Installing an alarm system is a preventive measure that can help prevent theft, fire or accidents in the home. In Quebec, a house, apartment or condo is visited every 9 minutes. Approximately 1 homeowner in 5 has a home alarm system. Most of the time, it's one of the other 4 that gets visited!
Choosing a home alarm system
Does my home insurance premium go down when I have an alarm system ?
It’s good to know that installing a home alarm system should lower your home insurance premium. We advise our customers to call their insurer to find out how much they could save.
To get a good discount on your premium, you’ll need to be connected to a central station. This way, firefighters will be sent to your home if there’s a fire alarm. The police will be sent if there’s a break-in, and so on. You can imagine that, in addition to being useful for yourself, it will cost an insurer quite a bit less in claims to serve a clientele equipped with an alarm system.
Here’s an important tip: if for any reason you interrupt your connection to the central station, you absolutely must tell your insurer. Otherwise, in the event of a claim, you’ll be in default and won’t be covered.
WHAT EQUIPMENT SHOULD A GOOD BASIC SYSTEM CONTAIN?
Let’s say we’re talking about a condo. It should contain:
• A control panel that connects the system to the control panel
• A keypad (to enter codes)
• Two magnetic door detectors
• One motion detector
• One smoke detector
• Internal siren for intrusion
SHOULD YOU RENT OR BUY YOUR ALARM SYSTEM?
Buying will cost less than renting, but will require a larger initial outlay. Let’s say that when you buy the system for your home, you should expect a monthly fee of $20 to be connected to the control panel, with no contractual obligation.
Alternatively, you can lease a system that you’ll own after 3 to 5 years. For around $30 (or more) a month, the system is installed and connected to the house. The advantage is that you don’t have to pay the initial purchase price.
A word of advice for those who leased an alarm system before July 2010: negotiate your premiums downwards at the end of your contract, otherwise you’ll continue to pay a premium that includes the cost of purchasing your system. In July 2010, the Consumer Protection Act was passed, protecting customers against this situation.
WHERE DO YOU BUY AN ALARM SYSTEM?
At your home! A good company should always visit its customers to assess the equipment that will be required to meet their needs in relation to your home.
In the residential sector, prevention is better than cure, so take the time to choose the right system for your home.