Am I insured if my locks aren't BS3621 standard?

When you’re seeking quotes for home insurance from insurance providers, you may be asked if the locks on your doors and windows are BS3621 standard approved.

What you may find is that if your locks don’t meet these standards, your insurance policy won’t pay out in the event of a claim.

What is BS3621 standard?

British Standards Institute (BSI) approves thief-resistant locks by the BS3621 standard.

Many insurance companies require door and window locks to be fitted to BS3621 standard as they have been tested to ensure they can withstand burglary methods, including drilling and picking.

The types of locks that can conform to BS3621 are:

• Mortice sash lock and mortice deadlock (for mortice locks to meet the BS3621 standard, the door lock should have at least 5 levers, a 3-lever mortice lock can’t be British Standard Kitemarked to BS3621).
• Euro deadlock and sash lock.
• Rim cylinder locks such as night latches and rim locks.

For a lock to meet BS3621 requirements, it has to have:

• 5 levers having at least a 1000 key differs.
• Measures to stop the picking of the 5 levers.
• Anti-pick qualities.
• Hard plates to protect from drilling.
• A minimum of 20mm bolt into a frame.

When assessing the merits of home security, insurance providers like to see British Standard BS3621 locks fitted at all access points.

How to identify a BS3621 standard lock

First, check the faceplate of the lock for the British Standard Kitemark (BSI). The large kite sign is usually engraved into the metal.

You should also see the BS3621 standard stamped on the plate. It may also have a number after it, depending on the year of manufacture.

Will my insurer insist on a BS3621 lock?

Some insurers do not specify the type of lock as an exact requirement. However, many do because they know these locks are safe and reliable and meet a high level of security.

If your locks don’t conform to BS3621 standards, then you should consider upgrading them. Some insurers will offer a discount on their policies if you have BS3621 locks in place on your doors and windows.

These locks are respected by insurers because they’ve been designed, tested, and approved to meet the security standards of the BS3621 assessment. As a result, insurance providers will consider homes that have them fitted to be at a lower risk of break-in.

For your own peace of mind, it’s worth checking to see if the locks in your home or business meet the BS3621 standard. If they don’t, you should consider replacing them as part of a security upgrade.

Front, back, patio doors and ground floor windows should be your priority, but you may also want to check the locks on garages, sheds, and other outbuildings.