The Irish Safe Ratings Group (ISRG)

The Irish Safes Ratings Group (ISRG) maintains and updates expert guidance to the recommended insurance rates of cash and jewellery cover for certified safes, strong rooms and secure cabinets conforming to European standards EN14450, EN1143-1, EN1143-2, for the Republic of Ireland. ISRG rates are the considered assessment of senior risk managers working with major insurance companies in Ireland. The work has been observed by the National Standards Authority of Ireland, The Private Security Authority of Ireland and has been assisted by the European Security Systems Association (ESSA) and the European Certification Board (ECB-S). Similar groups are to be found in most European countries.

The Irish Safes Rating Group inaugural meeting was held on the 18th of May 2016 at 12 Merrion Square Dublin 2

The group was formed at the request of the European Security Systems Association (ESSA) to make and periodically update recommended insurance ratings related to the overnight cash cover for certified safes, strong rooms and secure cabinets. EN14450, EN1143-1, EN1143-2.

Inaugural meeting attendees were;

• Dr. Ian Cowan – The National Standards Authority of Ireland senior standards officer
• Dr. Markus Heering – ECBS – ESSA – Managing director
• Falko Adomat – ESSA – ECBS – CEN Committee 263 Secretary - Certification engineer
• Paul Scallan – Private Security Authority CEO
• Paul Mullen – Chubb Insurance – Senior risk consultant
• Ciaran Roache – FBD Insurance – Senior risk manager
• Jason Kelly – Secretary of the Association of Irish Risk Management – Travelers Insurance senior insurance risk surveyor
• Cahill McGuire – SAVTA (Safe And Vault Technicians Association)
• Peter Walsh – Electronics expert – NATO contractor
• Alan Donohoe Redd – CEN committee 263 member – ESSA Member – I.S.R.G. Convenor - NATO supplier 

Insurance rates for safes are published for most European countries and are a helpful guide, usually sourced directly from the insurance industry, for clients in choosing a safe appropriate to a given risk. The recommended amounts related display for each certified grade of safe in relation to cash and jewellery cover are for indicative purposes only. Actual insurance cover is subject to approval by an insurer on a case-by-case basis, so before investing in any safe it is important to consult your insurance provider beforehand however it is the client’s responsibility to ensure that the grade or specification of safe chosen is properly certified.

Inflated insurance rates

Many safe suppliers continue to advertise inflated insurance rates for safes on sale in Ireland that are neither conversions of U.K. Sterling rates nor I.S.R.G. rates. To make matters worse, EN14450 "Secure Cabinets", products which are not safes, are frequently presented as both being "safes" and having ratings, a practice that is quite widespread. In all cases, fictitious insurance rates for cabinets and safes are presented as being achievable without the need for an intruder alarm installed on the premises where the safe is fitted. An idea that would never be entertained by any Irish risk manager, or any insurance organisation for that matter.

EU Parliament regulation 765/2008 created the system that provides the legal basis of accreditation for the burglary resistance certification of safes. The ultimate protection against misrepresentation and a legal proof of standard of burglary resistance, accredited European certification is the most important factor in maintaining insurance cover long term, as well as being the basis for all insurance rate recommendations in Europe. If you consider that 70% of safes tested for burglary resistance by accredited European testing labs fail on the first attempt the practical implications of accepting unaccredited claims of burglary resistance are obvious.

These are the logos of the four certification bodies with accreditation to ISO IEC17065 to certify safes to European standards you will most likely encounter on a genuine certification plate in Ireland.

A safe with properly accredited European certification of burglary resistance will display at least one stamped metal certification plate with one of these logos on the inside of the door. This will always be a stamped metal plate, never a sticker.

An accredited certification plate for a safe will display the word "SAFE" , the standard EN1143-1, and the logo of an accredited certification body (not the manufacturer), the burglary resistance grade in Roman numerals, and most importantly, will often provide confirmation that the certification body is accredited to ISO/IEC 17065.

The Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) (UK) The Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) (UK) is a mark commonly encountered in the Irish market. LPCB has issued "certification" plates for safes (European standard EN1143-1) and secure cabinets (European standard EN14450) for many years, despite the fact the body has never been an accredited certification body for the burglary resistance of safes, not even in the UK, according to the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). LPCB "certification" plates are in a similar format to properly accredited European certification, however, an ISO/IEC17065 accreditation which will be present on most accredited certification plates will be absent from an LPCB plate. The fact that LPCB claim to certify their own tests runs counter to any norms in Europe where both the tester and the certifier are legally required to be independent bodies. LPCB certification claims should not be confused with properly accredited European certification, which has a basis in European law as proof of standard, and on which all safe ratings in Europe are based.

Some insurers may decide that a higher cover is warranted based on their risk assessment, some may decide the specification of the safe is not adequate or may insist on various types of monitoring. For higher levels of cover a certain amount of negotiation is to be expected and additional measures may be required to mitigate risk. All recommended insurance rates in Europe are based on accredited European certification constituting a legal proof of standard. 

The rates shown below presume a monitored intruder alarm is installed on the premises where the safe is anchored.

The European standard for secure cabinets is: EN14450 The European standard for safes is: EN1143-1 The European standard for deposit safes is: EN1143-2
Amounts in €1000 units Contents cover is five times cash rating
Grade	Standard	Type	Cash	Jewellery / Contents
S1	EN 14450	Secure Cabinet	NA	NA
S2	EN 14450	Secure Cabinet	NA	NA
0	EN 1143-1	Safe	€7,500.00	€37,500.00
I	EN 1143-1 / EN 1143-2	Safe / Deposit Safe	€12,500.00	€62,500.00
II	EN 1143-1 / EN 1143-2	Safe / Deposit Safe	€25,000.00	€125,000.00
III	EN 1143-1 / EN 1143-2	Safe / Deposit Safe	€50,000.00	€250,000.00
IV	EN 1143-1 / EN 1143-2	Safe / Deposit Safe	€90,000.00	€450,000.00
V	EN 1143-1	Safe	€150,000.00	€750,000.00
VI	EN 1143-1	Safe	€200,000.00	€1000,000.00

• Recommended amounts are for indicative purposes only and are subject to approval by the insurer on a case by case basis
• Certified deposit safes are only available in grade 1 to 5 and display the certification EN1143-2. Any other mark not accepted
• Certified safes with a weight of <1000 kg must be anchored at the place of installation in accordance with the EN1143-1 specification
• NA – Not advised
• PA – Prior approval recommended – It’s necessary to discuss this cover in detail with your insurance company as it falls outside normal recommendations

Download A Copy Of ISRG Rates - June 2020

 For confidential expert advice call: +353 1 7076011

Certified Safes Ireland™ director Alan Donohoe Redd is a member of the European CEN263 Working Group responsible for writing European Standards for safes, strongrooms (vaults), secure cabinets and physical data protection for the European Union. A registered NATO supplier and a longstanding member of the European Security Systems Association, Alan has a vast range of experience spanning almost 40 years and encompassing installation of safes, strongrooms, physical data protection, CCTV, alarms, access control, secure storage control systems and Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) specification, design, and installation.

Alan is an expert on standards and fraud issues related to secure storage in Europe and the UK, has had articles related to these subjects published by The Law Society Gazette and Irish Broker Magazine, has forced retractions of multiple false claims related to secure storage offerings to the public, including some published by the Irish Times, and has been pivotal in having misleading standards and practises recognised and withdrawn in Ireland, the UK and at a European level.

Alan's expertise has been relied on by:

N.A.T.O. Europe, The U.S. Air Force (Europe), PayPal (Worldwide), Grant Thornton, The Department Of Communications (NCSC Cyber Security) (Ireland), The Revenue Commissioners, Electricity Supply Board (Cyber Security) (Ireland), The Danish Defence Forces (Afghanistan), The Insurance Institute of Ireland, The Royal College Of Surgeons, BFC Bank, Interxion Data Centres, The Private Security Authority, Isle of Man Gold Bullion, Brown Thomas, Bvlgari, Boodles, Druids Glen, The Shelbourne Hotel, and many others ....

Alan's seminars on safes, strongrooms and HNW secure storage have been part of Continuing Professional Development for underwriters and insurers having been awarded CPD points by the Insurance Institute of Ireland and the Chartered Insurance Institute (UK).