Shopfront security and insurance: what to check first

5 minute read. Last updated November 2026.

Does my insurer care what shutter I have?

Yours may, because some commercial policies set security conditions, and you must follow what your own policy says. There is no single UK rule for insurers. Look for the wording under headings such as protections, security or conditions. Then answer these questions before you order anything:

Whether the policy names a shutter, a grille, a lock or an alarm.
When protections must be in use, such as whenever the shop is closed.
Whether it requires a rating, or a certificate of installation.
Whether it requires servicing, and proof of it.
Whether an internal shutter counts as a shutter under this policy.

What does the Insurance Act 2015 mean for a shop owner?

The Insurance Act 2015 requires you to make a fair presentation of the risk before a contract of insurance is entered into, and it applies across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Section 3 says this means disclosing every material circumstance you know or ought to know, or giving the insurer enough to prompt further questions.

For a shop, a new frontage, a removed shutter or a change of stock can be a material circumstance. Tell your broker when you renew, and check what your policy says about changes during the year.

Section 11 offers some protection. Where a term tends to reduce the risk of a particular kind of loss, an insurer may not rely on non-compliance if you show that it could not have increased the risk of the loss that actually occurred. For example, a failed alarm may not matter to a flood claim. This is a legal argument and not a free pass, so keep to the terms and take advice on any dispute.

What do security ratings mean?

A rating means a product has been tested against a defined attack, and LPS 1175 from the Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) is the usual one for shutters and doors. In Issue 8, the letter shows the toolset, A to H, and the number shows the minimum delay in minutes.

Issue 7 rating	Issue 8 equivalent	What it means in practice
SR1	A1	Toolset A, 1 minute delay
SR2	B3	Toolset B, 3 minutes
SR3	C5	Toolset C, 5 minutes
SR4	D10	Toolset D, 10 minutes
SR5	E10	Toolset E, 10 minutes

Check a claim on RedBookLive, which lists LPCB-certified products and installers. Ask for the certificate number and make sure the product description matches what is being fitted. An LPS 1175 rated shutter starts at a guide price of £3,995 plus VAT, and it is priced after survey.

For glass, BS EN 356 runs from P1A to P8B. Ratings describe the tested product, so a good shutter on a weak frame or poor fixings will not perform as the test suggests.

Which security measures should a shop start with?

Start with the point an intruder is most likely to attack, which for most shops is the door or the glass. Work through the frontage in layers.

Layer	Common weakness	Measure
Glass	Single pane, easily broken	Laminated glass, £195 to £495 per m², plus VAT
Door	Weak lock, poor frame fixing	New door set, £1,295 to £3,495, plus VAT
Opening	Nothing in place after hours	Shutter or grille, from £1,450, plus VAT
Stallriser	Thin panel below the glass	Reinforcing or rebuilding, at survey
Stock	Valuable items in the window	Move them, or fit an internal grille

All figures are guide prices. Do not assume more steel means more protection. A heavy shopfront with a poor lock has spent its money in the wrong place.

Does a shutter protect the shop during trading hours?

No, a shutter only works when it is down, so the glass and the door carry the load during trading hours. Daytime risks include smash-and-grab, thrown objects and staff safety at closing time.

Keep the most valuable stock out of the window during the day.
Fit laminated glass where a pane can be reached from the pavement.
Make sure a shutter can be lowered with staff safely inside.
Agree a routine for opening and closing, with two people if the street is quiet.

An alarm and CCTV sit outside our work, but your broker may ask about both, so have the details to hand. Ask how they work with the shutter, for example whether a contact shows when the curtain is lifted.

What about planning if I need a stronger shutter?

A security need does not switch off planning, so check the position before you promise your insurer a solid shutter. The rules differ by nation, as this table shows.

Nation	What to expect
England	External shutters are outside permitted development. Councils may accept solid shutters only in exceptional cases
Wales	The same exclusion applies in Part 42. Newport accepts solid shutters only in industrial areas
Scotland	Class 9A excludes altering a shop front. Aberdeen presumes against external roller shutters
Northern Ireland	Part 34 excludes altering a shop front. Newry, Mourne and Down rejects surface-mounted shutters

Evidence helps. A letter from your insurer, crime reference numbers and repair invoices all support a case for exceptional circumstances. Read our shutter planning guide before you apply.

What records should I keep for my insurer?

Keep a simple folder with proof of what is fitted and how it has been looked after. If you ever claim, the insurer may ask for this, and it is far easier to gather as you go.

The quotation, the drawing and the invoice.
Any rating certificate, with the certificate number.
The glass specification and supplier.
Written guarantee terms.
Service reports, with dates.
Your note of when you told the broker about a change.

Our service and safety check, at a fixed price of £145 plus VAT per shutter, ends with a written condition report for this file. We survey new work for free, and we can build a quotation around what your policy says. Send us the wording through the contact page, or start with the quote tool.

Common questions

Will a new shutter reduce my insurance premium?

It may or may not. Ask your broker before ordering. We make no promise about premiums.

Is LPS 1175 a legal requirement?

No. It is a voluntary certification standard. A policy or a specification can require it, so check yours.

Do I need to tell my insurer about a new shopfront?

Tell your broker. The Insurance Act 2015 requires a fair presentation of the risk before a contract is entered into, and your policy may have its own terms on changes.

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Shopfront security and insurance