Brits leaving garden furniture out of insurance policies

Emily Dickenson writes: People in the UK are potentially losing £10 billion annually by not adequately securing their garden furniture, research has revealed.

A study by comparethemarket.co.uk found that 1.2 million homes in the UK had been subject to garden thefts, with over a quarter of properties in Britain not insuring expensive items such as barbeques, plants and garden furniture.

Coastal areas such as Plymouth are also at risk of damaging weather conditions, with nearly 20 per cent of people saying garden items had been destroyed by strong winds and rain.

Jeremy Moll, an insurance expert at comparethemarket.com, said: "It's important to remember that household insurance policies can cover garden plants and furniture as well.

"Although the value attached to vandalism and theft is high, we know UK weather conditions can also wreak havoc on our homes."

Mr Moll added that storing valuable garden items in a secure place can also potentially save gardeners unnecessary expense.

A pair of students from Suffolk recently claimed first prize in a Windsor landscape gardening tournament, it was reported earlier this week.

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