Safe Cash Ratings Explained: What They Mean (and How to Boost Insurance Acceptance)

Cash ratings confuse people because they get treated like a promise. They’re not. Think of a cash rating as a starting point — and your final insurer acceptance depends on the safe plus how it’s installed and what security supports it (CCTV, monitored alarms, seismic sensors, etc.). This guide explains it in plain English, then gives you fast links to browse by cash-rating band.

Talk to a Safe Specialist Browse by Cash Rating Build Your “Security Stack”

In this guide

Quick clarity first, then filters + examples.

• What a cash rating is (and isn’t)
• What insurers actually look at
• How to increase accepted/insurable limits
• Browse by cash rating (fast links)
• Examples from our range
• FAQ

What a cash rating is (and what it isn’t)

This is where most people get it wrong.

Helpful tip: The best buy is usually the lowest tier that genuinely covers your risk. If you tell us what’s going in the safe (and where it’s going), we’ll steer you away from both overbuying and underbuying.

What insurers actually look at

Most insurers care about “time on tools” and “likelihood of success”.

Reality check: Two businesses can own the same safe and get different insurer limits because the risk scenario is different (location, operating hours, how cash is stored, existing security, and how long cash stays on-site).

• The safe itself: construction, locking, any burglary certification, and the cash rating guide.
• Anchoring & placement: bolted to concrete, not easily attacked from the sides/rear, not easily removed.
• Site security: CCTV, alarm monitoring, sensor coverage, lighting, controlled access.
• Operational controls: cash handling routines, banking frequency, time delays, staff access policies.

How to increase accepted/insurable limits (the security stack)

This is the part most people miss: insurers often accept higher limits when the safe is supported by measures that reduce attacker time and increase offender risk.

Supportive measure	What it does	Why it helps
Back-to-base monitoring	Creates fast escalation when there’s an intrusion or attack.	Reduces time on tools. Burglars hate anything that brings consequences quickly.
CCTV (covering the safe approach)	Deterrence + evidence; stronger again if monitored or paired with signage.	Increases perceived risk and reduces attacker confidence.
Seismic / vibration sensors	Detects drilling, grinding, hammering, movement attempts.	This is a genuine “multiplier” because it attacks the burglar’s main advantage: time.
Professional anchoring + smart placement	Stops removal; reduces leverage and tool access.	Prevents “we’ll take it and open it later” — a very real strategy.

Important: Supportive security can increase insurer acceptance significantly, but it’s always insurer/policy dependent. If you want, we’ll help you present the “full security picture” to your broker/insurer so the safe isn’t assessed in isolation.

Browse safes by cash rating (fast links)

These filters let you quickly view safes in the most common cash rating bands across all brands we stock.

$5k – $20k $20k – $50k $50k – $100k $100k – $500k

Browse by brand as well:

Dominator Secuguard Sentinel Spika

Examples from our range (click to compare)

These are common “stepping stone” options customers compare as they move up value bands.

FAQ

Want us to match a safe to your insurer’s expectations?

Tell us your value range, what you’re storing, and what security you already have (or plan to add). We’ll recommend the right cash rating band, safe type, and the supportive measures most likely to improve insurer acceptance — and we can deliver and install across Gold Coast & Northern NSW.

Get Advice + Install Options Visit Burleigh Heads Showroom

Note: Cash ratings are guides and insurer acceptance varies by policy and risk scenario. Always confirm requirements with your insurer.