Demystifying Insurance Approved Safes

Choosing an insurance approved safe gives you peace of mind because it protects your valuables not only with the safe itself, but also with the insurance coverage that comes with it. Independent testing organisations test these safes to meet stringent security standards, assuring users that they safeguard their valuables against theft and damage. This blog aims to illuminate the nature of insurance approved safes, explore their significance, and demonstrate how they add an extra layer of security for your belongings.

What Are Insurance Approved Safes?

Insurance approved safes provide the highest level of protection for your valuables. Independent certification organisations such as The European Fire and Security Group (EFSG), The European Certification Body (ECB-S), The Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB), who are part of the BRE, test and certify safes to a specific grade depending on the level of burglary resistance that they provide. Each safe will have a certification badge indicating where it was certified and what grade it achieved, and Insurance companies around the world recognise these certifications. 

How Do Insurance Approved Safes Work?

To resist various attacks, insurance approved safes use high-quality materials like steel, concrete and hardened plates in their manufacturing process. Some of the key features you might find in an insurance approved safe include the following: 

• Thick steel walls and doors:
  These safes often have strong steel/concrete walls and doors to offer a high level of defence against attackers.
• Reinforced locking mechanisms:
  Insurance approved safes have a robust locking mechanism to resist picking and drilling. All safes must have an approved EN 1300 locking standard.
• Anti-tamper features:
  Insurance approved safes often include anti-tamper features like re-lockers and live or passive re-locking mechanisms, making it much more difficult for a thief to access the safe’s contents.
• Fire protection:
  Some insurance approved safes also offer fire protection. In case of fire, this is a crucial metric to check if you store valuable documents or other items.

What are AiS Approved Safes?

An AiS approved safe confirms that the aforementioned independent testing bodies have independently tested these safes. AiS Approved Safes have been approved by The Association of Insurance Surveyors. Therefore, most UK Insurance companies accept the test certificates held by these safes as genuine and an accurate reflection of the security and insurance value rating.

Why Are AiS Approved Safes Important?

The Association of Insurance Surveyors (AiS) provides a guidance document for all its members containing new and pre-certificated safe models. Each insurer will view the recommended cash rating independently.

Certified safes provide:

• The appropriate level of security for the achieved grade:
  AiS approved safes are incredibly strong and secure, making them difficult for thieves to break in. To meet the necessary protection standards, the safes undergo rigorous testing by independent testing bodies and thoroughly evaluated to ensure it achieves an AiS rating.
• Insurance companies recognise them:
  To be covered by insurance, many insurance companies require that certain valuables be stored in an AiS approved safe. If you own valuable items, such as jewellery or important documents, you may need an AiS approved safe to keep them protected. 
• They provide peace of mind:
  Investing in a suitably graded AiS approved safe lets you enjoy peace of mind knowing that your valuable possessions are well-protected and secure. This can be particularly important if you live in an area with a high crime rate or have concerns about your property’s safety.

Before we explain why you might need an insurance approved safe, let’s take a quick look at graded safes and what they mean.

What Is A Graded Safe?

Businesses, financial institutions, and individuals who need to secure high-value items, such as cash, jewellery, and important documents, commonly use graded safes. Government agencies and other organisations that need to protect sensitive information or valuable assets also use them. However, this does not imply that they are only for commercial use. They are also an excellent means to step up your home security, be it cash, jewellery, watches, confidential documents, and more.

How Are Safes Graded?

An independent organisation or rating agency, such as the Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) or The European Certification Body (ECB-S), defines and grades safes based on the quality and level of protection offered. These organisations have established standards that safes must meet to receive a specific grade. They are generally manufactured to EN 1143-1/2 European standard or LPS 1183 standard by the LPCB and are usually denoted by a letter and number combination.

How Do I Choose Between The Various Graded Safes?

When choosing a graded safe, you must consider your specific needs and the type of assets you need to protect. For example, choose a safe with a higher cash rating to protect cash. If you must protect sensitive information, choose a safe with a higher fire rating.

Industry tip – (Consider investing in a higher-grade safe that provides more cash and valuables coverage. This will protect you in case you decide to store more money in the future).

Choosing a reputable manufacturer and retailer that offers high-quality, graded safes and reliable customer service is important. Moreover, insurers will insist you purchase a safe from a British Safe and Vault Trade Association member (BSVTA). It would be best to have your safe installed by a professional to secure it to a floor or wall properly.

We at SMP offer safes from grade 0 to grade 6. Depending on your requirements, they come in various sizes, shelving, deposit options, locking mechanisms, and different colours. All of our graded safes meet the AiS standard for burglary resistance and also provide fire protection for paper documents for up to 60 minutes. Hence, they are excellent options for homeowners and commercial users alike.

We offer the following AiS-approved graded safes:
(Quick tip: the valuables cover will usually be 10x the cash cover amount)

Grade 0 Safe – £6,000 cash cover & £60,000 valuables cover

Grade 1 Safe  – £10,000 cash cover & £100,000 valuables cover

Grade 2 Safe – £17,500 cash cover & £1750,000 valuables cover

Grade 3 Safe – £35,000 cash cover & £350,000 valuables cover

Grade 4 Safe – £60,000 cash cover & £600,000 valuables cover

Grade 5 Safe – £100,000 cash cover & £1M valuables cover

Grade 6 Safe – £150,000 cash cover & £1.5M valuables cover

Why You Might Need An Insurance Approved Safe:

In conclusion, insurance approved safes, and graded safes are essential investments for anyone who wants to protect their valuable possessions. In the meantime, look out for the AiS approved badge or if the product page mentions it in the description. The security and peace of mind they provide are invaluable. So, whether you need to protect cash, jewellery, documents, or other assets, there is a safe available for everyone.

Consider checking out our dedicated range of AiS approved graded safes above, or give us a shout below. We will guide you through the best safes for your needs and requirements.