Home insurance customers told to lock up sheds

The importance of locking up sheds and securing garden equipment has once again been stressed to home insurance customers.

According to a survey by MS Money, the average shed now holds an average of £988 worth of contents, with lawnmowers, bikes and DIY tools among the most valuable items.

The firm has therefore underlined how crucial it is to lock sheds as many home insurance policies may not cover goods that are not reasonably secured.

Andrew Ferguson, MS head of general insurance, said: The value of items kept in sheds can mount up, as our survey shows.

We would urge householders to check whether their home insurance policy provides adequate cover for theft from a shed and what security measures they may need to demonstrate to ensure any claims made are valid.

It may also be important to inform home insurance providers if a shed is being used as a garden office as it may contain even more valuable items such as computers or televisions .