Which? finds most home insurance policies cover gardens but with low limits and exclusions

Which? published an analysis of 75 home insurance policies on 15 May 2025, finding that most cover garden contents but that limits and exclusions vary widely¹.

The consumer body said 91% of the policies it examined covered theft and damage to contents in the open and in outbuildings¹. It also found that 95% of insurers offer garden cover, meaning insurance for trees and plants, but that the maximum claimable sum ranges from an unlimited amount down to £250¹. Just one of the 75 policies would pay out for fences, gates and hedges damaged by storms and floods¹.

Conditions attach to that cover. Which? said some insurers require evidence of forced entry and insist that anything that can be locked up was locked up, while indoor items left outside may be excluded, as may outdoor furniture¹. Plants are sometimes covered only if stolen, and potted plants are often not covered at all¹. On high value items, Which? said insurers often require policyholders to declare items worth more than a set amount, often £1,000 or £2,000, or they are not covered; items can be added after purchase, which may raise the premium slightly¹.

Which? awarded five stars for cover of theft and damage to items in the open and in outbuildings to three policies in its most recent analysis¹:

Which? said these policies might not be the cheapest available or the best option for a particular home beyond its garden¹. It has previously warned that insurers' differing definitions of what counts as a storm leave customers frequently caught out¹.

Why it matters for households

Garden contents, sheds and outbuildings are covered by most policies, but the amount a household can recover depends on limits that differ from insurer to insurer, from unlimited sums down to £250 for trees and plants¹. Fences, gates and hedges damaged by storms and floods fall outside almost all of the 75 policies examined, so a household expecting a payout for storm-damaged boundaries would, on this evidence, usually not receive one¹. Where a claim is possible, conditions on forced entry, locked storage and items left outdoors can determine whether it succeeds¹. Items above an unspecified single item limit, often £1,000 or £2,000, are not covered unless declared when the policy is bought¹. The findings concern the terms of contents insurance and how storm and flood claims are handled, and reflect the cover limits and exclusions set out in policy schedules and full policy wordings¹.

What happens next

No further steps have been reported. Which? said its annual analysis scores policies on what is covered and for how much, and that its most recent results are published¹.