Does your home insurance cover your garden?

A garden gnome gone walkabout might not grab your attention - but a wrecked shed or stolen lawnmower could put a substantial dent in your wallet.

While the vast majority of home insurance policies also cover gardens, we’ve found that low limits and exclusions could lead to nasty surprises.

Here we explain how to check your own policy’s garden cover and suggest some alternatives if it’s not up to scratch.

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Cover, on paper at least

We found that 91% of policies covered theft and damage to contents in the open and in outbuildings.

But some insurers will require evidence of forced entry, and insist anything that can be locked up was. Indoor items left outside may be excluded, as might outdoor furniture.

Also, check the limits imposed by insurers. While 95% of insurers offer ‘garden cover’, for example, insurance for trees and plants, the maximum value you can claim for varies, from an unlimited sum down to just £250.

Sometimes, plants won't be covered unless they're stolen, and often potted plants aren't covered at all.

Worryingly, just one of the 75 policies we examined would pay out for fences, gates and hedges damaged by storms and floods. 

Which? has previously warned that insurers’ wildly divergent definitions of what counts as a storm leaves their customers frequently caught out.

• Find out more: Best home insurance 2025 

High value items

From robot lawnmowers to hot tubs, your garden might contain more valuables than you realise.

Insurers often insist that when buying your insurance, you declare items worth more than a certain amount, often £1,000 or £2,000. Otherwise, they’re not covered.

You can add items to your policy after you’ve bought them, though this may increase your premium slightly.

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Check your policy

Admittedly, looking through insurance documents isn’t a fun job, but it could save you money.

Specifically, you’ll want to check your Policy Schedule and Full Policy Wording. Both should have been emailed and posted to you when you bought your policy, and will likely also be available online.

Look (or if viewing on a computer, search for) the words 'garden'; ‘contents in the open’ and ‘outbuildings’. Check both for what is explicitly included and what’s excluded.

Also, check the ‘unspecified single item limit’ or similar, to see which of your high-value items you need to declare, and whether you have already declared any items.

• Find out more:How to find cheap home insurance 

Great policies for gardens

Each year our experts comb through insurance policies, awarding scores based on what’s covered and for how much.

Our most recent analysis awarded just three policies the maximum five stars for their cover for theft and damage to items in the open and in outbuildings. These were:

• M&S Premier - which was also the only policy to cover storm damage to fences, gates and hedges
• M&S Standard
• LV Home Plus

Keep in mind that these policies might not be the cheapest available, or the best option for your home (rather than just your garden).

Next time you’re comparing quotes for home insurance, check our guide to the best home insurance. Type an insurer or policy name into our interactive table, and our key scores will appear. 

Which? members can also login to read our in-depth reviews, including specific garden-related scores and unspecified item limits.

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