Defaqto: 42% of home insurance policies cover 'contents in the open'

New research released today (May 13th) has shown that nearly half of all home insurance policies provide less than £1,000 cover for 'contents in the open'.

According to Defaqto, 'contents in the open' is a standard feature on most contents and buildings insurance plans and insures against the loss of items that are left outside the boundaries of the home or in the garden. However, as the summer approaches, which means people will be spending more time outdoors, Defaqto has found that 42 per cent of policies offer less than £1,000 cover for items left outside.

Meanwhile, 43 per cent of annual insurance packages offer cover of between £1,000 and £2,000, with just 15 per cent providing insurance on more than £2,000 worth of items.
Mike Powell, insight analyst for general insurance at Defaqto, said: "It's easy to forget that home contents policies can include our gardens. Water features, decking, garden furniture, outside lighting, and children's' play things can be expensive to replace and run into hundreds of pounds."

By Joe Letts