Are your shed contents insured?

Recent research reveals that the average garden shed has contents worth almost £1,000. But if a burglar strikes, are you insured?

According to figures released last week by M&S Money, the value of goods stored in the average garden shed is £988 - £100 more than this time last year.

The most valuable goods stored in a shed are likely to be lawn mowers, bikes and tools. And yet, surprisingly, many people do not take adequate precautions to ensure that they are not likely to fall prey to thieves.

Almost half of us admit that the shed is not always locked and it looks as if we are becoming more complacent since this figure was only 24% last year. One in five of us say that the shed is frequently left unsecured and seven out of eight of us feel that the shed could easily be broken into.

The bad news is that many home polices do not cover shed contents and those that do are likely to insist on the shed being properly secured.

Home owners should not only be worried about the value of contents that could be stolen from an unlocked shed but also the fact that a tool stolen from a shed could be used to gain entry to the home.

The following hints will help make your shed more secure:

• Invest in a decent padlock or lock and use it at all times
• Fit window locks
• Paint the windows or use blinds/curtains so that the contents cannot be seen
• Don’t leave expensive items such as bikes and barbecues in the garden
• Even if your shed was once secured by a padlock, make sure that it has not rusted over since you last looked, rendering the shed vulnerable to burglars

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