A survey by MoneySupermarket.com found the average British garden contains £1,457 worth of valuable items, but two thirds (59%) of those polled admitted their outdoor belongings were not listed on their home insurance policies.

MoneySupermarket calculated that this could potentially leave £32.9bn worth of goods at risk of theft.

Although standard buildings and contents insurance policies usually include a certain amount of cover for garden items, people could be leaving themselves exposed.

The most common items Brits keep in their gardens include furniture (57%), DIY tools (48%), bikes (36%), and BBQs (38%).

Of the 29% of survey respondents that had been victims of garden theft, the most commonly stolen items were bikes (32%), and lawn mowers and gardening tools (19%).

More than a fifth (29%) of those who have had items stolen from outside didn’t have those items insured, leaving them at a loss.

Perhaps surprisingly only 20% of Brits have ever insured their bike under their home insurance policy.

MoneySupermarket’s data also highlighted the regional differences between the value of items stored outside. It found that those living in London have the highest value items (a total of £1,792), overtaking the West Midlands who had the highest regional average in 2019 (£1,525).

Gardens in Wales contain the lowest value items (£1,222), a £169 decrease on the region’s average in 2019.

Those living in the London not only have items that total the highest amount stored in their garden, but they’re also the most likely to have had items stolen previously at 38%, compared to the national average of 29%.

Kate Devine, head of home insurance at MoneySupermarket, says: “As we look ahead to the potential lift of lockdown in the summer months, we can expect to see Brits heading out of the house to enjoy outdoor activities. Particularly in these months, there’s the temptation to leave items of value outside overnight or keep your shed unlocked.

“This can, however, leave you open to a risk of burglary and in turn, possibly void your home insurance cover if you need to make a claim. Most standard contents insurance policies include a small amount of cover for garden items, but specifics can vary – so it’s always worth checking to ensure that your valuable outdoor items are fully covered.”