Home Insurance - Securing Your Garden
As summertime approaches (well, when it wants to) many more of us are maybe thinking about spending some time in our gardens – be it pruning that overgrown hedge or setting up a nice little barbeque bay for those sunny days.
But before you rush out to the DIY store and spend a lot of money on expensive garden tools and barbeque equipment, you may want to check just how safe they could be…
Statistics from a leading home insurance provider have shown that theft from gardens increases by over 50% during the summer months.
Anything from your lawnmower to that nice new barbeque unit can be at risk if you don’t take precautions. Here are a few handy hints for reducing your chance of having your pruning shears pilfered, as well as the likelihood of having to make a claim on your house insurance.
- Check your shed
Ensure that any storage space for your tools and garden furniture is secure. Make sure there is a sturdy lock on the door of your shed, and that your barbeque is chained to something when not in use.
- Light it up!
If you can afford it and have some valuables in the garden, investing in security lights can be an option to help deter thieves. If they’re not dazzled by the bright light at first it’s almost certain to attract attention from the neighbours.
- Stamp your mark
Taking little precautions such as weighing down plant pots and marking your property with UV pen can be useful when it comes to both deterring thieves and recovering stolen property.
- Consider your perimeter
Be sure to mend broken fence panels in order to minimise the chances of thieves sneaking into your garden. Where possible make use of trellis on top of fence panels, this will help provide potential thieves with another obstacle they’ll have to overcome if they want to nab something.
- Select secure shrubbery
It may sound silly, but spiky plants can be very useful for security purposes. Placing prickly plants around the perimeter of your property could help deter wannabe thieves, and will provide them with a painful surprise should they still try their luck.
- Make some noise
Consider laying some gravel in areas of your garden, any potential thieves will be looking to stay as silent as possible to avoid detection – and the crunching of gravel underfoot could be enough to alert you to their presence.
- Take photos
By keeping a photographic record of your garden, both before and after work, you can give yourself an advantage when it comes to making a claim on your insurance.
Also, it’s vital to ensure that your possessions are secured against your home insurance policy. If in doubt, contact your insurance company and find out if you are covered.
Then it’s simply a case of sitting back and relaxing in your secure and sunny garden.
About the Author: David is an experienced writer based in the UK, currently working in the dotcom industry
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Print Article | Download PDF | 16 views | Jun 11 2008
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