Date: 28-03-24  Time: 22:56 pm

Author Topic: Home Insurance - garage contents  (Read 1913 times)

VNA - BMW Wank

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Home Insurance - garage contents
« on: 11 September 2018, 08:12:34 pm »
It's home insurance renewal time again for VNA.My renewal price is up again.  But it does offer decent cover for my garage contents..
So I've just wasted well over an hour phoning insurance companies.You have to sit through all the pre-recorded crap etc etc - you know how it goes.First question I ask is, what is your contents cover for garages.Standard answer is 5000 quid.  I say thanks, but no thanks, and move on to the next insurance firm.
The AA - a motoring organisation said £3000  Umm no thanks.

So where do I get decent home insurance that includes realistic cover for my garage contents?


Trebus

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Re: Home Insurance - garage contents
« Reply #1 on: 11 September 2018, 10:05:39 pm »
Not easily in my experience, not very helpful I know! I always go on comparison websites to check, most only offer £3k for garages and outbuildings. To be honest I’d have no clue as to the value of my garage possessions or how to replace them in the event of loss. Almost impossible as it’s a lifetime of accumulations.

VNA - BMW Wank

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Re: Home Insurance - garage contents
« Reply #2 on: 11 September 2018, 10:30:15 pm »
Cheers Trebus,
My current insurance covers my garage contents, and to my surpise to the same limit as the house.  But then again I better check the small print.
Done the price comparision thing, but you have to phone to find out the extent of the garage cover.
My garage is pretty secure too.  Thought I'm gonna fit a couple of these just to deef it up a bit;
https://www.locksonline.co.uk/Garage-Door-Locks-/Asec-Garage-Door-Lock.html
Fitted a new garage door just a few years ago, but wish now I'd gone for the roller door.  Cost a bit more than up and over but much more secure.

Hugh Mungus

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Re: Home Insurance - garage contents
« Reply #3 on: 12 September 2018, 09:05:23 pm »
I was just going to fit a big bar across the inside of the door. Something that could be easily lifted out of the way rather than faffing around with more keys.
My next home improvement will be a roller garage door. I'm not sure they are much more secure than an up and over door though.


As for insurance... I don't have anything of that high value in my garage. All my bikes are insured when they're in the garage but apparently they might not be insured for theft if they get stolen off my driveway!

VNA - BMW Wank

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Re: Home Insurance - garage contents
« Reply #4 on: 12 September 2018, 10:19:13 pm »
 Up and over is OK as long as it’s got a good lock fitted.  Mines only got two-point locking though.  You can get ones with 4 point locking but I was advised they can be troublesome – though I don’t know if this is actually true.  One of these days I’m going to fit those bolts just over half way up the door to back up the two point locking at the bottom.


 The two advantages I think of the roller door is one they take up less space.  Though that’s only really an advantage if you have roof space you can take advantage of.  The big advantage in security is they run in guides, so it’s secure from top to bottom, very hard to banjo your way in. 





 It’s all the tools and equipment you accumulate in a garage.  It quickly adds up to a small fortune.
 

 
 

Hugh Mungus

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Re: Home Insurance - garage contents
« Reply #5 on: 13 September 2018, 04:43:10 am »
A crowbar would soon rip out a roller door - thieves would not care whether they leave a mess.
My up & over door has one lock. Totally useless, I can get in with a piece of flat bar within 2 seconds.
My father in law had a 4 point locking system on his garage door and I don't recall any problems.
I am going for the roller door because it looks good and I can have a remote control on my key fob. It will take up less space which will improve some of the lighting I already have in place which gets blocked out with my current door when it is open.

steve 10562cc

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Re: Home Insurance - garage contents
« Reply #6 on: 13 September 2018, 07:08:33 am »

A mate of mine fitted an alarm to his garage for next to nothing cost it consisted of 2 (he acquired for no cost)second hand fire alarm klaxons and a and another klaxon loud enough to wake the dead in the village church yard 2 miles away, inside the top of the roof with movement detectors in the 2 back corners. It is impossible to stay in the garage when they go off it hurts your ears he demonstrated it to me when I was in the garage my ears were ringing for a hour or so afterwards. I'm sure most of us on here would be capable doing the wiring for it and all in it cost him less that £50. Wont stop the scum breaking in but they could not stay in the there long enough to nick anything.
 


Trebus

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Re: Home Insurance - garage contents
« Reply #7 on: 13 September 2018, 08:42:12 am »
Got a pair of those additional locks fitted like VNA. Bit of a faff but certainly would slow an intruder down. Up and over only has a single top pin, added some aluminium angle to the frame to make it harder to crowbar. Ultimately it’s about making it harder for the scum bags.

Hugh Mungus

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Re: Home Insurance - garage contents
« Reply #8 on: 13 September 2018, 06:04:17 pm »
Just to stress the point about up and over doors with a single central lock.


If I can get the door open within 2 seconds then a thief will be quicker - and it is totally silent - if the thief closed the door on his way out you wouldn't even know until you opened the garage door.


For your own sanity fit some extra locks.

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Re: Home Insurance - garage contents
« Reply #9 on: 13 September 2018, 06:19:04 pm »
Just to stress the point about up and over doors with a single central lock.


