What is garden insurance?

Key takeaways 

• Garden insurance usually comes as part of your home insurance, but it isn’t always included as standard 

• Both your buildings and contents insurance policies can offer protection for your garden 

• It’s important to check your policy details to see what you’re covered for - you can ask your insurer to add extra cover if you think you’ll need it 

What is garden insurance? 

Garden insurance is a part of your home insurance policy that covers your garden and the furniture and items you keep in it. Garden insurance can be part of both your buildings and contents insurance.

It offers protection against unexpected events like theft, fire, or vandalism but the extent to which you’ll be covered will depend on your policy.

Is my garden covered by my home insurance? 

Yes, your garden is likely to be covered by your home insurance policy but check your policy documents to be sure, and be aware that cover levels can vary.

Your insurer is likely to:

• Set a limit for your total garden contents

• Have a single item limit so you’ll need to list high-value items and may pay extra

• Not cover storm damage to fences, plants, trees and shrubs

You’ll also find that cover is split between buildings and contents insurance.

Garden buildings insurance 

If you have buildings insurance, it will usually cover structures in your garden. This could include:

• Outbuildings such as sheds and garages

• Swimming pools

• Garden walls, fences, and gates

• Gas, oil, or septic tanks on the property

• Drives and footpaths

Garden contents insurance  

This type of cover, which is often part of your contents insurance policy, protects garden items or things you have stored in outbuildings, such as:

• Barbecues

• Gardening tools, including power tools

• Lawnmowers

• Garden or patio furniture

• Children’s outdoor toys

• Plants and garden ornaments

📣 Did you know? According to Which? Nearly half of UK homeowners (48%) do not include garden contents in their home insurance, despite billions being spent on outdoor items. While 91% of policies offer some coverage for theft or damage, 41% of Brits have experienced garden theft, often involving items worth an average of £177.40.

Does home insurance cover items left in the garden?

No, your home insurance may not cover items left in the garden. Insurers generally require valuable garden items like tools or lawnmowers to be kept in a locked shed or building throughout the night to be covered.

Items that are left outside permanently, like garden furniture, can be insured, but this cover is often capped at lower limits than you'd receive for indoor furniture. So, even if your policy does include them, you might not be able to claim for the full amount that they're worth.

Does home insurance cover fences and garden walls? 

Fences and garden walls are usually covered in some circumstances but not others. Many policies would pay out if your fence was vandalised or unexpectedly damaged. But you are unlikely to be covered if it is damaged during a storm or bad weather.

While many home insurance policies include storm damage, it is less usual for this cover to extend to any structures in your garden. If it does, there will often be a requirement that you keep your fences, gates and walls well-maintained and in good condition in order for a claim to be valid.

What isn’t covered by garden home insurance? 

Exclusions vary by policy and provider, but there are some common items and scenarios that are typically not covered:

• Indoor items and valuables left outdoors (including gadgets)

• Items exceeding the single item limit

• Outbuildings not disclosed at the time of policy purchase

• Contents stolen from unlocked outbuildings or without signs of forced entry

• Damage from extreme weather conditions

• Plants that are not potted (i.e., planted in the ground)

How much cover do I need for my garden? 

There is normally a limit on how much cover you can take out specifically for your garden, and it’ll often be relatively low due to the increased risk of things like theft or damage.

As such, you might want to consider increasing the default amount of cover to ensure your things are fully protected.

You should think about:

• The cost of rebuilding outbuildings such as sheds, garages or greenhouses

• The cost replacing gates or fences

• The value of garden items like lawnmowers, tools, garden furniture and barbecues

• Expensive items such as free-standing hot tubs

Is my garden office covered by home insurance?

Whether your garden office is covered by your home insurance usually depends on the kind of work you do. If you work remotely and use it for clerical work insurers will usually cover it - provided you inform them. If clients visit or staff work there you might need business insurance or public liability cover.

Can I get garden insurance if I am a tenant?

Yes you can add garden insurance to your renters’ insurance, if it’s not included as standard. This will just cover your personal belongings as your landlord is responsible for outbuildings such as a garden shed or garage.

How can I compare home insurance for my garden?

The quickest and easiest way to find affordable home insurance that covers your garden is by comparing quotes with MoneySuperMarket.

Just tell us about yourself, your property and the things you want to cover, and we’ll look for deals that meet all your requirements.  You’ll be able to compare quotes by the overall cost, the cover you get and the excess you’ll need to pay to claim. Once you find the deal you want, just click through to finalise your purchase.