Cover pot plants! ING claims they’re one of Australia’s greatest treasures

By Polly Fleeting · · 2 min read
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Almost every Aussie has one or more prized possessions that they stash at home, but would you ever consider that your household pot plants could be one of your most valuable collections?

Home insurance provider ING found that in homes where pot plants are considered cherished items they have an average household value of $13,189! Only one group beat our pot plant lovers – art appreciators valued their artworks to be worth an average total of $13,787.

Surprising right? Well, not only did pot plants come just after art, but other items like watches and jewellery, designer clothes, and collectables and antiques were each valued at almost half to that of pot plants.

ING took out one of  Mozo’s 2018 Experts Choice Awards last year, for their current Home and Contents Insurance offering.  

“When you’re trying to estimate the value of your home and contents most of us probably think about the cost of rebuilding the value of our big ticket items like furniture, electronics and jewellery,” ING's Head of Insurance, Cathy Duncan said.

“What this research tells us is that it’s actually just as important to remember to consider the collective value of smaller items too. For example, the accumulative costs of all the pot plants in and around your house and your entire DVD collection. These things can really add up!”

RELATED: Mozo Home and Contents Insurance Guide

With over a quarter of Australians having their homes broken into at least once, it may be worth checking that your household pot plants are covered under your current policy.

Similarly, if you consider yourself a bit of a movie buff, it could be a smart option to take out insurance that covers VHS or DVD collections as INGs research found that they are the most sought out collectable items for house thieves. 

A few tips when taking out Home & Contents Insurance

  • Make sure you know which of your valuables are covered and what’s an optional extra
  • Don’t automatically renew your policy, compare your current policy with others around - you may find there are better options out there!
  • Check out the valuables you have in the backyard, with some insurers items outside of the house aren’t covered
  • Maintain your home to make sure it adheres to your insurers conditions, like having locks on doors etc
  • Ensure your policy covers general things like
    • Accidental damage
    • Smoke damage
    • Renovation
    • Replacement locks if you lose your keys
    • Earthquake or flood damage

So, if you have collectable items at home and you need cover, check out our comparison table for different policies, or for more info and tips read our helpful Home Insurance guides.