Home Security Assessments | Lower Your Insurance Rates

If you are looking for some fresh upgrades to your home security system for aesthetics reasons during a home renovation, or your old locks have started to crack, you are in the right place.

You are not only going to benefit from the advanced protection features that most of today's modern locks can provide, but you will also potentially pay less for your home insurance. How and why? Keep reading and you will find out!

Why Should You Upgrade Your Home Security System?

For starters, we will define what a home security system consists of. For example, a home alarm featuring surveillance cameras can be a home security system on its own. On the other hand, all the locks on all the entryways, together with any window bard or grills and any movement sensors you might have attached to these doors could also represent a home's security system. Most people will simply rely on a home alarm as a means of enhancing protection on their property. Others will opt for more complex alarms that are not only connected to a security company or the local police, but that also broadcast 24/7 live mages, record and store cloud videos and images in HD and issue reports of everyone going in and out of the house.

Older homes usually come with antique, classic deadbolt locks that haven't been inspected or replaced in decades. While they add a certain style and charm to these properties, they are also incredibly vulnerable in the hands of seasoned home burglars. Older property security assessments are critical. Besides providing a home with the much-needed security upgrades it needs, home assessment can also help owners lower their insurance premiums.

Also, in case you plan on soon putting your house on the market, upgrading your home's security system should help you set a higher asking price. Smart or electronic locks and surveillance systems that can be controlled via smartphones will usually cost more than regular locks and alarms. But first...

Talk To Your Insurance Agent

It is essential so you do not end up investing in an expensive set of electronic locks or brand new deadbolt locks for which your insurance company will not issue nay discounts. Keep in mind not all insurers prefer the same home security products. This means you will need to do your research, use all the elbow grease and find out exactly which locks, alarm systems and any additional home security devices does your current insurance company prefer. Make no confusion between brands and serial numbers or makes and know the exact percentage of the discount you are about to receive.

Door Locks That Insurance Companies Prefer

Most insurance agents prefer to work with single or double-cylinder deadbolt locks as they offer a safer and sturdier alternative to other types of locks. Consider having a deadlock installed on your back and side door separating your garage from your home as well. Don't worry about any complicated installation; our expert locksmiths should have no problem fitting the necessary locks on your home. Maintenance is also simple and its periodicity should ensure high levels of functionality throughout the years.

Generally speaking, insurers will require any deadbolt to be at one inch in terms of bolt size, as well as a strike plate that will need to be secured with proper screws, three inches at a minimum.

Alarm System Options That Could Lower Your Premium

While most people have home alarms, not all of them use properly. Also, most alarms on the market are accepted by insurance companies for discount purposes. This means that you will need to debate the matter of preferred home alarms for discount reasons with your insurance company. Why play the guessing game when you can get all your information straight from the most reliable source possible? Make sure to periodically perform home security assessments that will clarify if there are any system updates, upgrades pr changes you should do. This should include everything from your home alarm system to your locks and surveillance or monitoring cameras. These upgrades may not only be a requirement of your insurance agent, but they may also make the difference between a safe home and a vulnerable one.

Assess And Strengthen Security On Your Garage Door

If you are using a security camera that features surveillance cameras, you should consider expanding it to your garage area as well. For enhanced protection, make sure your garage door lock and opener are working in pristine condition and that they are properly checked for faults. See if you can invest in a system that sends instant push notifications to your phone whenever there is a break-in attempt in the garage area. Enhanced garage security with the insurance company's preferred security solutions will also potentially lower your yearly premium.

Door Peepholes And Smart Doorbells

Wouldn't it be great to always know who is standing at your doorstep, ringing the doorbell, when you are out of the house and can't gaze through a peephole? Well now you can, thanks to the advanced video doorbell solutions you can find on the market. Most of them can send out live images and allow you to talk to the person standing in at your front door when you are away from home. They also store images you will be able to use later on, in case someone breaks into your home, for example. Most insurance companies will prefer homes that feature this type of security options thanks to the enhanced protection they can offer.

Contact our residential locksmith team today to get a quick and reliable home security assessment and get the ball rolling on your shinny new low insurance price.