Will New York Homeowners Insurance Cover Your Garage or Shed?
You may have purchased New York homeowners insurance as financial protection for the loss of the possessions inside your home, and fitted strong locks on windows and doors to keep out burglars, but how safe are the possessions you store in your garage or shed?
Burglars are attracted to valuable portable items that can be sold quickly. Of course jewelry, laptop computers and smart phones that are stored in your home fall into that category – but so do the power tools, sporting equipment and bicycles that you store in outbuildings.
Your garage or shed may be less secure from burglars than your residence. Make sure that doors and door frames are strong enough to withstand attack by a burglar, and are secured by strong locks or padlocks. Pay attention to window security, too: consider replacing glass panels with shatterproof material, fitting strong window locks and window grills. As secondary security within outbuildings, make sure that ladders and bicycles are padlocked.
Items stored in your shed or garage are likely to be expensive to replace if they are stolen. Read the terms of your New York home owners insurance policy if you are not sure whether items stored in outbuildings are covered by insurance, and talk to your agent or insurer if you need to increase coverage or take out separate insurance for property that is stored outside your home.
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