Car insurance - Tips & Advice - Car Security

If you’ve bought a new car, the chances are it has an alarm or immobiliser. If not, it’s quite straightforward to have one fitted.

Look for an alarm that is Thatcham-approved (www.thatcham.org), as Thatcham is the leading safety researcher for the motor industry, working to ensure that safety devices meet a decent standard. Thatcham publishes a list of alarms that can be fitted to your car and this is a good guide as to what you should be buying.

Older cars may need an alarm installed. You are unlikely to be sufficiently skilled to install one yourself; use a Vehicle Systems Installation Board (VSIB)-approved installer, as this will give you better comeback if there is any problem later. You should follow the manufacturer’s guidelines on having the alarm serviced.

The car alarm at its simplest is a group of sensors attached to a siren. Your first task when selecting one will be to ascertain how many sensors you’ll need – should every vibration set your alarm off, or should you opt for something simpler? The very simplest will have a sensor on the driver’s door; bear in mind that people can of course get in through other doors and windows.

Part of your decision will depend on the value of your car and its contents. Assuming you take all your valuables with you, which is always advisable, it’s the value of your car that is at stake. The more upmarket the alarm, the more you get; for example, you can have interior pressure sensors and cover for all the doors. The top end motor security devices feature an option to have an electronic immobiliser as well, which will means that without a signal from your key or key card the car simply won’t move.

Do make sure that your alarm is working all the time. If it goes off repeatedly, not only will it be a nuisance to others and a possible target for your local council’s noise abatement department, but also people will disregard it when it goes off. This could result in your car being stolen because everyone thinks the car is ‘crying wolf’!

At Direct Line we offer good value with great service and if you need any help or advice, we’re always ready to take your call from one of our UK-based call centres.

To see how Direct Line can provide a good deal better on your car insurance, get a quote now.