Monitored va unmonitored alarm. (insurance, home, safe neighborhood)

[ajcorpus]

Hello,

It’s time to renew my alarm contract and this time around I was wondering if there is truly a benefit for an alarm that is centrally monitored. I have heard of break ins in my neighborhood but in all of these, the burglars are gone by the time police arrives. The siren of the alarm being set off I believe helps to get these guys out, but is there truly an advantage of me calling the cops myself after I see an alarm go off, or the central monitoring station calling the cops. Just curious to see what you all think.

[mikeyyc]

Your insurance discount won't apply to an unmonitored system. That's about the only value.

[TheMoreYouKnow]

The only thing I rely on my home alarm for is the protection of my life and my family, by the time some alarm monitoring company calls 911 and has an officer show up a thief will be long gone. Everything is insured for when I'm not here and if I am here and someone breaks in to steal something they'll get shot.

[Failed Engineer]

Really not much of a benefit aside from the insurance discount, IMO. Shop around for the monitoring though. Prices run the gamut. Don’t pay more than 16-18/month.

[Ghost Town]

Originally Posted by TheMoreYouKnow

Everything is insured for when I'm not here and if I am here and someone breaks in to steal something they'll get shot.

Really everything? But how about the deductible?

[Corvette Ministries]

Let's see. One may or may not scare the intruders off, ensures the police arrive several minutes after the fact, (and after the security company calls to see if it's a false alarm or not,) and in some jurisdictions generates a charge if the police show up and nobody was home to determine it was indeed a false alarm, and costs $15- $75 a month.

The other may or may not scare the intruders off.

[TFW46]

Thanks for asking this question. I've had alarm monitoring for many years and have wondered if it's worth paying so much money every month. One time my neighbor accidentally set off my alarm and the cops never showed up (even after the alarm company called and no one answered the phone), so I may just try not having the monitoring.

[Even Further]

I would do monitored. Smith Thompson is reasonably priced. Some might not be scared off so easily, or go back for more if nobody shows up.

[travelguy_73]

If you live in a neighborhood patrolled by a Constable, you can usually set your monitoring service to call them before calling you. This GREATLY improves response time on their part (which is generally superior to COH police response anyway). We have ours set this way, and during the few false alarms we have had, they were there in just a few minutes.

[elnina]

Nah. I monitor in on my phone. Live in pretty safe neighborhood. If anything I would call my neighbors. They are faster and more reliable than the cops.