Home Insurance · UK Research · 2026

Does home insurance cover sheds and outbuildings?

Usually yes — the structures under the buildings section, the stuff inside under contents, each with its own limit. A standard UK policy generally protects a shed, garage or greenhouse against fire, storm, flood and theft, and covers what you keep in them up to a lower “contents in outbuildings” figure. The gaps people miss are the ones that catch claims out: storm-damaged fences and gates, an unlocked shed, and a lawnmower or e-bike worth more than the single-item limit.

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Quick answer

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Sheds, garages and greenhouses are normally covered as outbuildings under the buildings section, against fire, storm, flood, escape of water and vandalism — subject to a combined outbuildings limit, indicatively up to around £30,000 across mainstream 2026 policies.
What you store in them is covered under contents, but under a much lower inner limit. Most policies cover contents in outbuildings for around £1,750 or more — well below the limit that applies inside the house.
Storm damage to fences and gates is almost always excluded. Very few UK policies pay for it; vehicle impact, fire and vandalism to them usually are covered.
Theft usually needs the outbuilding to be locked. Items taken from an unlocked shed, or with no sign of forced entry, are commonly not paid.

General guidance drawn from ABI material, Defaqto policy analysis and mainstream UK insurer wordings. Information only — not a quote and not advice.

Cover at a glance

What a standard policy does and doesn’t reach

A home policy treats the garden in two halves. Permanent structures — the shed, detached garage, greenhouse, summerhouse and boundary walls — sit under the buildings section, insured against the same perils as the house but capped by an outbuildings sub-limit. Everything portable kept inside, from tools to bikes, is contents, and contents kept outside the main home carry their own reduced limit. Fences, gates and hedges are where cover is thinnest: insurers treat them as inherently exposed, so storm and wind damage to them is excluded on almost every policy.

Item or event	Typically covered by a standard policy?
Shed, detached garage or greenhouse damaged by fire, storm or flood	Yes — as an outbuilding under the buildings section, up to the outbuildings limit
Tools, furniture and equipment stored in a shed or garage	Usually — as contents, but under a lower “contents in outbuildings” limit
Storm or wind damage to a fence or gate	Almost never — a near-universal exclusion on UK buildings policies
Fence or gate hit by a vehicle, or damaged by fire or vandalism	Usually yes — the storm exclusion is specific to wind and weather
Brick or stone boundary wall damaged in a storm	Sometimes — some insurers treat a solid wall as permanent structure and cover it
Theft from a locked, secure outbuilding with signs of forced entry	Usually yes — within the outbuildings contents limit and any security conditions
Theft from an unlocked shed, or with no sign of forced entry	Commonly no — most policies require the building to be locked and secure
A high-value item — e-bike, ride-on mower — above the single-item limit	Only if specified — name high-value items or they are capped

Indicative of mainstream UK policy wordings in 2026 — individual policies differ. Check your own schedule and wording.

Limits that matter

Two separate limits — and why the small one bites

The headline outbuildings figure sounds generous, and for the structures it usually is: a shed or garage rarely costs anywhere near the combined limit to rebuild. Where claims fall short is the contents side. The limit for possessions kept outside the main home is a fraction of the sum insured indoors, and a shed quietly full of power tools, a lawnmower, garden furniture and a couple of bikes can exceed it without anyone noticing. It is the figure to total your kit against, not the overall contents sum.

What to check on your policy	Typical position in 2026
Combined outbuildings limit (structures)	Commonly up to around £30,000 across all outbuildings — a ballpark, not a rule
Contents in outbuildings limit	Around £1,750 or more on most policies; some higher, some notably lower
Fences, gates and hedges — storm	Excluded on almost every policy; only a tiny minority pay for wind damage
Security condition for theft cover	Outbuilding must usually be locked; quality locks and forced entry often required
Single-item limit	Applies to bikes, mowers and machinery — specify anything above it

Indicative figures for orientation only — not a quote. Limits vary by insurer and tier and are set out on your policy schedule.

Because the shed sits under buildings while its contents sit under contents, holding the two separately changes how a claim is split — our guide to buildings and contents insurance explains the divide, and the average home insurance cost in the UK shows where these policies sit on price. A larger garden structure used as living space is a different case again — see granny annexe home insurance.

