Homeowners with children in Ireland typically have €1,451 worth of garden accessories, while for those without offspring in the home, the value of these items comes to an average of €1,273.
However, just over one in seven (15% ) homeowners have garden accessories worth between €3,000 and €5,000, with some 7% putting a value of €5,000 plus on their outdoor items.
This is according to the findings of a new survey by Aviva Insurance Ireland DAC (Aviva ) which examined the value of garden accessories in homes across the country, as well as the most popular garden must-haves. Men emerged as the big spenders, with one in ten (10% ) having accumulated garden accessories worth more than €5,000, compared to less than one in twenty (4% ) women.
The findings of the survey also suggest that men are more avid barbecue grillers than women; more than half (52% ) of the male respondents said they had a barbecue compared to less than 4 in 10 (38% ) women.
Aviva advises that all householders should first check if they are covered and then whether their insurer adopts a maximum limit on the value insured.
“The average value of garden accessories from those surveyed came in at over €1,000. And some respondents cited values significantly north of this - possibly as owners of expensive hot tubs, bar areas, sculptures and even ride-on lawnmowers which can be pricey,” Alan Darcy, Home Product Manager, Aviva, said.
Additional findings to emerge from the Aviva survey include:
Garden furniture (73% ) is the most common garden accessory, followed by a garden shed (70% ), and planters and potted plants (66% ).
Despite the likelihood that they have smaller gardens than their rural counterparts, people in Dublin have above-average amounts of garden furniture in most categories
Connacht/ Ulster respondents were most likely to be the owners of ride-on lawnmowers (34% ) compared to just a tiny fraction (1% ) of Dubliners.
Small numbers of households have what might be termed the more “bougie” class of accessories such as a pizza oven (3% ), hot tub (3% ) and bar area (6% ).
One in five (20% ) homeowners have statues, ornaments and/or sculptures in their garden while just over one in ten (11% ) have a water feature and one in seven (14% ) have a fire pit or chimenea.
People in Dublin are far more likely than others to have a bar area in their garden (13% ).
In a general sense, those over 55 appear to have the most traditional garden accessories with this age category being above average for ownership of items such as garden furniture, planters, bird feeders and bird baths, and garden sheds.
“If you’ve spent any amount of money on your garden accessories, then it would be advisable to check if you are covered under your home insurance policy. Not all policies will automatically provide cover for items like garden furniture which are designed to be kept in the garden on a permanent basis – or where they do so, they may impose a maximum limit on the value they are covered for. According to the Central Statistics Office’s (CSOs ) latest figures, there was a 36% increase in theft and related offences over the last year. In addition, Ireland has had its fair share of storms and floods in recent times that can do damage to items in the garden. Homeowners cannot afford to be complacent,” Mr Darcy concluded.
