The summer of sport may have been a washout, but thieves may still net themselves a sporting windfall thanks to trusting homeowners, according to new research from specialist home insurer Hiscox.
The research reveals that a mountain of expensive sporting equipment with an average value to homeowners of £770 - including golf clubs and watersports gear - is potentially being left unsecured - and uninsured - in garages and gardens.
The poll of AB1 professionals found over half (53 per cent) admitting that, because they are using some of their kit more frequently during the warmer months, they are storing it in their gardens and car boots.
At the same time, over a quarter (26 per cent) admit they don't always secure their garages and outbuildings effectively.
One in five haven't given their equipment a dust-off in over a year (19 per cent) or use it only on a seasonal basis (21 per cent).
So for many it's out of sight out of mind with over a third (37 per cent) having no idea whether their expensive kit is insured and 15 per cent openly stating their equipment is not covered.
Mountain and off-road bikes (47 per cent) are the most popular items in our sports ‘cupboards', followed by tennis racquets (46 per cent), golf clubs (32 per cent), hiking equipment (32 per cent), weights (31 per cent) and fishing rods (21 per cent).
Almost a third (30 per cent) of households have a pricey range of watersports kit, including wetsuits, surfboards, water-skis and scuba diving equipment. One fifth (20 per cent) of homeowners own more than £1,000 worth of sporting goods with 6 per cent owning over £2,000 worth of kit.
"As people pursue outdoor activities and invest in sophisticated and expensive kit, the value of sports equipment can really add up,” said Austyn Tusler, home insurance expert at Hiscox.
“It's easy for homeowners to focus on new equipment and items they use more regularly, overlooking what might be stored at the back of the shed and seasonal items, such as fishing rods, skis and watersports equipment.
"Furthermore, the research highlights that opportunistic thieves could find they have more than a sporting chance to make off with a treasure trove of expensive sports kit left unsecured.
“It's important that homeowners work out how much it might cost to replace their kit to make sure they are fully covered under their contents policy - both inside and outside the home."
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