The security of a lock for your home or business can’t be determined visually. Multiple physical assessments are carried out on the lock to check how secure it is. This is done through rigorous testing of wear and tear over time. Checks are also done on the locks that replicate the most common ways someone may break into your home.
The standards for locks are produced by the BSI, also known as British Standards Institution. A British Standard Kite Mark will be on the lock and its packaging to show that it has been tested and approved by the British Standard Institution.
But how does this affect you?
Firstly, if your locks are approved by the British Standard Institution you, your family and your home will be more safe and secure. If someone tries to break in, it will not easy for them and chances are they will go somewhere else for fear of being caught, as your BSI lock will be more secure and take more time to break.
However, you may also find that your home insurance is invalid if you do not have BSI locks on your home.
We’ve all been there; we pop onto a price comparison website and select the cheapest insurance as we think they all do the same thing. We then tick to say we have read the small print, and normally we get lucky and don’t need to make a claim.
But what happens when the worst takes place and our home is broken into… and the small print of the insurance states that you need BSI locks, and you haven’t. Then your home insurance is invalid.
If you have got home insurance out, then check the small print to see if you have the right locks. If you are not sure you have the right lock then call a locksmith to come round and check you have the right locks to validate your home insurance.
Research shows that some of the highest and most expensive home insurance policies require high level locks in place, so make sure you read the small print and get the right locks for your home. You may even find that your home insurance cost is reduced if you arrange for your locks to be replaced with better quality locks!
