Intruder Alarms

EmilyJ_2

I was just reading the cheap contents insurance guide, and getting a NACOSS approved intruder alarm is listed as one of the ways to lower your premium. I installed my intruder alarm myself, and I was wondering if anyone knows what the implications of this would be on insurance premiums. Also, any ideas on whether it is possible to get a NACOSS approved company to come and sign in it off (in a similar manner to qualified electricians signing off electrical work) so that it could be looked upon as a NACOSS approved installation?

Any thoughts would be great!

Thanks

Oscar_The_Grouch

Hi there

NACOSS is now part of the NSI. If you try to go to NACOSS.org, you will see that it states:

In 2001, NACOSS merged with the Inspectorate of the Security Industry (ISI), which offered voluntary inspection services to the manned security sector, to form the National Security Inspectorate (NSI).

You should have a look at the following website:

http://www.nsi.org.uk/home-security.aspx

On the right hand side, you can put in your postcode and obtain details of approved installers in your area and you can find out whether any of them would be willing to assess your alarm. More likely, they will come round and give you a quote to bring your system up to NSI standards.

Hope this helps.

mattymoo

EmilyJ - I used to approve intruder alarms for commercial insurance purposes so can give some advice.

If your kit came from the likes of Yale or Response - the type of thing you buy at B+Q, then it will not be capable of being bought up to standard by an NSI or SSAIB approved company. SSAIB is the other industry inspectorate who are UKAS accredited. Any member company would need to rip it out and start again.

The premium discount is typically 5-10% and usually carries a policy condition that the alarm is used when house is unoccupied and when you retire to bed at night.

For a £30-40 annual saving is it worth it?

For high net worth clients with £100k plus contents the insurers might well insist on an alarm.

dacouch

I would add to Matty's post which is spot on that if you did have an alarm that was acceptable you would also have to have an annual maintenance contract for the alarm with an accredited alarm company which will cost upward of £100 a year