The first accidents of the gardening season are not always caused by a lack of skill, but often by overconfidence and tools that have seen better days.

Seesam’s Home Insurance Product Manager Dagmar Gilden says that the arrival of warmer weather brings with it an increase in the number of gardening injuries. “The numbers start going up as soon as the days get a bit sunnier, then peak in summer,” she explained. “Spring has sprung early this year, so people are already dusting off their tools and ladders, and that means the first reports of accidents are reaching us.”

Gilden says a lack of experience is not the problem here: often it is experienced gardeners who have mishaps, as they are convinced they know what they are doing and, more importantly, that they have the right tools for it. As such, they set to work without inspecting them. “They don’t take into account that an old ladder might have become a bit rickety during its winter hibernation, or that their gardening tools need to be checked before they’re used,” she noted. “All it takes is one wrong move or a moment of distraction for someone to end up needing weeks of bed rest to recover from an injury.”

Seesam’s statistics show that on average, a single accident leaves its victim signed off work for a couple of months and that, without additional indemnity for pain and suffering, the average daily allowance benefit is up to 1500 euros. However, the highest rates in this regard in 2024 were as much as 2500 euros. Payouts for 11 permanent disability claims were also made during the year, totalling 59,000 euros. “The size of the benefits depends largely on the insurance amounts a person chooses, and although on the whole the payouts seem decent, they tend to reflect the fact that people have opted for lesser benefits,” Gilden added.

When ladders and branches leave people in hospital

Ladders are the main cause of the accidents that befall gardeners. Losing your balance and falling off while trimming branches or adjusting a greenhouse will almost always mean at least a couple of weeks of treatment. “The most common minor injuries we see – if you can call them minor! – are thumb, rib and wrist fractures,” said Gilden. “In more serious cases, falls from a ladder can lead to concussion, trauma to the skull or spinal injuries. Accidents like these frequently leave people unable to work for up to three months, which means a significant loss of income.” The largest compensation payouts for falls from ladders during the 2024 gardening season amounted to almost 1800 euros per case.

Gardening tools, saws and axes, whose use often results in cutting injuries, are the second most common cause of accidents affecting gardeners. Last year, an unfortunate sawing incident left one policyholder with a permanent disability for which they were awarded compensation of nearly 5000 euros.

The third most frequent accidents involve people slipping on wet grass and uneven surfaces.

However, Seesam’s statistics show that the highest number of accident insurance payouts are due to injuries incurred when pruning trees. “A sudden movement when sawing through a tree branch led to one of our clients tearing the tendon in their bicep, while another was struck in the eye by a branch, resulting in an abrasion,” Gilden explained. “Another person fell out of a tree while cutting branches, leaving them with an upper-arm fracture and other minor injuries. And then there was the particularly unlucky green thumb whose efforts to spruce up the trees in their garden resulted in a fractured tibia and complications from the fall that left them with a permanent disability. They were awarded 10,000 euros in compensation for their disability as well as indemnity for pain and suffering.”

So what can you do to make gardening a safe and enjoyable experience?

• Make sure you check your ladder at the start of the season, replacing any rungs (or buying a new ladder) if needed.
• Use safety equipment: don gloves and protective eyewear.
• Be sure to keep your tools in good condition, and check them before you start using them again.
• Be careful when pruning branches, adopting the correct position when using tools.
• Proper slip-resistant footwear (i.e. not flip-flops) will help prevent accidents.