Ever thought of buying a Safe but not sure whether you really need one? Well my advice is that everyone ‘needs’ a safe and here’s the reason why.

I have often heard people say ‘I have nothing of any value to put in a safe!’ 

We all have things of value; maybe not all of great monetary value but sentimental value or even just things that if they were stolen would cause great inconvenience, passports, credit cards, spare car keys, jewellery, holiday money, heirlooms, to name just a few.

Safes come in many types and sizes, from small and inexpensive, some as little as £25 upto large and more expensive, usually for commercial use or where an insurance company has specified the need for a safe to keep specific items safe.

Here’s what to look out for and a few tips when considering buying a safe.

There is a large number of safe manufacturers and suppliers in the UK alone, all guaranteeing your money or valuables are “safe” with their product and you as the customer can have a tough decision to make, which one do you buy?

It’s worth noting that safes are rated by insurance companies by ‘Cash Cover’, the higher the cash cover the more secure a safe is considered and has been tested by a panel of experts. A safe with a £1000 cash rating is considered secure enough to hold ‘cash money’ up to the value of £1000, whereas a £3000 rated safe would be considered to be stronger and more secure. This is nothing to do with size, more construction and quality.

•Always consider the following:

•What kind of cash cover do you need? 

•What size of safe do you need?

•Is the safe mainly for cash, or jewellery or documents? 

•Where will the safe be best installed?

•Do I want Key operation or keypad locking?

Always check with your insurance company, inform them that you’re thinking of purchasing a safe and what they suggest your minimum cover should be. In most cases, the minimum insurance cover would be £1000-£3000 therefore you would require a £3000 cash rated safe, this will also give you £30,000 cover for valuables. Even the least expensive safes, often seen in supermarkets or DIY stores, have a cash rating of £1000.

I would always suggest getting advice from a Master Locksmiths Approved company, like Authorized Access Ltd in Bury, when deciding upon your safe, they are able to provide information and products that are best suited for your needs. Let them suggest locations where you can best have your safe installed. They’ll also tell you the pro’s and con’s of having a keypad or key locking safe.

Visit their showroom where their experienced staff will guide you through the process and ensure you get the right safe for you.

Safes even make great  presents for elderly relatives who might have carers visiting their home or students living away from home, there are many reasons you 'should' have a safe!