When my wife and I went for our first vacation as a married couple, we returned to find that our home had been burglarized. Having just completed graduate studies the year before, and my wife just starting her career, we didn’t have too much in our scant apartment to entice robbers. They left a bit of a mess looking for valuable stuff. But they didn’t find anything much, because we didn’t have anything much. What they did chance upon was some of my wife’s jewelry that had sentimental value more than anything.
The next day, I went shopping for our largest purchase to date (other than our first vacation, which was truly memorable). A safe.
The safe in your home is the last line of defense, regardless of any security measures such as dogs, bars, cameras or the home alarm you may have.
The safe is where your most valuable belongings are kept whether it’s jewelry, cash, or confidential documents. And that’s why it is crucial to choose the right safe- it is an investment. You want a safe that is reliable, durable, secure, and large enough to meet your specific needs. That’s why it’s important to take some time to consider your wants, and needs. They need to be weighed against the reality of the features a safe can offer and the money it will cost.
Are All Safes Secure?
You’ve seen the movie: the safe-cracker listening intently through the stethoscope, sweating bullets as he gently turns the lock. There are various levels of protection that a safe can provide. A basic safe will deter average robbers, but thieves have found ways to bypass them for as long as people have been creating them.
It is critical to invest in a model from a trustworthy manufacturer that includes all of the most up-to-date security features. It should also be a model that has a proven track record of reliability.
When selecting a safe for your home, look for one that is labeled a “home safe” rather than those for business and store applications. The “home safe” will be much easier to install.
Over the past decade, the demand for safes has increased dramatically. More people have valuable stuff to store and secure in them. Manufacturers have responded to the demand for residential safes, and now offer more compact versions with features that may have only been available on larger, more expensive safes previously. However, the demand has also meant that cheaper less secure safes have flooded the market.
The key is to select from a well-known, established brand and find that balance between the features you need and the price you can afford. Some reputable brands include Amsec, Liberty Safe, SentrySafe in The US and Churchill, Burton and Chubb in the UK.
Check the Rating for Insurance Coverage & Discounts
Not only does your safe provide a physical barrier between your stuff and burglars, but using a safe can have insurance benefits. Insurance companies can offer better coverage or discounts if you store items in a safe.
When you use an insurance-rated home safe, your insurance provider will typically give you a percentage reduction in your house insurance premiums. The discount amount ranges from 3 to 15% depending on the contents of your safe and the overall value of its contents.
What Insurers Require
Insurers will require that the safe be insurance-rated and has certain features to offer any discount or provide additional coverage. If you know what you want to store in your safe, then speak with your insurer. They will be able to tell you what rating you should have in order to ensure the cash/valuables that are in your safe.
This does vary from company to company but typically the insurer will need to know what the safe is rated for and what brand it is. That’s why investing in a reputable brand of safe is the way to go- well-respected brands will closely follow industry standards, and their safes are subjected to rigorous testing. This results in official ratings from standards agencies like Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) in the US or Association of Insurance Surveyors (AIS) in the UK. And those ratings are what insurers are looking for. Below is a rough guide to the ratings in the US. And remember, adding a burglar alarm to your home can also greatly reduce your home insurance premium by up to ~35%. So, having an insurance-rated safe and security alarm should offer some immediate financial savings too.
| Burglar Rating | Without Burglar Alarm | With Burglar Alarm |
| B-Rating | $5,000 or less | $10,000 or less |
| B/C Rating | $10,000 or less | $20,000 or less |
| UL RSC | $15,000 or less | $30,000 or less |
| C-Rating | $25,000 or less | $50,000 or less |
| UL TL-15 | $100,000 or less | $200,000 or less |
| UL TL-30 | $195,000 or less | $375,000 or less |
| UL TL-30X6 | $275,000 or less | $500,000 or less |
| UL TRTL30X6 | $500,000+ or less | $1,000,000+ or less |
What Type of Safes are There?
Safes can be broken down by their construction and their usage.
Type of Safe by Construction
In terms of construction, there are three basic types.
- Burglar-rated safes. These safes are classified by the types of tools they are designed to resist and the amount of time these tools need to penetrate a safe. Generally, the higher the rating, the heavier and thicker the safe’s walls and door. For example,
- Fire-rated safes. A fire-rated safe is constructed with two walls that contain fire-retardant material between them. To find out mroe about fire-rated safes, click here.
- Combination burglar/fire safes. These can be the most expensive option because, in theory, they combine the features of each.
Types of Safe by Use
So, this may be obvious, but safes are used to protect stuff. And what kind of stuff you store in the safe may affect the construction type and dimensions of the safe as well as it’s look and feel.
Most of us will invest in a generic home safe- a big box of steel that protects against burglars and possibly fire. But there are more specific uses. If you want your safe to be effective against burglars, it should be anchored to a solid structure (concrete wall or floor). There are also safes designed for mounting in walls (think of those in Scooby-Doo cartoons with safes hidden behind portraits hanging on the wall). Then there are safes specifically designed for jewelry with interiors with shelves or compartments, layered in material to allow storage of precious items and prevent scratching. Some safes will have specific areas for documents. Some safes are large, allowing a much wider variety of applications. There are also floor safes and of course, there are gun safes, which secure weapons and ammunition.
All of these different types of safe have their own limitations that you should be aware of. Some of these are discussed HERE.
What about Fire-Resistant Safes?
No safe is 100% fire-proof. Don’t let any label or salesman fool you. All safes will be penetrable by fire and high temperatures. However, the degree the safe is considered “fire-resistant” will depend on how long it takes the contents within the safe to become damaged by high temperatures. Only a certified fire safe will offer the best chance to protect the contents from fire and heat. These safes will have been tested independently. Regular plate safes will succumb quickly to high heat and a domestic safe with double-wall construction will provide only 10 – 15 minutes of protection and at lower temperatures only.
