Insurance-approved safes – Why, benefits, what’s the difference?

You might be in the market for a secure safe and think that it is a straightforward purchase decision. However, if you want the most out of the safe, you will have to take a few key points into consideration.

The most important being the build quality of the safe. Safes are built to resist all kinds of breach attempts, but what you might not know is that not all safes are built the same.

They may look strong and secure, but if you get into the nitty-gritty of it, you will find that there is a large discrepancy between good and average safes.

Good quality safes, that are made using strict standards, are almost always insurance approved, while your average run-of-the-mill safe will only provide the optics of safety.

Insurance-approved safes are designed to protect you in more than one way: they keep your personal belongings secure against several scenarios and maintain insurance requirements that can help you make claims.

Here is a comprehensive guide to help you make the right decision for investing in an insurance-approved safe:

WHY GO FOR INSURANCE-APPROVED SAFES?

Insurance-approved safes are a smart decision for three key reasons:

1. They protect your assets.
2. They are built using precision specifications and high standards
3. They enable you to make valid claims and successfully receive insurance benefits

Any type of safe is great for protecting low-value assets, but when it comes to high-value assets, you will need to invest in a safe that gives you comprehensive coverage.

There are different types of safes. For example, office safes are security safes made specifically for securing high-value assets such as money, paperwork, and precious items. They can also be found in retail stores, and they come in many shapes and sizes with different features and security levels.

Commercial spaces frequently invest in insurance-approved safes because they provide better peace of mind and are indispensable in the rare event of a burglary.

Here is why you should consider going for an insurance-approved safe instead of a regular safe:

Protection of Valuables

Insurance-approved safes protect you from potential theft and damage. These safes also come with secure locks and anti-tampering features to make unauthorised access even more difficult.

Thanks to security standardisations and the British Standards, you can expect every insurance-approved safe to provide a high level of security. These safes are built using industry-standard materials, best practices, and tests, which give them an automatic and even guaranteed safety rating.

Protection of Data

Data and information theft are on the rise, and this type of protection is even more important in a commercial setting. Insurance-approved safes are excellent for securing all the business’s confidential information in a secure manner.

All documents and digital devices carrying important information must be locked in an office safe so that they are kept away from thieves and hackers.

Protection From Fire

Threats can come in different forms. Apart from burglary attempts, there is always the threat of fire. If your safe isn’t rated for fire damage, then you might not get your money’s worth and even end up losing your valuables.

Insurance-approved safes carry a fire rating, which means that they are resistant to fire to some extent and can keep your valuables safe if a fire breaks out.

Protection From Natural Disasters

Insurance-approved safes are a great tool for keeping your valuables safe from damage due to natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and tornadoes.

These disasters have the potential to indirectly cause harm to your belongings. By using approved safes, you can ensure that your belongings will be safe from all natural and manmade disasters.

Standardised safes are waterproof and are built using strong materials that can withstand pressure, water, and even fire, providing a comprehensive level of security.

Insurance Requirements

Insurance companies need a guarantee that you are taking all the precautions to prevent theft in the first place.

The insurance system relies on a proactive approach to minimise losses so that only legitimate claims can be made by customers. This is why you will find a wide variety of insurance policies with varying degrees of premiums.

Less secure properties will have a higher premium, while properties with a solid baseline of protection will get lower premiums and all the benefits of going with a good insurance provider.

With an insurance-approved safe, you will likely experience a very smooth claim process where your insurance claim will be quickly and easily validated.

This way, if your safe is stolen, forced open, or damaged, having the correct certified model will help demonstrate that security requirements were followed, making the claim process easier.

INSURANCE APPROVED SAFES – GRADING

Insurance-approved safes don’t need to be set up in any way or form; you do not have to assemble any part or go through a manual. They are built to industry-standard specifications and are ready to go as soon as you purchase one.

They are tested against attacks involving tools and forced entry methods rather than simply being tested for “strength”.

These safes are built according to a grading system:

For your specific use, you may refer to the insurance policy or speak to a representative at the insurance company to know the exact requirements.

TRADITIONAL VS INSURANCE-APPROVED SAFES – DIFFERENCES

Traditional and insurance-approved safes have clear distinctions in how they protect your belongings.

Here is a summary of all the differences:

STANDARDS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN PURCHASING AN INSURANCE-APPROVED SAFE

Approved safes follow various standards that are built according to specific requirements by insurers. Make sure that you read the fine print or consult with an expert, like the ones at Calder Security, to know the exact insurance requirements for your safe.

Here are some of the most common standards to keep in mind:

EN 1143-1

This is the primary standard for burglary-resistant safes that covers security grades and resistance testing.

There is also the EN 15540 standard, which is inferior to the EN 1143-1 but provides good protection for small or less valuable items.

AiS Approval

AiS or Association of Insurance Surveyors (AiS) safes are highly tested and may be required by some insurance providers.

