Safe ratings exist so you can compare units on tested performance rather than on how solid they look. They also decide how much your insurer will cover. These are the three that matter.
Cash ratings
Burglary-resistant safes are tested by how long a skilled attacker with power tools takes to get in. From that, a cash rating is set — commonly ranging from $5,000 up to $500,000 without a monitored alarm. With a monitored alarm the rating may be doubled, depending on your policy.
Insurers generally assess a cash rating on:
- The materials used and the thickness of the walls, door and body.
- The barrier material filling the walls, body and door.
- The type and number of locks on the door.
- The quality of the door’s locking mechanism.
- Re-locking devices that trigger on a forced-entry attempt.
A quality burglary-resistant safe carries its certification on the inside of the door. Testing is done by independent accredited institutes, and grades run from 0 up to VI for safes and XIII for vaults. The grade matters for insurance: contents are only covered to the correct value if the safe carries the appropriate grade. Higher grade, higher resistance, higher cash rating.
Fire ratings
A fire rating tells you how long the safe is tested to protect its contents from extreme heat — typically 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours or 4 hours. A quality fire-resistant safe has a certification plate fixed inside the door stating the level of protection.
The rating is specific to what is inside. Different materials fail at different temperatures: data media typically deteriorates around 52°C, while paper documents need protection only above roughly 177°C. A safe rated for paper will not necessarily save a hard drive, a USB stick or film.
Reputable manufacturers have their units tested by recognised fire laboratories, using a fire endurance test, a fire impact or drop test, and an explosion hazard test.
Burglary ratings
Burglary ratings indicate the degree of protection against an attack, commonly expressed from B-Rate to C-Rate and above. Again, a quality unit carries a certification plate inside the door showing it has been tested to industry standards and at what level.
Testing is carried out by an accredited institute. Experienced safe engineers attack the unit with modern power tools — high-speed grinders and drills, oxy-acetylene, crowbars, sledgehammers and other cutting equipment — and the rating reflects the construction, the size, the tools permitted, the time taken and the skill applied.
How to use the ratings
- Ask the insurer firstGet the required cash or jewellery rating in writing before you shop. It is the cheapest step in the whole process and the one people skip.
- Match the fire rating to the contentsPaper and digital media are different problems. If you are storing both, you need a media-rated unit or a media insert.
- Remember installation is part of the ratingMost ratings assume the safe is anchored as the manufacturer specifies. An unanchored safe can be carried away and opened elsewhere.
- Check the plate, not the marketingCertification lives on a plate inside the door. If a unit has no plate, treat any rating claim with caution.
Want help matching a rating to what your insurer has asked for? Email support@vipvaultdirect.cam with the figure and what you are storing, and we will send you the units that meet it.