Insurance approved alarm systems specifications
If your insurance company has specified that you need an insurance compliant alarm system, then you need to make sure that your alarm system meets certain specifications, for example:
- SSAIB or NSI certified alarm installer
- Grade 2 or 3 alarm equipment
- Installation to British Standards BS 8243 / PD6662
- Alarm monitoring to British Standards BS 5979
- Regular alarm maintenance to British Standards BS 9263
- Police Response (option for URN)
AMCO Security specialise in insurance approved alarm systems, so we can help you. Get in contact with our team, sharing your insurance documentation and we'll be able to design a 100% insurance compliant alarm system for you.
Introduction to alarm insurance specifications
The insurance requirements for alarm systems will vary depending on the levels of risk attributed to the property.
Standard security level insurance specifications:
> SSAIB certified installer installed to BS 8243
> Grade 2 alarm equipment
> Alarm monitoring to BS 5979
> Alarm maintenance contract to BS 9263
High security level insurance specifications:
> SSAIB certified installer installed to BS 8243
> Grade 3 alarm equipment
> Alarm monitoring to BS 5979
> Level 1 Police Response with URN
Guide to insurance requirements for business alarm systems & high-networth properties
If you run a business or are a high net-worth individual it is likely that your insurance company will have specific intruder alarm requirements for your property - to ensure the intruder alarm system is designed and implemented properly.
The following guide is a 'high security' insurance approved alarm guide. N.B. many insurance companies will not require your system to be installed to such high specifications.
1) Alarm installation by a UKAS accredited alarm company
The intruder alarm system must:
> be installed and maintained by a company that is inspected by a UKAS accredited inspectorate (i.e. NSI or SSAIB certified alarm companies)
> comply with BS4737 Pt 1 or EN 50131-1
2) Alarm Equipment installation insurance requirements to British Standards PD 6662
The intruder alarm system must be installed to PD 6662 standards, and include:
> Detection circuits which cover the premises including contacts fitted to all external doors and internal trap protection (e.g movement sensors) to detect movement by intruders around the premises.
> An external self-powered audible warning device (bell, siren, or klaxon)
> Remote signalling to an alarm receiving centre conforming to BS5979:
3) Alarm Signalling insurance requirements to BS 5979
Remote signalling to an alarm receiving centre need to conform to BS5979:
> by Redcare GSM, Redcare Ultimate, Dualcom Plus, Dualcom GPRS G4
OR by any other signalling product meeting category DP3 (or higher) as defined within the latest version of BS EN 50136-1 or certified by the Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) as an LPS1277 version 3.0 dual path signalling product, supplied or otherwise set up to operate at performance level "Enhanced ATS 5" and installed in accordance with Annex C.
OR by Redcare Classic for any system installed prior to 1/10/2001 which has maintained level 1 police response since this date without break and which has not been upgraded to a "confirmed" system.
4) Alarm system installed with Level 1 Police Response
The intruder alarm system needs to be installed to include Level 1 Police response, including a URN:
> it must be designed as a "confirmed" system i.e. alarm activations must be confirmed to the alarm receiving centre, in accordance with DD243 or BS8243.
> Confirmation of activation can be either 'sequential', 'audio' or visual'.
> The method of unsetting the intruder alarm system described in DD243 and BS8243 Clause 6.4.4 is not acceptable to the Insurer.
> under EN50131-1 it must be installed as a Grade 3 system in accordance with the scheme described in the most up to date version of PD6662 applicable at the time of installation or upgrade.
> In addition the alarm system needs to include a unique reference number (URN) and confirmed agreement of police response level 1 from the relevant police authority.
FAQs around insurance and alarm systems
The following are answers to common questions around insurance approved alarm systems.
> What is NSI and SSAIB: SSAIB and NSI are alarm certification bodies (authorised by UKAS), that provide certification that the alarm installer install alarms to British Standards.
> What is EN 50131-1 / BS 8243: this is the core alarm system installation British Standard
> What is a Police URN: URN standards for 'Unique Reference Number' and is necessary to achieve Type A Police Response. URNs can only be issued by SSAIB / NSI certified alarm installers.
> What are the Police Response Levels: there are x2 levels of Police Response: Type A and Type B. Type A requires a URN, and Type B requires evidence of an offence in progress (e.g. via a remote alarm monitoring system like AMCO's LiveTalk or CCTV monitoring)
> What is BS 5979: the British Standard for alarm monitoring stations
> What clause Clause 6.4.4 of BS8243 means: this is how the opening of the 'entry door' affects the confirmation of the intruder alarm
> What is BS EN 50136-1: this is the British Standard for the design of a remote signalling device
> What is BS 9263: this is the British Standard for maintaining an intruder alarm system
> How often does an alarm system need a maintenance check: either x1 or x2, depending on the type / Grade of alarm system
> What are the Grades of alarm system: there are 4 Grades of alarm system (1-4). 1 is the lowest security level, and 4 is the highest (e.g. the level used by Banks). Most properties have Grade 2 or Grade 3 alarm systems installed.
> What is DP3: DP3 is an alarm signalling grade. 'DP' is short for 'Dual path' meaning there's x2 communication paths (e.g. internet / VOIP and mobile signal). '3' relates to the Critical Failure reporting time, and DP3 means that the system checks (sends a 'ping') every 3 minutes.
> What is DualCom or Redcare: DualCom and Redcare are two types of 'Digital Communicator'
