Cash and Fire Ratings
General Safe Information Fire Resistant Safes and Cabinets – what are Fire Ratings?
The fire rating indicates the level of protection the safe or cabinet will provide its contents if exposed to extreme heat and fire. Fire safe ratings are based on specific time periods that the safe will withstand effect from a fire. Fire Rating levels are 30mins, 1 hour and 2 hours. There are various authorities and sources that provide fire ratings by undertaking various ranges of testing methods. Common testing authorities include;- U.L – Underwriters Laboratory
- J.I.S – Japanese Industrial Standard
- K.I.S – Korean Industrial Standard
- ASNZS – Australian New Zealand Standards
- Private Laboratory Testing
What are Cash Ratings?
Theft and burglar resistant safes are tested and then rated by the amount of time an intruder takes to break into a safe. A cash rating will then be provided ranging from $5,000 – $500,000 in a non-supported situation (eg. no monitored alarm). If a monitored alarm is present the cash rating may be doubled (varying on your insurance company). In most instances insurance companies will cash rate a safe based on:- Materials used to manufacture the safe and thickness of the walls, door & body
- Barrier materials used to fill the walls, body & door of the safe
- The type and quantity of the locks on the safe door
- The quality of the mechanism holding the door when in the locked position
- Re-locking devises attached to the mechanism to prevent forced entry
