Not only do security measures provide peace of mind, they also can provide good discounts on your home insurance policy. In this blog we will look at which measures to consider installing in your home.
Home Insurance Discounts for Security Measures
Secure access points
Make sure each access point such as windows and doors, have a secure lock with a key. To get the best discount the front door should have a metal sheet through the middle and latches at each corner of the door that lock in once the key is turned.
Metal bars or “rejas” on windows are advisable if you live in a detached home. If you prefer to have an undeterred view, security shutters are an excellent alternative.
If you live in a ground floor apartment it is advisable to have metal bars or shutters, as there is a much higher risk of break in than if you are above the ground floor.
There is good discount for having the above measures in place. Security locks on windows may be a requirement if the contents value is over a certain amount.
Have an Alarm installed connected to a security center
An alarm which is connected to a security center is always a better option than an alarm that simply notifies you of a break in. The reason why is because the security center can send an urgent visit to the property from either their staff or the police.
Your activity and times you are at home and how long you are away is usually known by the intruders. Having an alarm installed means that the time you personally are away from home becomes less of a factor. Also if you are on holiday having a connected alarm will be a great deterrent.
Time is a key factor when a break in occurs, as the burglars usually know the time frames until they are interrupted. Contracting a reputable alarm company will let the burglars know they have to keep to the time frame. If you go with a lesser alarm company, the burglars will be more lax and the more time they are in the property the more items that will be stolen. However, there is no larger discount if you contract one alarm company or another.
The overall discount by having an alarm installed varies with each insurer. Some companies have a requirement to have an alarm installed for relatively low values of contents. Other companies have high limits of contents until an alarm is required. Your broker will be able to provide a quote from the most suitable insurer.
Rentals with high value contents
You may rent your property and have a high overall value of contents but are not worried about a robbery as there are no valuable items likely to be stolen. In this instance we would recommend an insurer that does not require an alarm since tenants usually are not very good at putting the alarm on when they leave the property.
Occupancy of the property
On the home policy you will have to state how many consecutive days you will be away from the property during the year. There are good discounts available if you have someone check on your property once a month.
Where the price of the policy will increase significantly is if you personally are away from the property for over 6 months. Some insurers put a smaller surcharge in these cases so it will be advisable to always compare each quote.
Two top tips
- A top tip if you are away from your home for a long period is always to turn off the water at the mains. This will avoid a leak while you are away, and coming back to major damage.
- Another tip not related to gaining a discount is being careful on Mondays! You would think robberies happen most on the weekend, but according to a study done by AXA, Monday is the day of the week in which more robberies occur.
Having a top quality safe installed
This will only be a requirement and give a good discount on the policy if you have items of jewellery or watches of high value that need to be kept in a safe.
An extra measure will be having a vibration alert if the safe is moved from its position, where the signal of the movement is sent to the security company.
Security measures that do not give a discounts but should be considered
Unfortunately, not all security installations will give a discount. This does not mean that you should not install them.
The below are measure you should consider as deterrents:
- Video surveillance systems is a top recommendation, as although you will not save anything on your policy, it will allow the security company to instantly assess the risk and send the relevant staff quicker. If you do not have video installed they usually call you first to see if the alarm was a mistake, which loses precious time.
- Fire Alarms: Installing smoke and fire alarms help lower the risk of fire damage to your home.
- Outdoor Lighting: Installing outdoor lighting, such as motion-sensor lights, can help deter burglars.
- Security Gates or Fences: Installing security gates or fences around the property will make it more secure.