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Garage Insurance

09/10/2024

Do I need garage insurance?

Do you know whether your garage or shed is protected under your home insurance? Understanding garage insurance is essential to make sure you are not left paying out of pocket when things go wrong.

1. When your garage is protected under home insurance

Garages and sheds can be protected under both buildings and contents home insurance policies. This is usually the case when the garage is:

  • Attached to your house
  • On the grounds of your property

2. When you might need additional garage or outbuilding insurance

Home insurance does not always cover your garage. In these cases, you might need to consider separate outbuilding insurance policies or other forms of insurance like tools or gadget insurance. This is commonly the case when the garage is:

  • A separate building from your home
  • Outside of the boundaries of your property

3. The grey area for garage insurance

These examples are the most common. However, the grey area here is that you could have a shed that is on your property grounds that is not attached to your house. In this case, whether it is covered or not is up to your insurer. 

Each insurer has their own terms and exclusions within their policies and will distinguish between garages and outbuildings based on these. So, it’s always best to check your policy details to ensure your garage is covered, and to what extent.

What is garage insurance?

Garage insurance is a type of cover that will offer you financial protection and reimbursement for the cost of damage or loss to your garage or outbuilding. Much like home insurance, you can have buildings garage insurance, contents insurance, or both. 

For example, building insurance for a garage could pay out for the cost of repairing a roof that was damaged by a storm. Whereas contents insurance for a garage could help replace expensive tools that were stolen during a break-in.

What does garage insurance cover?

Although the exact coverage and limits on garage or shed insurance are specific to the individual insurer and the policy you choose, there are some common coverage and exclusion examples. 

What is covered 

  • Damage to the structure and fittings of the garage, for example, the roof, windows, and walls.  
  • Storm damage, flooding, or escaped water
  • Theft or vandalism
  •  Damage from fire

What is not covered

  • Garages or outbuildings that are not properly locked or secured
  • Gradual wear and tear of the building or its contents
  • Vehicles like cars or motorbikes parked in the garage
  • Items that exceed the maximum claim limit for a single item

Extra coverage to consider

Why do you need garage insurance?

The average cost to build a garage in the UK is £9,000 in 2024*. And this is without even considering replacing your contents. Without garage insurance, this is a cost you could be faced with alone if your garage is lost in a fire. 

With an average of 523 homes targeted by thieves daily in England and Wales**, your contents are also at risk. Garages are an easy alternative that thieves will capitalise on when they get the chance. Quotezones research into UK burglary hotspots can give you an idea of how dangerous your area can be. 

With garage insurance, you can have peace of mind that the financial burden of accidents and loss will not fall on you alone. You will be able to recover your losses with the support of an insurer.

How much does garage insurance cost?

Like the cost of home insurance, this will vary based on a few key factors. Things that affect your garage insurance premium can include:

  1. The rebuild cost of your garage or outbuilding.
  2. What it is used for – whether it is a garden shed or carport.
  3. Where you live – this indicates risks like extreme weather and theft rates.
  4. The type of garage insurance you need – buildings, contents, or both.
  5. Security features – locks, CCTV, or neighbourhood watch.

Tips for lowering your garage insurance costs

Anything that will increase the security of your garage, and therefore make it less of a risk to insure will usually be rewarded with lower premiums. This can include adding features like:

  • Window locks
  • Extra padlocks to doors
  • CCTV
  • Motion activated outdoor lights
  • Alarms
  • Signs advertising security features

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Garage insurance FAQs

Do I need lock-up garage insurance in the UK?

If you own or rent a lockup garage that is not on your own property, your home insurance will typically not cover it. You can speak to the lockup owner to establish what their insurance covers. However, it is unlikely your belongings will be protected by their insurance. So it would be a good idea to invest in lockup garage contents insurance to protect whatever you are storing. 

What is accidental damage cover on outbuildings insurance?

Accidental damage cover is an additional level of coverage you can add to insurance to cover one off accidents that damage your outbuilding or its contents. Examples of what might be covered would be a ball smashing a window, or reversing a car into a rolling door.

Is my car covered by insurance if I keep it in my garage?

Usually, no. If you park a car, van or motorbike in your garage, you will typically need additional insurance for these vehicles. Not only for legal reasons but to protect them in the case of theft or damage from events like fire. If you keep a bike in your garage, it could be covered by your home or outbuilding insurance, however, this depends on your policy details. There will also likely be a maximum claim limit for an individual item, so if you have a particularly valuable bike, you might want to invest in a standalone bike insurance policy too. 

How much should I insure the contents of my garage for?

This will depend on the value of what you store in your garage. If you use a garage or outbuilding as an office, you will need to choose a higher level of cover than you would if you store basic gardening equipment. It’s also important to be aware of claims limits for a single item, as if you want to cover something that will exceed this value, you might need additional insurance.

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Sources:

*https://www.myjobquote.co.uk/costs/garage-extension
** https://www.quotezone.co.uk/presszone/residential-burglary-hotspots-revealed