Is your cover for golf clubs below par?

The thrill and excitement of the Masters tournament in America will no doubt see a rush to dust off the golf clubs, with many amateur golfers trying to emulate Phil Mickleson on the fairways and greens at the weekend.

After a difficult round, most golfers will be enjoying the pleasures of the nineteenth hole. The thought of whether their golf clubs are insured is the last thing on their minds. But if the worst happened and your clubs were stolen from your car, what insurance cover would you have?  Independent research company Defaqto prompts golfers to think about this and examine the detail of their car and home insurance policies to get the best cover. 

Mike Powell, Insight Analyst at Defaqto said "limited cover is usually provided under a comprehensive car insurance policy under the ‘personal belongings' section. The cover given can vary between insurers but the limits available are fairly low and may not even cover the cost of replacing a decent three iron".

Research from Defaqto shows that half of the policies available provide a limit of £100 or less for personal belongings in the car:-

3% of policies do not include cover for personal belongings
50% of policies provide £100 or less for personal belongings
41% of policies provide limits of between £150 and £300
3% of policies provide a £500 limit
3% of policies provide a £1,000 limit

Mr Powell continued "claiming for your stolen golf clubs under your comprehensive car insurance policy could mean that you may not have enough cover to replace your clubs. Insuring your golf clubs under the personal possessions section of your home insurance would be more advisable. Including personal possessions cover ensures that your possessions are covered whilst they are away from your home. Higher levels of cover are usually provided, when your golf clubs are kept in your car and they will therefore be better protected".

But even then your claim may be invalidated by policy exclusions. Mr Powell warned "Most policies state that items kept in a car must be completely hidden and out of view in the car's glove, locked luggage compartment, or a locked boot. Also the car's windows, including the sunroof, along with the doors and boot must be locked when the car is left unattended".

Mr Powell concluded "Replacing your golf equipment can be very expensive.  Don't be afraid to ask specific questions of your insurer so you can be sure that you have the correct cover and that they will pay out in the event of a claim".