What type of safe do I need?

A few simple questions will help determine the safe best suited to your requirements:-

What do you need to protect?
Cash or valuables, Papers or Magnetic media such as CDs, cassettes, tapes etc

What type of protection do you need?
Security, Fire resistance or both

What is the total worth of the cash or valuables in the safe?
For cash or valuables a Security Safe is needed. These safes are classified according to a security level known as a 'Cash Rating' or 'Insurance Rating'.
Manufacturers build these safes to meet varying levels of security to comply with the Insurance Industry's standards.
These security levels usually start at £ 1000.
Up to £ 6000 the level is determined informally by reference to pre-determined standards agreed between Manufacturers and the Insurance Industry.
Over £ 6000 the level is normally determined by formal testing by Independent Testing Institutes recognised by the Insurance Industry.
All Ratings can be multiplied by 10 where the need is to protect valuables.
It is important to check with your Insurance Company or Broker in order to agree the level of insurance cover required.
Insurance Companys normally insist that a safe is bolted to a floor or wall in order to comply with their conditions of cover provided.

There are 2 types of Fire Products, Document Fire Products which are generally just referred to as 'Fire Resistant….' and 'Data Safes'. Both types of safe are generally tested to an approved standard generally to provide protection between 60 minutes and 120 minutes.
Document Fire Resistant Products are designed to protect paper which has a higher resistance to the effect of fire than magnetic media.
Data Safes are designed to protect plastic data media. Whilst the length of protection provided tends to be the same as a Document Fire Safe a Data Safe is made to different standards to provide a higher level of resistance.
It follows that Data Media cannot be adequately protected from fire in a Document Fire product.