Garden Theft 'Easy Pickings' Claims Esure

UK leading insurer, Esure, has made claims over how easy it is for thieves to target possessions left in people gardens.

Research they have carried out shows that more than 9 in 10 people leave items in their garden regularly including toys, tools and other items.  Many blame their lack of space for their decision to leave valuables out.

Furthermore, their research, shows that a third of households leave home possessions in their sheds or outbuildings but for most this does not mean increasing the security features of their garden.

Esures' head of risk and underwriting, Mike Pickard, said: 'Taking a few simple steps can reduce the chances of becoming a victim of garden crime - such as the use of security lighting or prickly hedging as deterrents, some homeowners should consider checking the terms of their house insurance policies, as some cover could be too low.'

Recent figures from Saga suggested that the cost of replacing items stolen from gardens averages £378.

Superquote Comment

Many people have very restrictive cover limits on their home insurance policy for items left in the garden or outbuilding and homeowners should check their existing cover to understand just what is protected.  Five hundred pounds is a typical sum insured figure but with an increase in leisure equipment sales in recent years including more expensive lawnmowers and powered childrens toys, this limit would not be adequate for many households.