The Six biggest mistakes people make when buying a safe:

1. Buying a safe that doesn’t actually meet their requirements in terms of fire resistance or theft prevention

Fire resistant safes will keep the flames out, but the heat inside the safe can vary dramatically. This is particularly important when storing any type of electronic data or other material that will perish in hot environments.
Safes are often described as TDR or ‘Torch and Drill Resistant’ – however the level of protection can vary markedly as will the rated cash holding capacity of the safe

2. Buying a safe that is too small to store all their valuables

Safes need to have thick walls, so the outside dimensions are only one component of selecting the right safe. The internal volume needs to be big enough for you to store all the items you wish to protect.

3. Not talking to their insurance company before buying

Not only can the type and quality of the safe itself have an impact on your insurance premiums and how much an insurance company will cover you for, but the location and environmental factors will also play a part in determining your cover. Alarms, cameras, whether the safe is bolted to the floor, the floor material and whether it is to be adjacent an external wall are all important, and can influence which safe is right for your situation.

4. Forgetting to consider the size and weight of the safe for the location they want to use it

Safes can range up to several tons, and require special equipment to be shifted. Narrow passageways, flights of stairs, tight corners and other obstacles can all be impediments to getting your safe securely in place, and the floor it will sit on needs to be able to hold the weight of the safe when full.

5. Ignoring human factors such as ease of use

Even if you have the most secure safe in the world, it only works if your valuables are routinely stored inside it, and the safe is locked. Cumbersome or time consuming to open combination locks, time delay locks or heavy doors can be a real problem if staff avoid securing the safe and leave valuables out or the safe open. Similarly, have only one large safe some distance from staff work stations can also encourage valuables to be left unsecured.

6. Buying on line or not getting advice from a specialist

Many safes can look very similar to the untrained eye, yet the protection the provide can vary markedly. The design, construction, materials used and the locking mechanism are all elements that make up a safe’s protective characteristics, and small seemingly differences in construction can mean big differences in performance. Relying on specialist advice is the only way to be sure you are getting the security you need. Like anything, purchasing online brings numerous risks of its own.