Unlocked garages could cost you £1,000

Wednesday, 01 February 2006 12:00

Failing to lock your garage could see you lose more than £1,000 - new research indicates.

Figures from Saga Home Insurance reveal that a third of UK garages contain belongings worth more than £1,000, with one person in seven estimating they have more than £3,000 of possessions stored in their garage.

But more than one homeowner in five does not secure their garage, the new report reveals, and failing to lock up properly could invalidate home insurance.

And even if properly locked, many insurance providers put a limit on how much people can claim for from 'outbuildings'.

"Anyone using their garage as extra storage space should consider the value of its contents - opportunistic thieves could find a wealth of goods just waiting for them. It is well worth checking to see if your insurance cover has any limits on theft from outbuildings," said Saga Group chief executive Andrew Goodsell.

The Saga research revealed that 60 per cent of Britons keep power tools in their garage, 50 per cent store their bikes there and 50 per cent store their lawn mowers there.

More than one person in three keeps sports equipment - including golf clubs, surfboards and gym kits - in their garage, while 33 per cent store patio furniture, BBQs and patio heaters there over the winter months.

But when asked what security measures were in place, some 21 per cent of homeowners admitted their garage was not secured in any way.

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