Could your door locks invalidate your home insurance?

The answer is YES if you do not have the right level of security and quality.

In the unfortunate event you are a victim of a burglary, you do not want to give your insurance company any room to wriggle out of their responsibilities.

Make sure that your locks and locking mechanisms are insurance approved, are functioning correctly and have the right level of security protection.

British Standard locks have been through strict testing which includes strength, durability and security tests.

These locks are then re-assessed and re-tested to provide the confidence regarding their safety, quality and reliability. So look out for the symbol opposite on your locks.

Luckily, there are lots of high quality locks on the market. All of which satisfy the requirements of insurance companies. In fact, when you are looking for quotes for home insurance (specifically contents insurance) many insurance companies stipulate the standard of lock required for their policies.

High security Euro Cylinder locks

Euro cylinder locks are types of household door locks are very common nowadays. They are typically found on uPVC and composite doors where they are fitted in conjunction with a multi-point locking system. They can also be used with some mortice locks and on aluminium doors.

A Euro cylinder operates with a series of spring loaded pins that move to the required position when the key is inserted so that the key can turn. There are a huge variety of brands and manufacturers in the marketplace and the levels of cost, quality and security can vary greatly. Look for security features such as anti-snap and anti-drill and make sure they meet the requirements of your insurance provider.

There are a variety of types of euro cylinder locks on the market but the the 3* cylinder is the highest security classification. This grade should be able to resist the known methods of forced entry, i.e. drilling, picking, bumping, snapping and pulling. You can find out more information on Euro cylinder locks in our recent article.

Please also be aware that, if a burglary occurs, an insurance company may not pay out if:

A key was used to gain entry
The door was not properly locked
The lock was not fitted correctly
There is some kind of malfunction on the lock or locking mechanism

If you’re unsure whether your door locks could invalidate your home insurance, are ready to upgrade your locks or for further information Contact Lock Guy – Independent Locksmith Services

Got a question about a lock issue you may have? Why not have a look at the FAQ page or one of the helpful advice videos on the Media page.