And, thanks to the driest May on record, there has also been higher than usual demand for gardening equipment such as lawnmowers, as well as sun loungers, patio furniture, trampolines, paddling pools and hot tubs. *
Underinsurance
These can be expensive, high-value items, and Simon Stanney, General Insurance Director at SunLife is warning homeowners to make sure they are covered for any new purchases under their contents policy.
“Insuring your home and its contents for the right amount is crucial to guarantee any claim you make will be paid in full,” he said, “because, if you make a claim for a certain amount and your insurer discovers you’ve said your possessions are worth less than their true value – even if you have done this accidentally - you will receive less money or may not get a pay-out at all.
“So if you have bought a new bike, new garden furniture or upgraded your home tech, make sure you ask your insurer to confirm that your policy provides sufficient cover for your needs.”
Simon is also urging homeowners to check their insurance policies for single item limits and garden and outbuildings cover.
“Single item limits are the sum a contents insurance policy will pay-out for any individual item which hasn't been specifically named,” explains Simon. “This is usually between £1,000 to £2,000, so if you have recently purchased something of significant value - perhaps a new TV or bike - it may well need to be named separately on the policy.
“Also, if you have anything of value in your garden – hot tubs or large paddling pools, trampolines, garden furniture, ornaments, BBQs etc - you need to check they are covered. Some insurers cover theft or damage to garden contents as standard, but others don’t, so don’t assume.”
Accidental damage
The other potential area for risk when it comes to home cover is around accidental damage, warns Simon.
“Now that we’re all spending so much time at home, and are doing more activities that could cause damage - like DIY and working out - the risk for accidents in the home and garden have increased.
“Some policies do not include accidental damage as standard, but it should be fairly easy to add on for an additional premium, and it is certainly worth considering while we are all spending so much time at home.”
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