Majority of home insurance policies do not offer cover for plants

Now that the clocks have gone back people should check their home contents policy to ensure they have sufficient cover for possessions they are likely to keep outdoors.

Longer and warmer evenings will inevitably mean that people spend more time in their gardens and keep more contents in the open, such as bikes and barbeques.  The on-set of spring will also see people's expensive plants coming into bloom.

However, Defaqto research has found significant variation in the cover available in this area.  Of the 307 home contents policies on the market:

52% of contents policies include cover for plants in the garden, but only 21% provide £2,500 or more of cover

88% include cover for contents that are kept in the open, but only 16% provide £2,500 or more of cover

Mike Powell, Defaqto's Insight Analyst for General Insurance, said: "As the warmer weather arrives many of us will be spending more time in our gardens. Many items will be brought out and kept in the garden, such as garden furniture, parasols, barbeques, outdoor heating, children's toys and outside lighting. This is also the time of year that will see our gardens come into bloom and the cost of replacing plants, trees and shrubs can run into hundreds, if not thousands of pounds.

"Our research shows that while a number of home contents policies include cover for contents that are kept in the open or plants in the garden, the level of cover varies widely between providers.  The devil is in the policy detail so it is essential for people to check whether their home contents policy will provide the level of cover they need."

Defaqto offers the following checklist to help people review their home contents insurance:

Check whether your policy covers contents in the open and the levels of cover provided

Check whether your policy covers ‘plants in the garden' and the level and type of cover it gives

Check any policy exclusions to ensure you are aware of the type and definition of contents that are insured

Check the policy exclusions for any single item limit that may be applicable for any plant, tree or shrub

Defaqto's Star Ratings for home insurance aim to help people understand the overall level of features and benefits different policies offer. Taking a wide range of elements into account, Defaqto has given each home insurance policy on the market a rating from 1 to 5 depending on how comprehensive they are.

People can visit defaqto.com/star-ratings/home-insurance to access Defaqto's Star Ratings for home contents insurance.