Home Alarm Monitoring: Why It Matters Today
Burglary is certainly not a victimless crime; in fact, the FBI Uniform Crime Report states that victims of burglary offenses suffered an estimated $4.7 billion in property losses in 2012. Of course, the emotional toll that burglary takes is also significant.
Fortunately, it is possible to significantly minimize your chances of suffering the financial and emotional impact of burglary. The first step to protecting your personal possessions and helping everyone in your household feel more secure is installing a monitored home security system.
Why are monitored home security systems better?
Why do you want a monitored alarm, as opposed to one that merely emits a siren to scare off intruders? The reason is this: A monitored alarm is connected to an attended monitoring center, where agents are standing by 24 hours a day to respond to all activated alarm signals. But take note: all home alarm monitoring services are created or operated equally. When you are ready to choose one, you need to do your homework and make sure you select a home monitoring systems provider that:
- Has credible name recognition
- Is BBB accredited
- Is Underwriters Laboratories (UL) listed
Why are these traits important? Because they ensure that the provider is among the most trusted home security monitoring companies. Unfortunately, news reports of “fly by night” home alarm system monitoring businesses are flooding the airwaves these days; companies that are here today, gone tomorrow leave countless defrauded customers in their wake.
That’s why it’s so important to choose a home security alarm monitoring company that has strong name recognition. If it is a localized alarm dealer, check to be sure it is at least affiliated with a nationally recognized name in home security.
Choosing a Home Security Monitoring Provider
The good news is, there are many high quality home security monitoring services that have years of experience under their belts, and an affiliation with one or more nationally known security brands. But name recognition isn’t the only criterion. You also want fast response times.
Each home security monitoring service has its own center, which contacts authorities to be dispatched to the scene. When an alarm is activated, the best home alarm monitoring companies answer those activations in a matter of just a few seconds. You want a low cost home alarm monitoring service you can afford, of course, but efficacy should be the #1 priority – and the efficacy of a home monitoring service is largely measured by its response to customers’ alarms.
Another factor in effectiveness is the ability to accommodate customers who don’t own a landline phone; the best home security monitoring providers will be able to do this, using radio and/or cellular technology that connect to the wireless home monitoring alarm.
Lowest Price Home Alarm Monitoring: Cost Information
For those who are concerned about cost and are in search of the cheapest home alarm monitoring available, you should know that some companies offer free home alarm monitoring for a period of time (one month, for example) to customers who transfer their service. Often, this is one of the few cost advantages that a home alarms monitoring provider can offer. The cost of monthly alarm monitoring does vary slightly between companies, but cost comparisons will reveal that the difference is not always very significant.
Other Cost Advantages of Home Alarm Monitoring
One cost-related advantage that is available to all customers of a home alarm monitoring service is the insurance discount. Nearly every insurance carrier offers a homeowners insurance discount to customers who own a monitored home security system; in fact, some offer a discount as substantial as 20% off. This is another great reason to invest in a monitored security system; it saves homeowners money in more ways than one.