Quick Answer
Most major insurance carriers offer a homeowners insurance discount for a professionally monitored security system, typically 2 to 5 percent, with some carriers offering up to 15 to 20 percent. The discount almost always requires active monitoring through a UL-listed monitoring center, not just a self-monitored app-based system. Ask your specific carrier for the exact percentage on your policy, since it varies by state and provider.
What Carriers Actually Offer
Discount ranges vary by carrier, state, and policy, and only your insurer can quote the exact number for your address. Publicly reported ranges from major carriers give a realistic sense of the spread:
| Carrier | Reported Discount |
|---|---|
| State Farm | Up to 15% for a monitored alarm system |
| Allstate | Up to 20% with fire and burglar alarm monitoring |
| Progressive | Typically around 5% |
| Most other carriers | Commonly 2% to 5%, some up to 15% |
Figures are publicly reported ranges, not guarantees. Confirm the exact discount with your own insurance carrier, since it depends on your policy, state, and system type.
Why Self-Monitoring Usually Doesn't Qualify
This is the detail that trips up most homeowners shopping for a system specifically for the insurance discount. A system that sends alerts straight to your phone, with no monitoring center behind it, is not the same thing to an insurer as a professionally monitored one, even if the sensors themselves are identical hardware.
Insurers price the discount around a specific risk reduction: a trained agent verifying the alarm and dispatching police or fire within seconds, day or night, whether or not you personally see the notification. A self-monitored app depends entirely on you seeing your phone and calling 911 yourself. Most carriers will not credit that as the same risk reduction, which is why the fine print on most discount programs specifies monitoring through a UL-listed central station. For the full picture of what that verification and dispatch process actually looks like, see our guide to how home security monitoring works.
Want documentation your insurer will actually accept?
NetSecure360 offers ADT-powered systems monitored through UL-listed centers and provides monitoring certificates on request.
Get a Free QuoteHow to Actually Claim the Discount
Confirm your system qualifies
Verify your monitoring runs through a UL-listed central station, not a self-monitored app alone. ADT-powered systems installed by NetSecure360 meet this bar.
Request a monitoring certificate
Ask your security provider for written proof of active monitoring. This is usually a short letter or certificate confirming the system type, install date, and monitoring status.
Call your insurance carrier directly
Ask specifically about a 'protective device' or 'monitored alarm' discount, and submit the certificate. Some carriers apply it automatically once documentation is on file; others require you to request it.
Confirm it appears on your renewal
Discounts sometimes apply at the next renewal rather than immediately. Check your next statement or ask your agent to confirm the discount was applied.
Fire and CO Monitoring Can Matter Separately
Burglar alarm monitoring is only part of the picture. Some carriers evaluate monitored smoke and carbon monoxide detection as a separate factor, since it addresses a different category of claim than a break-in. If your system includes monitored fire and CO detection in addition to intrusion sensors, mention both when you request documentation from your provider and when you talk to your insurer, since some policies price them individually.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a home security system actually lower homeowners insurance?
For most carriers, yes, but only with professional monitoring, not a self-monitored or DIY-only system. Typical discounts run 2 to 5 percent with carriers like Progressive, and up to 15 to 20 percent with carriers like State Farm and Allstate for a fully monitored system through a UL-listed monitoring center. The exact amount depends on your carrier, state, and policy.
Does self-monitoring qualify for an insurance discount?
Usually not. Most carriers require verified professional monitoring through a UL-listed central station to approve the discount, not just an app that alerts you directly. A system that only notifies your phone, with no monitoring center behind it, typically does not qualify, even if it has the exact same sensors as a monitored one.
How much can I save with a security system insurance discount?
It depends on your premium and carrier, since the discount is usually a percentage, not a fixed dollar amount. On a typical homeowners premium, a 5 percent discount and a 15 percent discount can differ by a meaningful amount over a policy year. Ask your insurer directly for the exact percentage and dollar impact on your specific policy.
What do I need to give my insurance company to get the discount?
Most carriers want proof of active professional monitoring: a monitoring certificate or letter from your provider confirming the system is installed, active, and monitored by a UL-listed center. NetSecure360 provides this documentation for ADT-powered systems on request.
Do fire and CO monitoring qualify for a separate discount?
Some carriers offer an additional discount specifically for monitored fire and smoke detection, separate from burglar alarm monitoring, since it protects against a different type of claim. Ask your insurer whether fire monitoring is evaluated separately from intrusion monitoring on your policy.
Sources
- Reported carrier discount ranges compiled from publicly available insurance industry reporting on protective device and monitored alarm discounts. Confirm the exact percentage with your own carrier, since it varies by state, policy, and provider.
Get a System That Actually Qualifies
NetSecure360 is your local authorized ADT dealer in Camp Hill, PA. Every system is professionally monitored through ADT's UL-listed centers, and we provide documentation for your insurance carrier on request.
Serving Harrisburg, Camp Hill, and surrounding South Central PA communities.