Keeping cover valid

Five things worth doing before you need to claim

Total what’s in the shed honestly. Add up the replacement cost of everything stored outside the house and compare it against the contents-in-outbuildings limit, not the overall contents figure.
Lock it, and lock it properly. Most policies only pay for theft from an outbuilding that was secured, often with a quality lock and evidence of forced entry. An unlocked shed is a common reason a claim is declined.
Specify the expensive kit. E-bikes, ride-on mowers and power-tool collections can sit above the single-item limit. Name them so they are covered for their full value rather than capped.
Read the fence and gate wording. Storm damage to fences and gates is excluded almost everywhere, so budget to repair those yourself and don’t assume the policy will step in after a windy night.
Tell the insurer about large or unusual structures. A big workshop, a home gym or a garden office can change how — or whether — the outbuildings section applies, so disclose it rather than assume it is bundled in.

Common questions

Sheds and outbuildings insurance FAQs

Is my garden shed covered by home insurance?

Usually yes. Most UK buildings policies treat a shed as an outbuilding and cover it against fire, storm, flood, escape of water and vandalism, up to a combined outbuildings limit that often runs to around £30,000 across all such structures. What you keep inside it is covered separately under the contents section, subject to a lower contents-in-outbuildings limit. Both are worth checking on your schedule, because the structure and its contents are insured under different figures.

How much cover do I get for contents kept in a shed or garage?

Less than for the same items indoors. Policies apply a separate, lower limit to contents kept in outbuildings — commonly around £1,750 or more, though some are higher and some notably lower. It is easy to exceed without realising: tools, a mower, garden furniture and a bike or two add up quickly. Total the replacement cost of everything in the shed and compare it against that specific limit rather than your overall contents sum insured.

Does home insurance cover storm damage to fences and gates?

Almost never. Storm and wind damage to fences, gates and hedges is one of the most common exclusions in UK home insurance — analysis by Defaqto has found only a tiny fraction of policies cover it. Insurers regard these as inherently exposed and quick to fail in high winds. Damage from other causes, such as a vehicle hitting a gate or a fire, is usually covered, so it is specifically wind and weather that sits outside the policy.

Are greenhouses and summerhouses covered too?

Generally yes, as outbuildings, provided they are permanent structures fixed to the ground. Greenhouses, summerhouses, detached garages and workshops usually fall within the same outbuildings section and limit as a shed. Very large or high-value structures, or ones used as living or working space, can be treated differently, so it is worth telling your insurer what you have rather than assuming every garden building is automatically included at full value.

Will theft from my shed be covered?

Only if it was secure. Most policies pay for theft from an outbuilding on condition that it was locked, often with a quality lock, and that there are signs of forced entry. Items taken from an unlocked shed, or where a thief simply walked in, are commonly excluded. Any payout is also limited by the contents-in-outbuildings figure and by single-item limits, so expensive equipment may need to be specified to be covered for its full value.

Is my bike or lawnmower covered if it’s kept in the garage?

It can be, but watch two limits. The item counts as contents in an outbuilding, so it sits under that reduced limit, and if it is worth more than the policy’s single-item limit it may only be covered in full once specified by name. Higher-value e-bikes and ride-on mowers frequently exceed the standard cap. Listing them, and keeping the garage locked and secure, is what keeps them properly protected.

Do I need separate shed or outbuilding insurance?

Usually not for an ordinary shed, which most standard home policies already include. A separate arrangement is more likely to matter where a structure is unusually valuable, used commercially, holds business stock or equipment, or sits beyond the standard outbuildings limit. The practical test is whether your existing policy’s limits and conditions actually match what the building is worth and how it is used — if they fall short, that is when specialist cover is worth exploring.

Does home insurance cover a boundary wall?

Sometimes, and more readily than a fence. Some insurers treat a solid brick or stone boundary wall as part of the property’s permanent structure and cover it for storm damage, while excluding fences, gates and hedges on the same policy. Others exclude all boundary features from weather damage. It comes down to the specific wording, so if walls matter to you it is worth checking exactly how yours are described before relying on the cover.

Information only — not financial advice. Figures are indicative and for orientation, not quotes; policy terms, limits and exclusions vary by insurer and are set out in each policy’s own wording and schedule. My Insurance Expert is not an FCA-authorised intermediary and does not arrange or sell policies. Last updated: 2026-08-10

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