Did you know having a burglar alarm can reduce the costs on your home insurance?
There are many benefits to having an intruder alarm – extra protection and security, peace of mind, a deterrent to “would-be” burglars – but did you think saving money would be one of those benefits?
When getting an alarm installed it is a good idea to notify the local authorities with details and key-holders to help speed up their investigation if there is an activation at your home, but it is also a good idea to inform your insurance provider. Some customers have seen a reduction in insurance premiums of between 2% and 15%!
As we spoke about in previous blogs, the level of security your alarm provides depends on the needs of your premises and are split into 4 grades. The higher the grade of security you have, the more benefit it will have over your insurance. For example, an alarm with a police response is deemed highly reliable and will show a very high level of security at your home or business, therefore proving to an insurance company that they are dealing with a high quality alarm. Police response is only guaranteed with alarms installed by police compliant, accredited companies, for example NSI or NACOSS.
Insurance companies also hold these requirements, with most insisting on an NSI or NACOSS approved alarm installation that is regularly serviced and maintained. An annual service from an engineer not only keeps you within your insurer’s requirements, but also gives you the knowledge that your alarm is in working order. Your own personal checks every few months should also be carried out to ensure the battery is working and there are no faults with the system.
Keybury are NSI Gold and NACOSS Gold accredited, and contract customers also receive an annual service. By having one of our alarms you are the owner of a high quality security system, meeting insurance regulations which could help you save money.
Getting into the habit of setting your alarm when you go out is also a Top Tip on a number of insurance websites. Having a compliant alarm will do you no good in an insurance claim if it was not set when the burglary happened. Another of our previous blogs revealed that up to a third of homes with alarms do not use them!
Insurance requirements vary, with different companies listing their own terms, so it is worth having a look into what your provider looks for in an alarm and if it will save you money.
Aviva have a wide range of information on their website regarding burglar alarms and contents insurance. They stress that having a decoy bell box alone will not reduce your contents insurance and it is of utmost importance that your alarm is in working order as an alarm prone to faults is not fit for purpose. They also state that, “Whilst by law anyone is entitled to install, monitor and respond to an alarm system, such systems are now relatively complex and expensive, and as such it is recommended that only the services of reputable and demonstrably competent providers are sought. Aviva Risk Management Solutions suggests that the best indicator of competence across all areas is companies having NSI or SSAIB approval.” http://www.aviva.co.uk/risksolutions/help/faq/answer/1733/
Information from other insurance sites has been gathered together on this security and CCTV blog which might be of interest for further reading.