Do Security Systems Lower Home Insurance?
Often, if the system is monitored and you ask. Here's what insurers usually credit and the paperwork that gets the discount applied.
Updated · DCSI, Inc., Lutz FL
Florida homeowners insurance is expensive, and every credit on the declarations page matters. A monitored alarm is one of the few that you control directly — but insurers don't apply it automatically. Someone has to ask, and someone has to send proof.
Discount amounts vary widely by carrier and aren't something we can quote for your policy. What we can tell you is which kinds of systems are usually credited and how the process works.
What Insurers Typically Credit
| System | Typical treatment |
|---|---|
| Local alarm (siren only, not monitored) | Small credit with some carriers, none with many. |
| Monitored burglar alarm | The most commonly credited setup. Usually requires central-station monitoring. |
| Monitored fire / smoke detection | Often credited separately from burglary, and sometimes worth more. |
| Monitored burglary and fire together | Usually the largest available alarm credit. |
| Water leak detection with shutoff | Increasingly credited by some carriers. Ask specifically — it isn't universal. |
| Cameras only | Rarely credited on their own. Insurers look for a monitored alarm. |
General patterns, not a promise of any discount. Confirm with your agent.
How to Get the Discount Applied
- 01Ask your agent which systems the carrier credits and what proof they need. Don't assume — discounts vary by carrier and policy form.
- 02Request an alarm certificate from your monitoring company. It typically lists the address, the monitoring company, and what is monitored (burglary, fire, or both).
- 03Send the certificate to your agent or carrier and ask them to confirm in writing that the discount was applied.
- 04Check the next renewal declarations page. Discounts sometimes drop off when a policy is rewritten or moves to a new carrier.
- 05If you change monitoring companies, send a new certificate. The old one names the old company.
Fire monitoring is often the overlooked half. If your system only covers doors and windows, our guide to monitored smoke and heat detectors explains what adding them involves. And a credit only offsets part of the cost — our cost guide covers the rest.
Insurance Discount Questions
Does a security system lower homeowners insurance in Florida?
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Often, yes. Many homeowners insurers offer a premium credit for a centrally monitored burglar alarm, a monitored fire alarm, or both. The amount depends on the carrier, the policy, and what the system monitors, so ask your agent for the specific credit before assuming one applies.
What is an alarm certificate?
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A short document from your monitoring company confirming that your home has a monitored alarm system, what it monitors, and who monitors it. Insurers use it as proof for the alarm discount. DCSI provides certificates to monitored customers on request.
Do security cameras lower insurance premiums?
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Usually not on their own. Most carriers credit monitored alarm systems rather than cameras. Cameras can still help after a loss by documenting what happened.
Is monitored fire protection worth more than burglary for insurance?
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With some carriers it is, because fire losses tend to be far larger than burglary losses. Smoke and heat detectors connected to a monitored panel are often credited separately, so having both can mean a larger total discount.
Keep Reading
All guidesMonitored Smoke, Heat & CO Detectors for Homes
Why a smoke alarm nobody hears protects nothing, and what monitored fire and CO detection adds.
How Much Does a Home Security System Cost in Tampa?
What drives the price of an alarm system and monitoring, and the contract terms that cost buyers the most.
How to Choose an Alarm Monitoring Company
In-house vs. wholesale monitoring, contract length, equipment ownership, and communication path.
Need an Alarm Certificate?
Monitored DCSI customers can request one any time. Not monitored yet? We'll quote a system that qualifies.