Summer garden damage

A Direct Line survey revealed that garden damage was on the up, partly due to a general trend for increased spending on gardens and therefore more time spent in them hosting summer parties and barbecues. Garden theft is also a growing problem. Here’s how to avoid damage to your garden, plus what benefits Direct Line Home Insurance can bring to its green-fingered customers.

In 2005, we ran a survey that reported the rising cost of summer garden damage – the total UK damage figure for that year was £423 million as compared to a figure of £374 million in each of the previous three years. The report revealed that the main culprits were cited as other people’s kids, with 37 per cent complaining about over-excited infants wreaking havoc in the garden. The most common reported accidents were lawn damage, trampled borders and broken furniture and windows – with most destruction occurring through high jinx at summer parties and barbecues. Damage even occurred to neighbours’ gardens when frivolities went too far!

And it’s not just summer garden damage that’s on the rise. The increased cost also reflects a growing trend for pouring money into our gardens, with 4 in 10 people spending more than ever on their outside space and an average of nine hours a week spent in it, enjoying the results. What we have in our gardens – from plants, lawns and barbecues to tools and garden furniture – all adds up.

Unfortunately garden theft has also seen a recent surge, with a Gardening Which? survey revealing that 1.6 million households fell victim to garden theft in 2003, while 60,000 suffered from garden vandalism. Easy pickings favoured by garden thieves include lawnmowers, barbecues, garden furniture and decorative pots, which are often sold on at car boot sales and outdoor markets. Apparently some thieves are even making off with entire borders and lawns!

Dealing with garden damage

Put all the facts and figures together, and there’s all the more reason to make sure your garden and its contents are adequately insured. Direct Line does this in a number of ways:

1. Our Buildings Insurance covers the structure of patios, conservatories, sheds and other outbuildings, plus fences and gates*. This provides cover up to £1 million (unlimited cover available with Direct Line Home Insurance Plus) in the event of damage or loss caused by theft, explosion, lightning, escape of water, subsidence, storm and flood. It also covers for instances of vandalism, so if someone graffitis your fence or kicks down a wall then you should be able to make a claim.
*Direct Line buildings insurance does not cover fences and gates for storm damage.

2. Our Home Contents Insurance automatically provides up to £50,000 of contents cover on a new-for-old basis for all household items including those kept securely in garages and sheds. It also covers items in the garden up to the value of £1,000 (up to £2,500 on Direct Line Home Insurance Plus). So if your lawnmower is locked in the shed and someone breaks in and steals it, you should be able to claim. If your garden furniture or barbecue is stolen from the garden itself, this should also be covered up to £1,000 (up to £2,500 on Direct Line Home Insurance Plus).

3. Our Pedal Cycle Cover is an additional extra that you can add on to your Direct Line Home Insurance (included as standard with Direct Line Home insurance Plus). While our Home Contents Insurance covers bicycles when they are locked up in your home, this covers your bike against theft while you are out and about and includes bikes that are locked up outside on your patio or garden.

Damage limitation

Of course, taking our garden cover doesn’t mean that you can’t take some steps to try and prevent it happening in the first place. These should include:

• Locking up any garden equipment when you’re not around to keep an eye on it. If you can, store all tools, barbecues and furniture safely in your outbuilding or shed.
• Securing any expensive garden equipment to the ground. For example you could chain a garden table to a concrete base.
• Raising fences, walls and hedges to a height where burglars cannot climb over them. Gates should also be locked at night, where possible, and any damage repaired as soon as possible so as not to encourage a second attack.
• Fitting outside lights to your house to put opportunistic thieves off. Lights with sensors can work well where any intruders will trigger them into action as soon as they cross the line.
• While garden parties and barbecues should be relaxed and fun, you could also ask family members and guests to be extra careful if you are worried about a valuable garden item – a statue, pot or water feature for example – or a precious piece of lawn or border. Where relevant, they in turn can advise their kids to do the same.

To find out more about how Direct Line can help insure your garden and any items in it, you can check out our home insurance policy documents online. Apply for a home insurance quote and buy online today and we’ll also give you an instant discount.