workshop insurance

[john bennett 1Participant @johnbennett1]

[john bennett 1Participant @johnbennett1]

Ive just been looking into workshop iinsurance and im a little bothered by a few of the conditions,they advise a five lever lock on the door,now i suspect that like me most of you have sheds as a workshop,i cant fit a five lever lock,but it has a padlock and the hasps are bolted through the frame and door with headless bolts,do you know if this is acceptable?i have writtn to walker midgeley with this problem but have not heard back yet.

[Harry WilkesParticipant @harrywilkes58467]

Hi John

I'm with Walker Midgeley and my shed is locked along the same lines as yours, I also did a similar thing with the hinges so they were happy to insure me so give them a ring and I'm sure they will sort you out. Let us know how you get on.

H

[HowiParticipant @howi]

I very much doubt it John, the stipulation for five lever lock will be mentioned in the insurance policy wording, so could not easily be amended without some form of codecil. As for basic shed security, what about the door hinges?

A hasp and staple can be easily levered off, as can the hinges.

Sheds in general are not very strongly constructed anyway, it would not be difficult for a theif to break in no matter what security you have. Security lights, loud alarms etc will only help if YOU are around to see/hear them, everyone else will just ignore them.

Sorry to be so negative, but poor shed security is a fact of life, you really need to think like a their – how would you break in? Try thinking outside the box, a crowbar and or a  portable electric saw can defeat most things.

In reality you are fighting a loosing battle, anything that is valuable that can not be bolted down should be out of site or in the main house. 

Don't advertise what you have, you never know who might be listening.

[Les Jones 1Participant @lesjones1]

Hi John,
I have fitted a 5 lever mortice lock to a garden shed.I screwed a piece of plywood with a thickness a little greater than the thickness of the lock to the inside of the door with a cutout to take the lock. Another piece of ply about 8 – 10 mm thick is then screwed over the first piece of ply. For added security you could also pass small coach bolts through the door and both pieces of ply with the nuts on the inside. I also have a micro switch in the door frame that is operated by the lock. this is connected to an LED on the alarm panel so I can see that the door is locked from inside the house.

Les.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Might be worth looking at other Insurers

NFU Mutual is excellent.

[no connection, except as a satisfied customer]

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 25/01/2015 09:49:32

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

I can second NFU. It was the obvious choice for my farm stuff and they seem quite flexible about adding things like me rc helis and hobby stuff.

Practical reality with barns and shed.. or even with my previous business – is that unsophisticated smash and grabs are almost indefensible. Why bother with the 'subtlties' of a stihl saw when you can just ram through the fence and wall…

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

There have been a few threads on here about shed security if you look with helpful advice.

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

I informed my Home insurance co. on change of use of garage & have put a 5 lever mortise lock on the door,+ large door hinges + jamb bolts, plus extra bolts on the up & over door + alarm system which seem to satisfy them. what you've got to bear in mind also is that if your garage doesn't have an access door from in the house some Ins.co's will class the garage as an 'outbuilding' & limit the amount they will insure so your stuff will not be covered under the normal 'Home & contents policy' check with Ins.Co when renewal time comes up. I will be this year.

George.

[Bob Brown 1Participant @bobbrown1]

I did like this recommendation

"Sheds need to be properly anchored to the ground so they can’t simply be lifted away by thieves."

Bob

[Author]

Posts