Money slipping through green fingers

With purse strings tightening as the Credit Crunch rumbles on it will make grim reading for the green fingered as new research by comparethemarket.com reveals Britons are potentially losing up to £10 billion a year by not having adequate insurance to cover their gardens.

The poll showed that 1.2 million households in the UK have been affected by garden robberies, but that over a quarter of British homes do not include garden furniture, expensive BBQ's and plants in their household insurance policies.

Vandalism is also becoming more of a problem, with 616,000 homeowners having been targeted. However, the biggest factor affecting the state of British gardens is the weather, with nearly 2 million people citing that storms and flooding had damaged their garden over the last 12 months.

Leeds is the UK hotspot when it comes to garden robbery, with 21% of respondents having had items stolen from their backyard. And Mancunians face the biggest threat of vandalism to their outdoor space, with one in ten stating their garden had been targeted.

Other findings include:

Plymouth is the top place in the UK for having weather damage their garden - 19.7% of those polled said they had been affected

Nearly half a million people (420,000) have had items in their gardens damaged by someone they know

82% of residents in Southampton do not have insurance policies that cover their gardens, the highest in the UK

"Even with money tight, it's not worth taking any risks and not having your home totally covered. It is easy to just focus on possessions within the home, but it's important to remember that household insurance policies can cover garden plants and furniture as well," said Jeremy Moll, insurance expert, comparethemarket.com. "Although the value attached to vandalism and theft is high, we know UK weather conditions can also wreak havoc on our homes. There are steps people can take to save themselves money. For example, with summer drawing to a close, make sure you store valuable items securely and use a comparison site, such as comparethemarket.com to find the right policy for your needs. Spending a little on extra cover can save you a lot in the long run."

Tips for protecting your garden:

Check your policy to see if you are covered for storm damage and flooding. Also check whether you are in a flood risk area. A price comparison site, such as comparethemarket.com, can help you find the right policy for your property

Put away and secure any objects which could attract thieves, vandals or cause damage, e.g. tidy away garden furniture, cover greenhouse panes, cut down over hanging branches

Dismantle any large objects, such as climbing frames, which could not only cause damage in a storm, but could also attract vandals and burglars

Move any valuable pot plants and cover any immovable shrubs and flowers

Make sure you know which garden fence you own, should it blow over in the storm and damage any of your items

Secure your garden by fitting locks on any gates and using security lights which have sensors - not only will you feel safer, but it will act as a deterrent to any potential burglars