What Safe Do I Need for Home Insurance? A Complete UK Guide
28th Apr 2026
What Safe Do I Need for Home Insurance? A Complete UK Guide
If you've been told by your home insurer that you need a safe, or you're looking to increase your cover for cash and valuables at home, it's important to understand that not just any safe will do. Insurers have specific requirements around security grades and cash ratings — and if your safe doesn't meet them, your claim could be rejected.
This guide explains everything you need to know to choose a safe that your insurer will accept.
Do I Need a Safe for Home Insurance?
Most standard home insurance policies will cover a limited amount of cash and jewellery without any special requirements. However, if you want to increase your cover beyond the standard limit — or if you store significant amounts of cash or high-value jewellery at home — your insurer will almost certainly require you to keep those items in an approved safe.
Some insurers specify the exact type of safe required. Others simply require a safe that meets a minimum security standard. It's always worth checking your policy documents or calling your insurer before purchasing.
What is a Cash Rating?
The cash rating of a safe is the industry-standard measure used by insurers to determine how much cash they'll cover when it's stored inside. The relationship works on a 1:10 ratio — so a safe with a £1,000 cash rating will typically cover £10,000 worth of valuables (jewellery, watches, documents etc.).
Here's a quick guide to common cash ratings and what they cover:
| Cash Rating | Typical Valuables Cover |
|---|---|
| £1,000 | Up to £10,000 |
| £2,500 | Up to £25,000 |
| £6,000 | Up to £60,000 |
| £10,000 | Up to £100,000 |
These figures are a general guide — your insurer may have different ratios, so always confirm with them directly.
What is a Eurograde Safe?
Eurograde is the European security grading standard for safes, tested and certified to the EN 1143-1 standard. Each grade has a minimum cash rating:
| Eurograde | Minimum Cash Rating |
|---|---|
| Grade 0 | £6,000 |
| Grade 1 | £10,000 |
| Grade 2 | £17,500 |
| Grade 3 | £35,000 |
| Grade 4 | £60,000 |
For most home insurance purposes, a Grade 0 or Grade 1 safe will be sufficient. If you hold extremely high-value items, your insurer may require a higher grade.
Does My Safe Need to Be Fixed?
Yes — most insurers require the safe to be permanently fixed to the floor or wall. A freestanding safe, no matter how heavy, can be removed from a property by determined thieves. Fixing the safe significantly increases its resistance to removal and is a standard insurer requirement.
When you purchase a safe from Ace Safes, our installation teams can fix the safe securely to a solid floor or wall anywhere in the UK, ensuring it meets your insurer's requirements.
What About Fire Safes?
Standard fire safes are not the same as security safes and generally do not carry a cash or valuables rating acceptable to insurers. If you want to protect documents from fire and meet your insurer's requirements for valuables, you'll need a safe that is both fire-rated and carries an appropriate security/cash rating.
Some models in our range combine both — ask our team for advice if this is a requirement.
What Should I Tell My Insurer?
When you've chosen a safe, your insurer will typically want to know:
- The make and model of the safe
- The cash rating or Eurograde
- Whether it has been professionally fixed to the floor or wall
- The locking mechanism (key, electronic or combination)
Keep your safe's documentation — including any certificates and the installation receipt — in a safe place outside the safe itself.
Not Sure Which Safe You Need?
Ace Safes has been helping homeowners and businesses choose the right safe since 1979. Our team can advise on exactly which model and grade meets your insurer's requirements and arrange professional installation anywhere in the UK.
Call us on 0800 373943 (Mon–Fri, 08:30–17:00) or browse our range of cash safes, Eurograde safes and reconditioned safes.