On Fri, 15 Feb 2013 23:05:14 +0000 (GMT), charles
wrote:

In article ,
Peter Parry wrote:


As has already been pointed out it is usually a very bad idea to say
you have an alarm for insurance purposes unless it is a proper
monitored Redcare type, not the noddy ADT type auto diallers which are
very simple to disable.

Redcare monitoring cost a small fortune, and won't work if the phone line
is cut.

Redcare is expensive, but works very well if the line is cut. Firstly
it continuously monitors the line state and generates an alert within
about half a minute of a line fault and secondly in most modern
installations switches to a radio backup to still detect sensor
activation.

Automatic dialling alarms on the other hand take e few seconds and
require no tools to disable. They are treated by the police as a Type
B alarm (the same class as bells only) and activation of them will not
generate a police response.

The problem with having an alarm declared to insurers is that
insurers, in the event of a break in will often want proof the alarm
activated to prove the "break in" was not done by someone resident in
the house. In most cases it is impossible with a bells only alarm to
provide such proof.

both my home installed and my pro one have logs which show what caused the
activation.

Having a display purporting to detect an alarm activation which is
very easy for the user to set to show any date or time they like may
not be very acceptable to an insurer.

Also bear in mind police forces do not, as a matter of policy, react
to bells only alarm as over 99% are false alarms. If a neighbour
phones the police and reports an alarm activation they will be
referred to the local council noise abetment unit. Only if they phone
and say the alarm has gone off and they can see someone loading your
belongings into a van might someone turn up, eventually.

When our theatre was broken into, the police got there, called by a
neighbour, before I ddi.

From the ACPO guidance "Association of Chief Police Officer of
England, Wales & Northern Ireland
Police Response to Security Systems Jan 2013"


"3.4.2 To obtain police attendance, Type B systems will require some
additional indication from a person at the scene that a criminal
offence is in progress which indicates that police response is
required. This will require human intervention such as member of
public, owner or agent visiting, or viewing the premises. The
addition of electronic means to provide confirmation will not promote
such systems to Type A or achieve police response.

3.4.3 There is no guarantee of police response to Type B systems.
Type B calls should be passed to the police by public telephone lines
or 999 as appropriate. The level of police response will depend on
the quality of the information received"

"3.4.5 Calls received from non compliant ARCs/RVRCs and calls from
compliant ARCs/RVRCs without a valid URN will not receive a police
response unless circumstances outlined in 3.4.2 and 3.4.3 above
applies."