Garden insurance

Assigning a dollar-and-cents value to your garden, its features and the tools you use to keep it in good shape might seem like a tricky job. But when you do the maths, you'll probably find that – between outdoor furniture, paved areas, power tools, treasured plants and prized gnome collections – that value is higher than you'd think. So it's worth figuring out whether your insurance policy is giving you the garden-related coverage you need.

What is garden insurance?

Garden insurance can financially protect the value of your garden from a variety of unexpected events like storms, thefts and vandalism. You can get cover as part of a home insurance policy.

What garden insurance options do I have?

Depending on what you want to have covered, there are a few options available.

Home and contents insurance.
A home and contents insurance policy is ideal if you want cover for your plant friends both in and outside of your home. The home/building part of the policy can cover the permanent fixtures of your garden like water features and your shed, while the contents part of the policy will cover things like your indoor pot plants and your gardening tools.

Home/building insurance.
A building insurance policy can cover things like gazebos, sheds, pergolas, water features and ponds. Pretty much anything that can't be easily removed from your property, these are known as permanent fixtures. Did you also know that flowers and trees that are planted into the soil can also be included in your building insurance policy?

Contents insurance.
A contents insurance policy is handy if you have a lot of high-value stuff outside of your home, think outdoor furniture, ride-on lawnmowers, leaf blowers and whipper snippers. Also, If you're an apartment dweller with a beloved collection of potted flowers, bonsai, succulents or herbs, you can sleep easy knowing your contents insurance will cover those precious plant friends.

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Get garden insurance by comparing home and contents insurance

Why do I need garden insurance?

Theft of tools, outdoor furniture and garden ornaments – and even plants – does happen from time to time. So does vandalism, storm damage, and damage from fire, floods, and falling trees and branches.

A well-thought-out insurance policy can give you peace of mind that in one of those unlucky scenarios, your garden-related valuables could be repaired or replaced. That's why you need it.

When is my garden covered?

Most home insurance policies will cover your garden for the damages and losses caused by these main events:

Be aware that whatever form of cover you take out on plants, trees and shrubs, the replacement or repair value will generally be capped at $2,000 total.

What doesn't home insurance cover?

Do you have a green thumb? Here's the bottom line.

Many of us pour a lot of time, care and sweat – not to mention cash – into our gardens. While garden insurance won't get rid of the angst of garden items being damaged or stolen, the financial compensation that allows you to repair or replace those items will ease the pain.

Our gardens are always there for us, so don't forget yours when you're setting up the right home insurance policy for you.

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Frequently asked questions

• Will garden insurance cover public liability?

  Different home, building and contents policies have different rules about public liability; some but not all of them will cover legal liability to someone who is injured while on your property, including in your garden. As always, it's wise to read the fine print.

• Can I get cover for my water feature?

  Water features can be considered a permanent fixture in your garden, so you'll most likely be covered by a building insurance policy or a home and contents insurance policy.

• How can I make my garden more secure?

  • Put tools away in locked sheds after using them.
  • If you're taking a trip, arrange for a neighbour or friend to drop in occasionally while you're away to deal with any weeds that spring up and to keep your lawns neat and your gutters leaf-free. This will prevent the appearance of an empty home, which is like catnip to burglars.
  • Build a fire-smart garden. Don't leave piles of dry garden waste lying around, keep a decent gap between buildings and vegetation, and prune deadwood.
  • Watch for leaning trees or dangling branches that could become hazards over time.

• Do I need specialist garden insurance?

  Specialist garden insurance doesn't exist in Australia as such (at the time of writing, of course).

  It just means you should be paying even closer attention to your home insurance policy. That way, you can ensure you're getting cover for the things that you want to protect the most.

• What insurance do I need to be a gardener?

  As a professional gardener, a few different insurance policies could be handy.Check out our guide to see which could be useful for you.

• Should my gardener have insurance?

  If you hire a professional gardener, they should have some form of liability insurance since it's a legal requirement.

  This type of insurance should protect them and their employer from things like, if they get injured on the job or if their work causes injury to someone else.

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