Alarm Systems

5Alive · Alarm Systems

So i need to have a Cat 1 alarm system in my 5 for the insurance to be valid. Does anyone know much about Cat's for alarm systems as i have read up on t'net and i'm now confoooosed !! I had a full alarm system thats Cat 1 and yet i have seen a fancy crook lock thats Cat 1 as well ????

dj..john

Think cats cats matey. If its cat 1 doesnt matter if its alarm or crooklock I think?

5Alive

Need to know for sure mate, can't fanny about with it could be ok when it comes to insurance.

Cheers

dj..john

Best bets t ring your insurance and ask em mate!!

roadsterbloke

ive got a cobra immoboliser, you get a certificate with em saying cat 1 thatcham approved, i fax this to the insurance and they are quite happy, the alarm is just listed as an extra,

cat 1 alarms for soft tops _

Thatcham category 1 alarms differ from soft top cars and hard top cars and you will need to buy an alarm with a microwave interior sensor for an open top car. All other vehicles can be fitted with a Thatcham cat 1 alarm with either an ultrasonic interior sensor or microwave sensor.

i have a microwave alarm fitted, www.microscanalarms.co.uk

£110 from motormania, fitted in 2hrs by me,

http://www.thatchamsecurity.co.uk...1/aftermarket/microscan_an550.htm

5Alive

Ok in that case i need to get a new alarm system. I will speak to insurance company anyhow as i have been speaking to them daily and know them all by name now as im still waiting to get the Justy claim sorted.

jd_975

Hi mate here is my (limited) understanding of the insurance/security requirements, most insurance company`s will ask for a minimum of cat 2 immobiliser on any non uk car, despite the uk car not being equipped with the same, on high performance or modified/turbo`d cars they will normally insist on a cat 1 alarm system, vague definitions as below:

1. cat 2, a passive anti theft system, i.e. anything that prevents theft of a car without actually warning nearby people of actions involving the car, examples would be an immobiliser (normally required to be at least 2 circuit, generally ignition and fuel) some steering locks are covered by this providing they are fitted at time of attempted theft, the onus is on you to prove this!

2. cat 1, an active anti theft system with battery backed up siren warning of and preventing any theft or intrusion of/from the vehicle, hard wired with interior detection (microwave on soft tops as conventional sensors just dont work!) 2 circuit immobilisation and various other features.

3. thatcham approved systems of either kind consist of all black wiring which has to be hidden beyond any reasonable attempts to uncover it, wiring diagrams are unavailable to the general public and any identifiable tags are removed, control units are generally metal cased and have to be inaccessible to all reasonable measures, sirens are battery backed up and not easy to take apart so if someone cuts the battery wires it still goes off, if someone chops the siren wires it still goes off, there is a lot more too it but thats the basics and as i`ve said not word for word law. As I believe it, any steering lock etc that you fit yourself is at very best cat 2 due to being passive, one of them it says oxo on the side of buses but they dont sell it situations a think.

The one thing I do know is no system that you install yourself is cat 1 approved, there are exceptions to this but it basically involves having the whole system checked and certified by a thatcham installer and signed off to say that its basically the same job as they would have done themselves so it doesnt work out any cheaper. Insurance company`s vary, some will ask for this before they will insure you and some will only ask in the event of a claim. One way or another if it results in a claim and you havent done it right its gonna cost ya! Any way you look at it there are people out there fitting decent quality thatcham 1 approved alarms for sub 200 quid money, it might not be piece of mind (if like me your of the belief no matter what you have fitted to your car if someone wants it they will have it!) but you get the right certificates and its one of them things yo have to do and you get a little flashing red light to deter the wannabes.

roadsterbloke

yep, i know the part about diy's is true, i had the cobra immobilser fitted & got the cert, this keeps the insurance happy, my microwave alarm is listed as an extra security feature but not certified, it beeps if anyone breaks the boundary around the car when armed, just to deter them from slashing the roof to see if the little red red light is a fake

jd_975

Dont know if anyones ever heard one but I used to have a talking alarm system years back lol, if someone came too close to the car it bellowed `WARNING PROTECTED BY SECURITY SYSTEM... STAND BACK!` at them, was a bit daft but great fun seeing the look on pensioners faces when they walked past and it yelled at them

5Alive

Thanks for the advice guys i will be making some calls tomorrow.