Faulty burglar alarms could rob you of your home insurance pay-out, experts warn
It’s common sense that a home security system can be a strong deterrent and protection against burglars. However, depending on the rules in your home insurance policy, if your alarm doesn’t work it could potentially do you more harm than good in the event of a break-in.
A burglar alarm is a valuable asset when it comes to home security, but it also matters from an insurance perspective. When you take out a home insurance policy, your provider will ask about your home security set-up, and the answers you give will impact your home insurance cover. If you state you have a burglar alarm, you will be asked if this is maintained on an annual basis – so making sure that your system is serviced regularly and in good working condition could be a condition in your home insurance policy.
With this in mind, GoCompare is urging the public to test their alarm systems regularly and get them regularly serviced, too.
Ceri McMillan, GoCompare’s home insurance expert, explains: “Securing your home provides many benefits, with peace of mind topping the list. And when it comes to your home insurance, it could also help lower your costs, but if you tell your provider you have an alarm, it needs to be fully functional.
“If you suffer a break-in and your alarm is found to be faulty, this could affect your claim if you choose to make one. Your specific policy will have clear wording around home alarms and their upkeep – some policies may even state you should service your home alarm annually. So, it’s important to read your documents carefully and keep your home security system in top condition.”
GoCompare recommends three important steps to maintaining your home security system:
- Get your alarm regularly serviced - once a year should be enough for audible-only alarms, and twice a year is recommended for monitored systems.
- Check on external obstructions - trim back trees and bushes that are near your external alarm and keep internal sensors clear of dust and debris.
- Test your alarm regularly - especially if you’re due to go away. To do a system test either speak to the company that installed it or, if it’s unmonitored - arm your system, open the door and let the siren sound for 30 seconds.
To learn more about burglar alarms and how they affect home insurance, visit: https://www.gocompare.com/home-insurance/guide/security/burglar-alarms/.
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For further information, please contact:
Lynsey Walden or Kath Chadwick at Gocompare on lynsey.walden@gocompare.com or kathryn.chadwick@gocompare.com.
Keep up-to-date with GoCompare on Twitter; @GoCompare
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Lynsey Walden
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About GoCompare
GoCompare is a comparison website that enables people to compare the costs and features of a wide variety of insurance policies, financial products and energy tariffs.
It does not charge people to use its services and does not accept advertising or sponsored listings, so all product comparisons are unbiased. GoCompare makes its money through fees paid by the providers of products that appear on its various comparison services when a customer buys through the site.
When it launched in 2006, it was the first comparison site to focus on displaying policy details rather than just listing prices, with the aim of helping people to make better-informed decisions when buying their insurance. It is this approach to comparing products that secured the company an invitation to join the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) in 2008, and it is still the only comparison site to be a member of this organisation.
GoCompare has remained dedicated to helping people choose the most appropriate products rather than just the cheapest and works with Defaqto, the independent financial researcher, to integrate additional policy information into a number of its insurance comparison services. This allows people to compare up to an extra 30 features of cover.
GoCompare is part of Future Plc and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
More information can be found here www.gocompare.com or here https://www.futureplc.com/brands/.