Golfers have been warned to check their insurance policies cover the cost of their clubs if they’re stolen from their cars.
With a new full set of clubs costing an average of £1,200, they’ve become a tempting target for thieves looking to pinch valuable items from inside vehicles.
But new research has revealed that golf enthusiasts could be left severely out of pocket if they do fall victim to car crime, as most insurance policies barely cover the cost of one club, let alone a whole set.
‘FORE’-warning: Golf enthusiasts are being told to check their motor insurance policies provide adequate cover for the cost of replacing their clubs if stolen from the boot of their car
The nation’s top insurers define clubs as ‘personal possessions’ in their policies and typically only cover them to a value of between £100 to £500.
The lower end of that potential payout is the equivalent of replacing a single top of the range driver.
Heycar conducted a market review and found that a fully comp policy from RIAS pays out the least for such thefts at just £100,
Admiral comes in at £150, while Direct Line is the most generous of the major insurance providers, with some policies providing £500 of fully comp personal possession cover.
To better safeguard clubs, insurers recommend they are added to ‘personal belongings’ cover under a home insurance policy.
Admiral, for example, says ‘golf clubs can be covered away from home on Admiral Home Insurance contents policies (subject to terms and conditions). This would cover up to £1,000 if they were stolen or damaged while in the car.’
AXA offers cover of up to £1,500 for possessions covered by a standard home policy that are stolen or damaged from a vehicle.
| Insurer | Average level of personal possession cover (on a fully comp policy) | Are golf clubs included? | Conditions of golf club cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| RIAS | £100 per person (up to a maximum of £400) | Yes | Must be kept out of sight in the boot |
| Ageas Car | £300 | Yes | Must be kept out of sight in the boot |
| NFU Mutual | £250 | Yes | Must be kept out of sight in the boot |
| Admiral | £150 (gold and platinum policies increases to £300) | Yes | Must be kept out of sight in the boot |
| More Than | £250 | Yes | Personal possessions must be out of sight or locked in the boot. |
| AXA | £300-400 | Yes | Items must not be visible |
| Direct Line | £250 or £500 (depending on policy) | Yes | Must be kept out of sight in the boot |
| Source: heycar | |||
Dan Powell, Senior Editor at heycar, says: ‘Golf has never been more popular than it is now.
‘Since the first lockdown, an extra 15 million rounds have been played with 2.3 million new players taking it up.
‘Yet, many motorists are likely to be shocked to discover that they may not have the right level of insurance cover in place to replace their equipment in the event of a theft.
‘As with most things in life, it pays to be honest and ask some key questions when you are getting insurance. What does the policy cover and would it be better to make sure that golf clubs are covered under a home policy instead?’
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