Lawn Mower Insurance

Lawn Mower Insurance

With some high-end roller lawn mowers priced at £1,000 or £2,000, and the best ride-on mowers sometimes costing as much as £5,000 or £6,000, the cost of replacing your lawn mower could be a painful pill to swallow if it ever breaks down – unless you have suitable lawn mower insurance in place at the time it kicks the bucket, of course. 

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Is lawn mower insurance worth the money? 

As with so many things in life, the honest answer is “it depends”. 

If you bought a budget lawn mower from Homebase or B&Q for fifty or sixty quid then in all fairness it’s probably not worth insuring that machine. If and when it breaks, it will only cost you another £50 or £60 to replace that mower with an equivalent model, which shouldn’t leave too much of a dent in your wallet. 

But if you own a high-end lawn mower that you paid thousands for, then the mathematics will be a little different. In that case, it might be worth investing in a good lawn mower insurance policy, because it means a relatively small outlay upfront could protect you from quite a big expense later if the lawn mower needs to be repaired or replaced. 

Is it true that ride–on mowers legally have to be insured because they’re classed as ‘vehicles’? 

No, that’s not true. 

Some people are urging the government to pass legislation that would make insurance mandatory for ride-on mowers after calls for similar legislation were in other parts of Europe, but the British government currently has no plans to implement this type of legislative change. 

So at present, ride-on mowers don’t have to be insured in the UK, provided they are only ridden on private land. If you were to ride your mower onto a public road then it would be classed as a vehicle and would require insurance under UK law, so it’s vital that you don’t ride it on the road. 

How much does lawn mower insurance cost? 

The answer to that question will depend on a wide range of different factors, including the make and model of the mower you’re insuring, its estimated value, its age, your claims history and your no-claims bonus. 

The best plan is to compare policies that take your real risk factors into account, and then go with the one that offers the best coverage at the cheapest price.  

Does a ride-on mower cost more to insure? 

Yes, ride-on mowers often cost a bit more to insure, both because they tend to be slightly more complex than roller mowers, and because they’re usually worth more as well. 

What types of issues are typically covered by lawn mower insurance? 

Your lawn mower insurance will usually cover you for the cost of repairs to the mower, including call-out fees, parts and labour. 

If the lawn mower engineer is unable to repair the mower then you’ll usually be able to claim for the cost of a replacement instead. 

Does lawn mower insurance cover damage to the cutting blades? 

Probably not. 

It’s normal for lawn mower blades to need replacing eventually, so there’s a good chance your lawn mower insurance provider will class damage to the blades as normal wear and tear, which wouldn’t be covered. 

Does lawn mower insurance cover damage caused by stones that have been kicked up by the mower? 

No, lawn mower insurance is only intended to cover the lawn mower itself and is designed to help with the cost of repairing or replacing that specific appliance if it breaks.  

As such, if the lawn mower causes damage to a person’s property or belongings that damage won’t be covered by this type of insurance policy. 

What happens if someone is injured by the lawn mower, will that be covered? 

No, as with damage to property or belongings, your lawn mower insurance policy won’t cover any personal injury claims if someone gets injured by the lawn mower and holds you responsible. Only issues with the machine itself will be covered by this policy. 

I’m thinking of starting a grass-cutting business, will that affect my lawn mower insurance? 

Yes, there’s a good chance it will invalidate your lawn mower insurance policy if you start up a gardening service after taking this policy out. 

A lawn mower that is used for business purposes will obviously be used much more frequently than one that you only use on your own lawn, which means the risk of your lawn mower needing repairs, replacement parts or a full replacement mower will increase too. You should consider tradesman insurance if you wish to start a lawn mowing business.

Can I insure an older lawn mower? 

Yes, although how old the mower can be will depend on the insurance provider you take the policy out with. 

Some home appliance insurance specialists will insure a lawn mower up to the age of five, while others may allow you to continue insuring your lawn mower with them until it is ten years old or even older. 

Does lawn mower insurance cover servicing? 

No, it’s unlikely the cost of servicing will be covered by your lawn mower insurance. 

This type of insurance policy is designed to help with the financial burden if your lawn mower requires repairs or replacement due to an unforeseen and unexpected issue. By contrast, servicing is predictable and recurring, which means it wouldn’t fall under this policy. 

But is it true my lawn mower insurance will be invalid if I DON’T get my lawn mower serviced? 

Yes, it is possible that that might invalidate your insurance policy. 

When you insure a lawn mower you agree that you will take ‘due care and attention’ towards reducing the risk of the lawn mower breaking, and servicing the mower is one way of reducing that risk. As such, if you never have your lawn mower serviced it’s possible the insurance provider might argue that you didn’t take proper care of the machine, in which case your insurance claim might be rejected.