property. In the UK, 93 per cent have an outdoor space or grow plants, according to research commissioned by the Royal Horticultural Society.
Two out of three prospective home purchasers say the garden is the deciding factor when choosing whether to buy, according to recent analysis by the UK’s largest trade recommendation service, Rated People.
Yet for all the investment and hours put into creating just the right environment, little thought is given to protecting it in money terms. Sadly theft, storm and other damage can destroy parts or indeed all of such handiwork.
Many people forget that the cost of items in the garden can soon mount up and, in the event of a claim, some homeowners can find themselves seriously underinsured.
Check with your insurer if there is adequate cover. There are two elements: buildings, which includes structures like garden sheds and greenhouses, and contents, such as a mower, tools and leisure items like a barbecue, patio furniture and children’s toys.
Insurance is designed on the basis of replacement for articles lost or damaged beyond repair. Equipment purchased many years ago may now cost considerably more, such as a good mower or hedge strimmer.
Make a list of everything that is usually used or left in the garden including make, model and serial number where relevant.
Whilst as many outdoor items as possible should be returned after use to a garage or shed, which should be kept locked, if the rain comes only an actuary would stay out putting such articles away.
Keep receipts and take photographs which can assist the police in the event of theft. Ask the local crime prevention officer to visit and give advice, not only on securing your property but on ways to mark equipment – such as SmartWater – which can be useful in the event a thief tries to sell it.
However, there is one crucial element in gardens which is overlooked for insurance: plants and trees. Replacing mature specimen shrubs and trees, bought when young which have grown to full size, can be far more expensive than some realise.
A tree purchased 20 years ago for £50 may now cost over £3,000 to replace. In addition to the basic price, there will be the cost of removing the damaged tree including its root structure and replacing it which may require specialist equipment.
Ask your insurance company if planted items are covered, obtaining both the overall sum and single article limit. Budget insurers offer derisory sums for gardens but higher net worth cover is available.
Hiscox, for example, offers up to £2,500 for a single plant or tree and 10 per cent of the total buildings sum for the whole garden under its 606 policy. With its Direct Home plan, it provides £1,000 and £25,000 respectively which includes professional restoration advice.
Sterling will cover up to £15,000 outdoors but will quote for unlimited sums if further protection is needed, such as for statues.
A garden can make or break a house sale, says Philip Procter, Yorkshire regional director for Humberts.
To obtain a proper description and value of horticultural items, Saga suggests seeking a professionally qualified arborist.
Whilst the theft of garden ornaments, shrubs and equipment tend to grab the headlines, NFU Mutual’s claims data shows that the greatest threat facing gardens is storm and flood damage.
Last year it paid out £3.7m in claims from domestic gardens of which 62 per cent involved storm and flood.
NFU Mutual offers £10,000 garden contents under its Home & Lifestyle Plus policy but this rises to £50,000 under its high net worth policy termed ‘Bespoke’. The latter plan provides up to £20,000 for a single article.
For trees and shrubs, this insurer has a single article limit of £500 but will raise this when requested under the ‘Bespoke’ plan. Lawn tractors or similar machinery are covered up to £10,000 but no single article limit is raised for garden furniture.
LV=, the largest friendly society, offers up to £250 per tree, plant or shrub up to £1,000 in total plus general contents in the garden (including bird baths and statues) up to £1,000.
Check if fences and walls are protected. Budget cover is unlikely to provide it unlike more expensive ones. Paving should form part of contents cover. Greenhouses and outbuildings are unlikely to be covered if they are not on permanent foundations.
Nationwide, the largest building society, offers two policies which are underwritten by Leeds-based UK Insurance. Under its Home Insurance plan, protection is £6,000 for garden contents, £2,500 for plants with a £500 single limit. Its Essential plan offers £1,000 contents in the garden plus £1,000 for plants and £250 single limit.
Cover includes for lawns and any design fees necessary to put right any loss or damage.
John Lewis provides up to £5,000 per claim and offers an online discount of at least 15 per cent.
Sainsbury’s is really only for starter gardeners as it offers two policies with £1,000 and £2,500 cover for trees, shrubs and trees, both of which have a single article limit of £250.
Saga, which is aimed at 50-year-olds and over, provides tree and plant cover up to £1,000 (Essential/Premier) but £1,500 can additionally be taken out.
Alternatively, it will make a tailor-made policy with five per cent of the sum insured, whether buildings or contents, for the garden which increases the single tree limit to £1,000.
It uses a panel of insurers with RSA providing the tailor-made policies.
Those living in rural areas are at risk from cows, deer and horses entering gardens and trampling furniture and eating plants. NFU Mutual says: “It is not unusual for the same animals to find their way into outdoor swimming pools.” Discourage thieves by: Fitting heavy-duty padlocks to garages and other outbuildings;
Keeping garden gates locked and having prickly hedges;
Instal signs which advertise your security measures;
Keeping garden tools secure and out of sight;
Anchoring valuable planters. Cement or bolt statues, ornaments and flower tubs;
Consider installing security lighting and CCTV.
If the property is listed, remember that garden walls, sundials, dovecotes and other structures within the curtilage may form part of the listing and therefore may cost more to replace or repair.