Protect Flowers and Shrubbery Says Swinton Home Insurance

Green fingered homeowners are being urged to check their home insurance policies to ensure their plants and shrubbery are covered.

Swinton, a leading UK high street retailer of home insurance surveyed 1,000 online customers and found that 37% were unsure whether flowers and plants were actually covered in their policies. Furthermore, nearly a fifth of homeowners (18%) said they had been a victim of malicious garden damage in the past.

The most popular items in a British garden are:

      
        1.  Patio furniture
        
        2.  Barbecue
        
        3.  Lawnmower
        
        4.  Flowers and plants
        
        5.  Ornaments
        

Many homeowners spend a lot of time and money making their garden an enjoyable area in which to relax so it is important to protect this investment. Insurers offer varying levels of cover for garden items so it is vital that homeowners know exactly what is and isn't covered.

Swinton offer GBP 1,000 of cover for items in the garden which includes malicious damage, theft or fire to garden furniture, flowers, plants, lawns bushes and trees. This would not include neglect or if damage is done by the weather or animals.

Steve Chelton, Claims Manager at Swinton said, "Many homeowners overlook flowers and shrubbery in their gardens. It is important to check whether these are included in your home and contents insurance policy as they can be expensive to replace if they were stolen or damaged."

(Reproduced from marketwatch.com  24th May)

Gardien Comment: Use the garden inventory checklist at http://www.garden-security.co.uk/inventory.aspx to help evaluate your garden contents and then match it to your insurance cover.