What is an alarm grade?
Professional intruder alarms in the UK are designed to the European standard EN 50131, using the UK guidance in PD 6662. Every system is given a security grade from 1 to 4 based on how well it resists a determined intruder. The grade covers the whole system: the control panel, detectors, door contacts, sirens and how alarms are signalled.
- Grade 1 is for low-risk situations and is rarely suitable for insurance purposes.
- Grade 2 suits most homes and many small businesses. It resists an intruder with some knowledge of alarms and a limited range of tools.
- Grade 3 suits higher-value homes and many commercial premises, where an intruder may be more experienced and better equipped.
- Grade 4 is for very high-risk sites such as banks and secure facilities.
Why insurers care
Insurers price risk. A graded, professionally installed and maintained alarm reduces it, so some policies require one, and others will only pay out on a theft claim if the alarm was set when the property was empty. Higher-value homes and many business policies specify a particular grade or signalling method.
What to check in your policy
- Whether an alarm is a condition of cover, and what grade is required.
- Whether it must be monitored, and if so whether keyholder response is enough.
- Whether the installer must hold a specific certification, such as NSI or SSAIB.
- Whether the alarm must be serviced, and how often. Annual servicing is common.
- What you must do if the alarm develops a fault.
Send us the relevant wording when you book your survey and we will design a system to match it, and be upfront about anything we cannot certify.
Is a higher grade always better?
Not necessarily. Grade 3 equipment costs more, and for most homes Grade 2 is the right fit. The best system is the one that meets your insurer's conditions, suits how you live, and that you will actually set every time you go out.
Keep it maintained
An alarm that has not been serviced can develop faults, flat batteries or dirty detectors, which lead to false alarms and, in the worst case, a system that does not work when you need it. A record of regular servicing is also useful evidence if you ever need to make a claim.