There was a time not that long ago when the most effective tool against breaking and entry was a simple three-word sign that you could buy at any hardware store: BEWARE OF DOG. Of course, as most dog owners know, our canine friends can be quite unreliable judge of character when it comes to determining when friend or foe is in the back yard (or it could be just a squirrel, too).
Canadian homeowners, especially those living in affluent neighbourhoods, have houses that are protected like Fort Knox. Motion sensor lights, night-vision cameras, surveillance systems that tap into your cellphone network, home speakers that pick up snippets of conversation — it’s rather ironic that we’re more paranoid about neighbours walking dogs at 2:00 a.m. than we are about our online presence.
Still, human beings are fallible. We leave the garage door open. The latch on the basement window is broken. That sliding window onto the deck doesn’t always go ‘click’ when you push down the lock. Our fortresses are vulnerable to black-clad cat burglars with shoe polish on their faces.
The gold standard for many years has been the centralized alarm system set up by a security firm such as ADT or Arpel (their signs on front lawns and door stickers are the 2021 equivalent of “Beware of Dog.”)
These companies are facing some stiff competition from internet/cell phone providers such as TELUS and Rogers; both of which offer a wide range of plans starting as low as $12.00 per month for a self-monitored smart camera to a Cadillac package with motion sensors, cameras, cell phone app access and a direct line to activate fire and police services. Many of these companies have very aggressive pricing right now.
And the fully-wired smart home can truly provide peace of mind. From carbon monoxide monitors and smoke detectors to alarm systems that automatically connect to local fire and police agencies, home security systems won’t keep you up at night worrying about intruders. Unless, of course, they’re activated in the middle of the night.
There’s further good news in that many insurance companies offer discounts—as high as 20% annually—if you purchase a central alarm system though, it should be noted, the monthly subscription service must be factored in).
Our Insurely Guide’s are always around to answer your questions and we try to make it light and easy for you to understand. Schedule a call with us so we can answer all your questions.
