Gardens 'crucial' to investment growth

Posted: 22 May 2006 13:10:57 GMT

A tidy garden is crucial to realising a property's full price potential and insurance against vandalism or theft is a sensible measure, according to insurers.

The UK's property owners suffer an estimated £90 million worth of damage to their gardens every year with some 1.6 million homeowners reporting thefts and a further 60,000 claiming their back lawns have been subject to vandalism.

Prudential and specialist insurer RIAS insist that homeowners should check whether home insurance policies cover garden items including those stored in sheds and greenhouses.

"People are spending more time and money in their gardens than ever before, so it is important that they check that their insurance policy offers the right level of cover for their gardens and the buildings in them," commented Simon Stanney, head of product at RIAS.

"A surprisingly frequent claim is for damage caused by cows which create havoc by knocking down fences and garden sheds and trampling all over plants and shrubs," he added, highlighting the wide range of unfortunate accidents that can befall a garden.

In addition, the two firms suggest that people keep the receipts of expensive items along with a photograph in case they disappear overnight.


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