[Steadybears]

Does anyone have a security alarm system in their home - we have taken out some insurance on our household contents and was told that without security it would change the premium -is it really necessary ? So thought we had left that sort of thing when we left SA :clap and really do feel so safe here - are we being silly to think that?


Jayne

[StevieD]

We haven't got one, but I considering doing it, not coz I feel a problem, just that the insurance has asked if we got it too.

As for feeling safe, yes we do too, but you never know the minute when some idiot will burgle you, like the guy on live daytime TV the other week, he was informed live on air that his house had been burgled!!!

Steve

[IanW99]

Does anyone have a security alarm system in their home - we have taken out some insurance on our household contents and was told that without security it would change the premium -is it really necessary ? So thought we had left that sort of thing when we left SA :clap and really do feel so safe here - are we being silly to think that?


Jayne

We have an alarm, it came with the house.

Insurance companies will always charge a different premium for houses that do have an alarm compared to those that don't. Those that don't have a higher risk and thus have to charge a higher premium.

If you are considering an alarm, then ask the insurance company what the difference in premium would be e.g. it's likely to get a 10% discount.

Ian

[peebles16]

It increased our fortnightly payment by about $1.20 not having an alarm so cost wise not a huge issue :) We're in a rental so can't really do much about it... although not sure if I feel we need one.

Karenx

[kowhai]

We have an alarm system. I put it on routinely because I can't be bothered locking all of the doors / closing windows , if Im nipping out for a few hours. I reckon the noise will scare anyone off . Problems start when friends walk into the house thinking we're home / birds fly in .

I did read sometime ago that a visible alarm system is an effective deterrent to would be burglars. I think your best defence is to get to know your neighbours . Ours are fantastic and we all look out for one anothers properties. Burglaries increase over school holidays .:no

[incredible hulse]

We have an alarm system. We've had a spate of burglaries on our 'estate' recently (3 in the last month or so) and I believe the one's robbed didn't have alarms; so guessing the visual deterrent part maybe backed up

[Milliemoo]

I did read sometime ago that a visible alarm system is an effective deterrent to would be burglars.

I would have agreed with that, back in the UK. My opinion has changed since we came here because you just don't see that many security alarms on houses. My way of thinking now, is that they make a burglar wonder "hummmm wonder what they've got worth stealing if they need an alarm".

Just another way to look at things. I totally agree that getting to know your neighbours is the key :nice1

Milliemoo

[Tia Maria]

I would have agreed with that, back in the UK. My opinion has changed since we came here because you just don't see that many security alarms on houses. My way of thinking now, is that they make a burglar wonder "hummmm wonder what they've got worth stealing if they need an alarm".

Just another way to look at things. I totally agree that getting to know your neighbours is the key :nice1

Milliemoo

We have an alarm, as do quite a few houses down our street.

I always wonder what would happen if you forgot to put on the alarm and were burgled - could the insurance firm get out of paying?

Cheers

Tia

[Georgebulldog]

We have an alarm, as do quite a few houses down our street.

I always wonder what would happen if you forgot to put on the alarm and were burgled - could the insurance firm get out of paying?

Cheers

Tia

I wondered that too, I must ask as we have an alarm but haven't had time to see how it works yet.
We found that almost every house we looked at had alarms on them in Wellington.

[benandclare]

We've one too and used to set it all the time but since we've had the cats here , we've been lax as worrying that they would set it off and that they would then be cat burglars ??? :exit

[NZ Hopeful]

We have an alarm, as do quite a few houses down our street.

I always wonder what would happen if you forgot to put on the alarm and were burgled - could the insurance firm get out of paying?

Cheers

Tia

Obviously not being in NZ yet I couldn't say for sure but I work in insurance and I would say that if you are getting a discount for having an alarm then they could (probably would) refuse to pay out if you hadn't set the alarm and were burgled.

[NZ Hopeful]

We've one too and used to set it all the time but since we've had the cats here , we've been lax as worrying that they would set it off and that they would then be cat burglars ??? :exit

I know in the UK you can get pet friendly sensors for house alarms, might be worth looking into if it will get you a discount on your insurance! :)

[mgbridges]

We don't have an alarm and never had an alarm in any of the places we lived in the UK. To be honest I haven't really considered getting one for here although with all this talk of insurance discounts I might look into it.

Have to say I 'feel' a lot safer in NZ and have been a lot more careless and left the back door into the laundry and also the range slider doors wide open when I've gone out a few times. Fortunately the only intruders we've had was one of the neighbourhood cats. :roll I sometimes wonder if we're safer because we are up a narrow, one way in one way out ROW - no quick getaways from our place! Equally our garden backs onto other gardens on a VERY steep hill.

Anneliese

[benandclare]

I know in the UK you can get pet friendly sensors for house alarms, might be worth looking into if it will get you a discount on your insurance! :)


Cheers will give the firm a call on Monday :cheers