LPCB Certification

The Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) certification is another recognised certification route, which may be required by some insurance providers. While the EN 1143-1 standard is the go-to, you may want to go with a safe that provides the right type of certification for your needs.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT SAFE

Here is a quick and easy guide that can help you find the right safe for your specific needs:

Dimensions and Weight

First, you will have to begin by deciding the size of the safe.

Safes come in different dimensions, and choosing one depends on the items you wish to keep in it and the space available at your premises.

Consider the items you want to keep in the safe and measure their dimensions and quantities. It is also very important to consider your future storage needs and invest in a safe that allows for additional storage to accommodate more items.

As a basic rule of thumb, if you want to store small items, go with a medium safe, and if you want to store medium-sized items, then a large safe is a good bet for futureproofing.

Locking System

The best locking system is the one that you find the easiest and most convenient.

Since insurance-approved safes are already built to withstand attacks, getting highly complex locking systems won’t add to your security and may just be a hindrance.

You can go with simple systems like key locks, mechanical locks, electronic locks, or advanced systems such as biometric locks. Each type comes with its advantages, and they offer varying degrees of security.

Biometric locks offer high security and use your unique physical characteristics, such as fingerprints, retinas, and voice, for access. They are very secure and are used in many offices to store high-value items and confidential business documents.

Burglary Resistance

As mentioned above, burglary resistance for safes is determined by burglary ratings which follow European Standards EN 15540 and EN 1143-1.

Safes with an EN 15540 standard go through a series of tests to determine their protection against brute force attacks.

Safes with an EN-1143-1 rating are tested with sophisticated tools and offer more advanced security.

Cash Rating

Cash ratings determine the ceiling amount that an insurance company will cover for the safe’s contents.

The specification of the safe, which includes its build quality, the thickness of its walls, and the locking mechanism, determines the cash rating. Safes built using the EN 1143-1 standard will typically offer a higher cash rating.

The cash rating also assigns a value to the other items in the safe. For example, a safe with a cash rating of £1,000 will cover valuables up to £10,000 (10x times the amount in cash).

Cash ratings from £1,000 to £4,000 are awarded by The Association of Insurance Surveyors (AiS).

Budgeting

Insurance-approved safes vary in how much they cost. Smaller safes with basic features and baseline security are more affordable, while larger and more resistant safes tend to be more expensive.

With such a wide range, we recommend that you focus on the must-have features of your safe.

A good way to set a budget for a safe is to assess the value of the items you wish to secure. If you want to secure very valuable items, then it would make sense to go with a safe that provides maximum security from all natural and manmade threats.

Going with a highly recognised brand is also important. Branding is important because in the world of safes, older and more experienced brands tend to offer the best and most reliable security.

Newer brands may have modern features, but they may not be tested enough in the real-world. We recommend that you research and compare the top brands and go with brands that offer a higher customer satisfaction score.

A great place to start is to read online reviews and consider factors such as customer support, after-sales service, and warranty when deciding.

If you do not want to go through all this research, then we recommend that you call us! Calder Security can not only help you pick the right safe for your needs, but we can also ensure that you get a safe that provides the most value for money, according to your budget.

Advanced Features

Smart safes are quickly becoming popular because of their wide range of features.

While traditional safes tend to be the most reliable and tested, newer safes with modern tech may also just provide the same, if not better, protection.

Smart safes enable cross-integration and offer alarm integration, which may help increase the level of security, convenience, and control.

Through this integration, your safe can connect to the alarm system in the premises. This can enable the safe to send a signal through the alarm system if the safe is tampered with.

Combined with Internet of Things (IoT technology), you can be informed of all events through push notifications from anywhere in the world!

WHY CHOOSE CALDER SECURITY?

Choosing a safe for your property is an important decision that requires careful consideration of several factors, such as the type of safe, its size and capacity, security features, and ratings for cash, fire, and water.

If you’re unsure about which safe to choose, it is best to get professional help and seek advice from experts in the field.

We, at Calder Security, are members of the Master Locksmith Association (MLA) and are familiar with a wide range of safes, cash boxes, and strong boxes. Our SSAIB-approved contractors can help you assess your property’s security needs and recommend a suitable safe perfect for your requirements.

We offer professional safe installation services to not only prevent theft and fire damage but also ensure that the safe is secured in place properly, cannot be removed, and is not in danger of falling or damaging anything.

We also offer safe opening services since misplacing the keys, forgetting the code, or failure of the safe itself can all lead to the contents of the safe being inaccessible. By design, of course, safes are very difficult to access in these circumstances, and you need a professional safe engineer to do it for you. Our Calder specialists can open most safes and restore them to full working order afterward.

When you need to relocate or remove your safe entirely, you can count on us to carry out the job with ease. In addition to that, our professional safe repair and maintenance services ensure that your safes are always in optimal health, providing you with the best security.

Contact us here or call us at 0800 612 9799 to talk to our security professionals for more information on insurance-approved safes, the benefits of investing in one, and how they differ from non-approved safes.

Photo by Clarissa Watson on Unsplash