If I can get the door open within 2 seconds then a thief will be quicker - and it is totally silent - if the thief closed the door on his way out you wouldn't even know until you opened the garage door.


For your own sanity fit some extra locks.

But they stuffs so expensive! I find it cheaper and more effective to hire an illegal immigrant with a shotgun to sit in there all night 😂😂

Robbie8666

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Re: Home Insurance - garage contents
« Reply #10 on: 14 September 2018, 08:08:50 am »

But they stuffs so expensive! I find it cheaper and more effective to hire an illegal immigrant with a shotgun to sit in there all night 😂😂

why just one? have a family then the can do shifts!  :rollin :rollin
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Flooky

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Re: Home Insurance - garage contents
« Reply #11 on: 14 September 2018, 12:53:53 pm »

Another thing to think about is what they supply, they very often cater to "normal people" ie people who have a pedal bike nad a mower in their garage.
my garage was broken into a few years back and tools stolen, when I rang to list what was missing they said they only dealt with halfords or Draper.
I said about my snap on stuff and they didn't deal with them...so you need money to replace not new for old, where they supply you replacements.
Also my bike is in a locked garage but when I am working on something else I wanted the flexibility to leave the bike on the drive, so when I did my go compare thing I said it was on the drive locked up...2 quid cheaper than a locked garage !! wtf ? its always in the garage but got the choice now.

BBROWN1664

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Re: Home Insurance - garage contents
« Reply #12 on: 14 September 2018, 03:55:03 pm »
Several years ago, my bike insurer at the time would not recognise my garage as a garage as it has a window!!!

FFS, the window is (on the outside) about 5ft off the ground and overlooks my back garden and cannot be seen from the road. Their view was that someone could look in and see my bike then lift it out the window. Muppets

As for tools etc, I wouldn't like to guess how much mine are worth. 30+ years of accumulated stuff adds up if you need to replace it. There is no way I could give you a list though without giving myself a serious migrane.

A set of short reach and a set of long reach 1/4" AF Snap-on sockets from my apprentice days cost me over £200 then. Looking on the snap-on website just now they don't appear to have changed much in price.

As for all the other stuff, power tools alone will probably cost £1000 to replace. Luckily I don't go for expensive ones.
Another ex-Fazer rider that is a foccer again

Dudeofrude

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Re: Home Insurance - garage contents
« Reply #13 on: 14 September 2018, 03:58:37 pm »

Another thing to think about is what they supply, they very often cater to "normal people" ie people who have a pedal bike nad a mower in their garage.
my garage was broken into a few years back and tools stolen, when I rang to list what was missing they said they only dealt with halfords or Draper.
I said about my snap on stuff and they didn't deal with them...so you need money to replace not new for old, where they supply you replacements.
Also my bike is in a locked garage but when I am working on something else I wanted the flexibility to leave the bike on the drive, so when I did my go compare thing I said it was on the drive locked up...2 quid cheaper than a locked garage !! wtf ? its always in the garage but got the choice now.

I tell you what you ha e to watch out for there is that if you read your insurance small print you'll more than likely find a clause that states if your bike is with 1 mile of your home and it isn't either stored in garage (If it's insured as so) or has all the declared security on it then it won't be insured!

So for example if your out for a ride and you nip back home for a quick cuppa/toilet break etc etc and your bike is on the front instead of locked up in the garage then it wouldn't be insured against theft.
Or say like me you live within 1 mile of a shop/supermarket and often nip in on your way out to pick up a drink or something. Then your bike isn't covered there either as according to their rules is should have all the locks on it

The cheek of the scumbag bastards

VNA - BMW Wank

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Re: Home Insurance - garage contents
« Reply #14 on: 16 September 2018, 12:31:30 pm »
Quote
I tell you what you ha e to watch out for there is that if you read your insurance small print you'll more than likely find a clause that states if your bike is with 1 mile of your home and it isn't either stored in garage (If it's insured as so) or has all the declared security on it then it won't be insured!
Better to look for a policey that asks if the vechicle is garaged overnight. 

Talking of which, my insurance dropped dramatically when I moved a few streets along a few years ago.  Bike went from off street parking to locked in a garage overnight.  Massive saving.
M&S insurance will cover my garage contents, but it's almost double the other policies.  Probably need to try a proper insurance brooker.
Must get those locks fitted, then I'll feel better about accepting a totally inadequate 5k cover. 

VNA - BMW Wank

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Re: Home Insurance - garage contents
« Reply #15 on: 21 September 2018, 07:53:08 pm »
 At the end of the day I can insure my garage contents against theft but it more than doubles my premium.  So I’ve just accepted the going rate 5k cover on garage contents.  And I’m gonna get those extra bolts fitted as a priority.  The cover I’ve bought, at a very competitive price, is comprehensive in every other respect.
 
So if you want that cover try M&S Insurance.
 
Or AG Gallagher can tailor many polices to include whatever cover you need.  (I think it’s https://www.ajg.com/ if I’ve got that wrong, esure and other companies will refer you).
 
« Last Edit: 21 September 2018, 07:53:48 pm by VNA »