How can London residents ensure their locks meet insurance standards?

How can London residents ensure their locks meet insurance standards?

The enhanced security of your home and business isn’t all about safety and protection. Indeed, these are the primary concerns for most home and business owners in London, but the truth is the safety standards of your door locks go further than that.

If you’ve ever purchased a policy, you must’ve noticed that insurance requirements also cover the actual locks. Whether you go for mortice locks or some modern smart locks, how you keep your external doors safe is an important factor in the quote.

At Top Locksmith, we're dedicated to using insurance approved door locks only, whether you need high security locks for your home, window locks, multi point locking systems, or other types of security measures.

Understanding Insurance Standards for Locks

Generally speaking, there are five major types of door lock systems that can be classified as insurance approved locks. The classic mortice lock is approved on any door frame, including uPVC doors. Apart from the five lever mortice deadlock, multi point systems are also accepted, as well as night latches.

Each of these lock types can go into smaller categories. For example, most insurance providers also accept rim cylinder locks, not to mention thumbturn locks insurance approved for your front door.

When you get a new insurance policy, you’re usually given all the standards approved by the insurer for home security.

Detailing British Standard Locks (BS3621)

British standard approved locks tend to follow the BS3621 standard. They’re incredibly reliable and can be very effective against unauthorised access. Furthermore, such key-operated locks are mainly used externally rather than on internal doors.

These door lock types are approved by most insurers. To tell if your mortice deadlock or lock mechanism follows this British standard, look for the British Standard Kitemark on the lock, but also check for the number BS3621 stamped on it. The extra numbers in the code detail the year of manufacturing.

British standard locks are effective against picking and drilling. Such a sturdy lock will also offer peace of mind, with the lock technology effective against forced entry.

Other Relevant Standards and Requirements

Not all locks are approved when shopping for insurance premiums. Approved locks follow certain standards, whether it comes to rim locks or lever mortice deadlocks. A professional installation is also required for optimal security.

• BS8621 is newer and doesn’t require a key to open the door from the inside.
• BS10621 has the same functionality, but it can’t be locked from the inside.
• TS007 mainly relates to a three start cylinder with extra layers of protection, common for a classic uPVC door.
• BS EN 1303 can keep a property secure using coding systems.

Other standards for correct locks for maximum protection include EN 1303, SS 312, PAS 24, PAS 3621, and PAS 8621, among others. Almost every insurance provider can accept such standards. The British Standards Institution supports more options for residential properties.

At Top Locksmith, it makes no difference if you're after a lever mortice deadlock, a latch mechanism, or a thumbturn lock. We'll help you pick the right lock against lock snapping and picking, only to ensure the highest standards in terms of your property's security.

Again, we only deal with standard lock systems approved by most insurance providers.

Steps to Ensure Compliance

Your insurance policy can be useless if someone can gain access to your property and you don't mention the right type of lock when signing up. The insurance coverage may also require lock changing if you don't have robust security.

No matter what door type you have, or what standards your current locks are, every home insurance provider has some requirements. The same rule applies if you're trying to insure your business premises.

Professional Lock Assessment

A top notch security starts with a professional locksmith. Our experts will assess your current lock systems and their state. We’ll also educate you on the common burglary methods and how your locks can work against them.

Mortice deadlocks, in particular, have very tough nuts, so that's one of the first things we'll look for.

Upgrading Locks

Once our locksmiths are done assessing your locks, we'll help you determine whether or not they're insurance approved. Your home insurance should already have some standards in place. We'll also educate you on door locks and window locks, as well as how they benefit uPVC doors or even wooden or metallic doors.

Our mission goes further than that. We'll recommend insurance approved locks based on your needs, budget, and requirements. We'll take you through all the lock types suitable for your front door to match insurance requirements, whether it comes to cylinder locks or perhaps a five lever mortice deadlock.

Once set, we'll proceed with the installation of your insurance approved locks.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Sometimes, home security isn't all about insurance approved locks, but also about ensuring you have a door lock you can count on. A door lock, even an advanced five lever mortice deadlock, is a mechanical element that can break overtime.

Let's go through some of the most common issues with different door lock types and what kind of consequences they have.

Old and Outdated Locks

You could have some insurance approved locks on your property, such as night latches or lever mortice deadlocks. They could provide robust protection at the moment. But just because they were insurance approved 10 years ago, it doesn't mean they're just as good today.

Even with regular maintenance, a lock, once approved for your home insurance, could start malfunctioning. Crime technologies improve on a regular basis, hence the necessity to keep your locks up to date. Even if your night latches still work, you need the peace of mind that your locks can resist new burglary techniques.

DIY Installations

A lot of people install locks on their own. And if they don't know how to do it, they know someone who can, a friend or a neighbor. In theory, it's not necessarily a bad thing if you only replace a latch on a wardrobe or perhaps some handles on your bathroom doors. There aren't any major risks there.

However, the DIY alternative could still backfire because an unprofessional installation means locks may wear out much faster than normally.

When it comes to the front, back, or generally external doors, don't even think about it, even if you've done it before. Some insurance policies can be void if you can't prove a new lock has been installed by a professional. Besides, even if you have a few clues about how to do it, the final result will never compare to what a professional can do.

Securing Your Home and Ensuring Compliance

Bottom line, securing your home by the book means you can comply with your insurance policy. Whether you move into a new home in London or you think you need an upgrade, it's highly recommended to seek professional help. Not only is it good for your insurance policy, but also for the safety of your home, family, and belongings.

Here at Top Locksmith, we'll take care of the entire process for you, from the initial assessment and full education to supplying and installing locks, not to mention regular maintenance packages for your currently existing lock systems. Ready to make your security rock-solid? Give us a call today!