Who’s pinching my pots?

Gardening is the most popular past time for the over 50's and with the clocks going forward this weekend, more of them will be making the most of the extra hour of daylight and getting out in their gardens to prepare for the summer months. But make sure, if cash is being splashed on shrubs, ornaments or furniture at the local garden centre, the purchases are fully covered when in place back home.

Recent research conducted by Saga Home Insurance has shown that January, March, June and July are the most popular months for pernicious pot pinchers leading to a growth in Garden Insurance claims. The cost of replacing items stolen from gardens can cost on average £378. This is comparable to average damage costs from floods (£391) and storm damage (£387).

Saga Home Insurance offers a Garden cover add-on for customers for just an extra £30, to cover plants, shrubs, vegetables, turf and lawns, rockeries, tools, equipment and furniture. The policy will also cover damage caused by theft, damage by smoke, fire, vandals and wild animals.

Saga suggests that people carry out a Garden Security Spring clean and do the following-

Write their postcode, with an ultraviolet waterproof pen, on valuable items such as tools, machinery, BBQ's

Check sheds and gates for deterioration over the winter months and make suitable repairs if necessary

Padlocks, screws and fastenings may have rusted, replace if needed

Do a garden inventory - you might be surprised at how much your garden items are worth!

Take photos of valuable items to keep incase they are stolen

Check your Home Insurance policy to make sure you have adequate cover for your garden items