Article

Do Locks Affect Home Insurance?

Updated October 11, 2026

What insurers actually ask about

Home insurers rarely mandate lock brands. What they ask: deadbolts on all exterior doors, sometimes Grade 1 or 2, occasionally a monitored alarm for the discount tier. The discount for deadbolts alone is small — single digits — but a failed burglary claim over a missing deadbolt costs far more.

The documentation that pays

• Deadbolt on every entry — photograph each with the five-photo set.
• Grades on file — look up each model in the model lookup and keep the list with the policy.
• Double-cylinder caution — some policies and codes restrict them; see the egress guide before claiming security credit.
• Receipts for upgrades — strike reinforcement and Grade 1 swaps support both discounts and claims.

Score before renewal

Run the security checker before renewal season and fix the flagged items in hardening order. A documented score beats a remembered promise.