An industry figure is urging those planning on going on holiday to check how far their home insurance covers them in terms of their gardens and their contents.

Peter Gerrard, head of insurance at moneysupermarket.com, believes that the contents of people's gardens could prove an attractive proposition for thieves and has urged consumers to scrutinise what their policies cover.

He advised homeowners to make sure that their security measures are adequate and not to leave expensive possessions in their gardens.

"A lawnmower or other expensive items such as a barbecue or heater in your garden can be easy targets for thieves. If you have a landscape garden…you would be well advised to check the amount of garden cover you have," Mr Gerrard said.

His comments echo an earlier warning from Simon Lamble, product developer for Confused.com, who recently advised homeowners to ensure adequate security and to make sure they have the right level of cover.

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