Garden Theft and Special Garden Insurance
Is your garden safe from petty crime? Unfortunately in recent years garden theft has been on the rise. Plants, furniture, metal objects and statues can all be attractive to thieves. Our local police circulated this timely reminder on how to ‘nip crime in the bud’.
‘…Another emerging trend is for garden tools and rubble left lying about in
the garden to be used to smash windows to gain entry into properties. Now
the weather is becoming milder people are starting to venture back into
their gardens to tidy up, but seem to be leaving their tools lying around,
which make ideal implements for a would be burglar. Please remember to
secure all tools when you have finished gardening, and to tidy away bricks
and rubble if at all possible.’
Plant Pot Worth Pinching?
Another reminder when you are in the garden shut and lock doors and windows. You can be surprised how crafty and cunning some ‘nere-do-wells’ and ‘have it away day’ thieves can be. Even with care you may still be susceptible to burglars. We had our non europrofile locks broken in less than a minute, the barrels were thrown into a large shrub where we recovered them and finger prints but not the items stolen from our bedroom.
Garden Insurance
Here are some tips on what to insure and how you could be covered
- Theft of trees, plant pots, containers and specific plants that are within the boundaries of the home.
- Statues, semi- permanent features and structures such as arches and arbors.
- Loss or damage to fences, gates, hedges, lawns, patios, ponds, rockeries and walls caused by storms, floods, fire, malicious or accidental damage.
- Loss or damage to fish or animals is unlikely to be included in garden cover.
- Consider the total value of the items to be insured. Do not underestimate the value when setting up a policy.
Other Policies
- Your household contents insurance may cover garden furniture as well as the contents of your shed and garage but not on all policies.
- Your household buildings cover should include outbuildings if they suffer damage caused by falling trees, storm or flood but again you need to check.
- You should have public liability insurance under an existing policy but it is worth checking particularly if you open your garden to visitors.
- If you work as a jobbing gardener you need business cover. You may also want special accident cover against personal injury.
- Talk to an expert of broker.
Common vs Garden Insurance article at Telegraph
Tips From Admiral Insurance
- Damage check – After winter and bad weather, check to make sure your shed or garden walls are still in a decent condition and, if not, make the necessary repairs
- Lock up – Any gates or other entrances should have good locks fitted and kept locked at all times
- Shed light on the situation – Think about investing in motion-deterrent security lights at the front and back of your house to deter thieves
- Strong borders -Â Thorny bushes, high fencing and even trellises (which can be decorated with flowers in spring and summer), can help make your garden and house more secure
- High winds – If strong winds made you realise items aren’t as secure as you thought, fix any ornaments to the ground. Not only will this stop them blowing away, they’ll also be much harder to steal
- Batten down -Â Loose bricks and garden tools are commonly used to aid break-ins; make sure tools are locked away. Likewise, keep ladders firmly locked to an immovable object and, wherever possible, keep wheelie bins secure as they could offer burglars a handy leg up over walls or into windows
- Seasonal changes – Summer furniture isn’t built to withstand a bleak winter, so make sure it’s kept in a safe, dry place.
Top tips for keeping your garage and shed safe:
- Fit strong padlocks and hardware to shed and garage doors and make sure they are strong enough not to be kicked through
- Install a lockable steel box or anchor post to the floor for storing expensive equipment
- Secure locks or bars to windows
- Install lighting – exterior lights are off-putting for thieves. Fix them near doors and at the rear of your home in a high spot – keep them out of reach.
- If your shed is where you keep the majority of your stuff, make sure it’s secure with a good-quality lock.