That’s why, when you’re shopping for a fire-resistant safe, you will have to dig a bit deeper than the salesman’s pitch because there are official standards that a safe should meet to be properly considered fire-resistant. Standards can offer a sliding scale that indicates how long the contents of the safe will remain unaffected by high temperatures.
What Is a Fire-Rated Safe?
A fire-rated safe will ensure an internal temperature below a certain level for a specific length of time. For example, a UL Class 350 1 Hour rated safe, when exposed to external temperatures of over 1700°, will maintain an internal temperature that will not exceed 350 degrees F for up to 60 minutes.
UL Class 350 1-hour fire rating is the most widely recognized industry standard for commercial-grade fire safes. It’s shown in the table below as UL1.
It’s important to note, that any safes with fire ratings like UL1 are meant to store paper documents and files. Even at 150 F, electronic media such as USB drives or tapes can be impacted by the heat. So, although you might keep those devices in your fire-rated safe for security, remember they are not guaranteed to be unaffected from any fire.
For example, below are are UL ratings for fire-resistance:
| Rating | Hours / Minutes Internal temperature remains below 350 F | External Temperature |
| UL | 30 mins | 1550 F |
| UL1 | 1 hour | 1700 F |
| UL2 | 2 hours | 1850 F |
| UL4 | 4 hours | 2000 F |
The UL1 (1 hour at 1700 °F) is usually a good compromise between the fire-rating required for insurance policies and and cost of the safe.
What Locks Should I Look For on My Safe?
There are many different types of locks that can be used in safes. Here is a list of some of the more popular locking mechanisms and what they do:
Combination Locks
Combination locks allow you to enter your own personal sequence on the dials into the lock. When entered correctly this sequence releases the bolt holding it shut. This type of lock is very easy to operate but may not be as strong as other options on this list because if someone finds out your combination, they could open it with ease.
Dial Locks
Dial locks are very similar to combination locks; they both allow you to input your own code. The difference is the dial lock will turn like a rotary phone dial and may be faster for some people than using a combination of numbers.
Digital Locks
Digital locks use an electronic keypad or touchscreen to input your password or pin number. These locks are usually easier for people who don’t like entering long strings of numbers but it’s harder for them to remember a digital password than a manual one. More advanced digital locks can allow multiple users access, and provide audit reports, network access and other features, although these are typically for high-end commercial and industrial applications, they are finding their way to residential markets like these connected safes.
Keyed Locks
Key locks have a series of tumblers that will only turn with the correct set of keys or unique key code. These are usually cost-effective and reliable safes but don’t lose your keys – it could lead to lost stuff or expensive replacements! Key locks are often used together with other locking mechanisms like dialed locks for an added layer of security.
Biometric Locks
Biometric locks use your physical identity for access. Unique features such as fingerprints, face recognition or retinal scans are used to prove your identity in order to gain access. A biometric system allows you quick access without needing to remember any specific mechanical or digital combination. Of course, like digital locks, they require power, usually in the form of a battery.
Think About Where Your Safe Will Be Installed
Perhaps the most overlooked part of investing in a safe is where the safe will be installed.
First off, you have to consider practical things like will the safe be accessible? Will it be mounted on something that can support it (safes are heavy)? Can it be anchored to the surface reliably? After all, a safe is only as reliable as the fixtures used to secure it with. You don’t want your safe going “walkabout” with a thief. Nor do you want your fixtures to give way and your safe to become unstable.
The ideal location for a home-safe would be where it can be fixed to a concrete floor. It’s also advisable to have it flush against two surfaces. However, it’s always wise to check with your insurance company on how and where your safe can be installed. That way you can be certain to receive the desired coverage and/or home insurance discounts.
Manufacturers will normally provide the specific anchors to secure the safe. And it is always best to have a professional install it. They can also advise on the location and benefits and disadvantages or certain spots in your house.
Anchoring the safe is crucial. I have seen the aftermath of thieves using a delivery truck and a forklift to pull a safe through a concrete wall. Even though the safe was incredibly heavy, the fact that it was secured meant the thieves left the safe behind… along with a major mess!
And Make Sure you Check the Size… Inside & Out!
The second thing to consider that’s often overlooked is the dimensions of the safe. Yes, be sure to check the outer dimensions but also the interior dimensions. Obviously the external dimensions will determine the best place for installation. But some folks realise too late that the stuff they purchased the safe to secure is too large to fit inside! Many safes have shelving, and in many it’s adjustable. Make sure your aware of this beforehand because you don’t want to have to buy another even bigger lump of steel to install in your home and be left with the expensive empty, unused first one! So make sure the outside dimensions AND inside dimensions work for you.
A Note On Digital Passcodes
Many modern safes will have a digital, electronic lock as previously mentioned. These have many advantages, but there are some thing to be cautious about. Make sure that you remember your passcode (usually 4-6 digits). And it would be good to have that passcode stored somewhere secure as well and in a way it can’t be identified as a code to a safe. (Of course, don’t store it in the same safe!) Depending on your circumstances, make sure that your significant other or loved one also memorizes the code. That way they can access it in case of an emergency.
The codes should not be obvious (1234 for example). Make sure you change the code from the default code that the safe came with! And the code you select should not be easily linked to you (e.g. birth year). The more you use your safe, the more your brain and muscles will remember it. Although it can be complicated, depending on your situation, it is possible to have the safe manufacturer reset the codes if you can prove your ownership of the safe.