Insurance for gardens

What is garden insurance?

Did you know that your home insurance often includes garden insurance? This means your garden items and outbuildings, including sheds, are protected against loss, damage and theft.

Garden insurance with John Lewis

John Lewis Home Insurance covers most things in your garden. Your garden furniture, gardening equipment and even your plants come under your Contents Cover. Things like sheds, gates and ponds come under your Buildings Cover. There are a few exceptions, some of which are listed below.

For full details, please check our policy documents.

Contents cover from John Lewis Home Insurance covers almost everything that’s not permanently fixed in your garden, including:

• Trees and shrubs

• Plants and pots

• Lawns and hedges

• Gardening equipment like lawnmowers

• Garden furniture

• Play equipment (such as slides, paddling pools and sandpits)

• Temporary gazebos

• Water features

• Movable statues and ornaments, including gnomes and lights

• Barbecues

Find out more about John Lewis Home Insurance.

Remember, the total we can pay out includes all the items in your home too. If you are not sure if the level of cover would be equal to the value of your home and garden contents, you might want to consider upgrading your policy.

Buildings cover from John Lewis Home Insurance covers permanent fixtures in your garden against loss or damage, including:

• Walls

• Patios and paved terraces

• Footpaths

• Fences and gates

• Fixed statues

• Greenhouses

• Summer houses and garden offices

• Permanently fixed pergolas and gazebos

• Garden ponds

• Tennis courts

• Swimming pools, hot tubs and jacuzzis permanently fixed into the ground belonging to your home

Are there exceptions to my garden insurance?

As with most garden insurance policies, there are a few exceptions.

• Plants, hedges, shrubs, lawns and fences are not covered against damage by storms or other natural causes such as floods or frost.

• Items stolen from locked sheds, garages or other outbuildings are covered up to £5,000 with a Bronze, Silver, or Gold policy. If you have anything of higher value, it’s best to keep it in the house or take out our Specialist cover which does not have this limit.

• We can’t cover your garden or home if you leave your property unoccupied for more than 60 days. You may want to consider a house sitter if you are planning a long trip.

• Subsidence damage to patios, terraces, gazebos and other permanent fixtures in the garden. These are not covered unless your home is also damaged by the same cause at the same time.

• Learn more about subsidence and damage caused by trees.

Keeping your garden maintained

It takes just a little bit of planning and effort to make sure your garden is ready for you to enjoy.

Get a summer-ready garden: top 10 tasks

1. Water your lawn and plants as needed. If you’re prone to forgetting, you can install automatic sprinklers.
2. Mow your grass with a lawnmower and prune dead heads on plants, shrubs and flowers.
3. Weed your flower beds and consider whether your plants need a refresh of compost.
4. Pressure wash your paths, decking and patio using a pressure washer.
5. Clean, stain and weatherproof your garden furniture. Invest in protective covers for chairs, tables and barbecues.
6. Repair any wear and tear on your gates and fences.
7. Store your soft furnishings such as garden cushions away from the elements.
8. If you have a pond, clean up any dead plants, moss and algae.
9. Check for damage on any roofs and walls on your outbuildings such as sheds and garages. Also, check any locks and padlocks.
10. If you have a hot tub or pool, keep on top of any chemical treatments.

For winter-based garden maintenance tips, see our winter home health checklist.

Keeping your garden maintained

Even if you have garden insurance within your home insurance, it’s important to keep your home and garden secure and protected against theft.

Simple tips include:

• Lock your garden shed and any storage units at all times as thieves might come into your garden while you’re indoors.

• Bring any expensive items - such as your mobile phone - into your home whenever you leave the garden, even momentarily to answer the doorbell.

• If you know there is a storm coming, put your garden items away or tether them down.

More tips on keeping your garden safe.

Read our 10 tips to protect your home while you’re on holiday.