The Association of Insurance Surveyors has announced the introduction of their AIS Approved Safe Scheme, Lick Fitch, Chairman of AIS says:

The express purpose of this scheme is to make buying a safe simpler for everyone; the insurance underwriter, the supplier and the end user. Brilliant says Dave of Locksmith Manchester.

When a pan-European standard for testing and rating cash safes was introduced some years ago it was hoped that it would make choosing a safe much easier.

Safes would be tested against a performance standard and a resistance grade awarded, from O to VI. Policyholders would simply be advised to install a safe of a specified grade. This is fantastic says Mike from Locksmith Manchester.

Even before the ink was dry on the agreement, there were claims that not all test houses were applying the standards with equal vigour, thereby gaining advantage over their competitors, continues Mick Fitch.

Today, the certificates issued by some test houses are either no longer accepted by leading insurers or their awarded resistance grades are substantially reduced. This has caused considerable confusions and reduced confidence in EN standards.

Under the new AIS Approved Safe Scheme, manufacturers and suppliers will be invited to submit test certificates to an AIS scrutiny panel.

Safes receiving the thumbs up from AIS will be entitled to display an AIS Approved sticker on their product and see it marked s approved on the AIS annual Safe List the insurance industry is primary guide to safe indemnity levels.

They will also feature on a list of approved safes on www.insurancesurveyor.org. Mick reckons this is great news from Locksmith Manchester.