Safes for the home

Storing precious metals safely

Anyone who buys physical gold also needs to think about how to store their precious metals. If you decide to store it at home, it is advisable to invest in a good safe, and we have summarized for you what you should look out for:

Choosing the right safe

The disadvantage of a good safe for your own home is probably the high purchase costs. A simple safe from the DIY store is not normally recommended. Any semi-professional burglar can open such a model in just a few minutes. There are plenty of videos about this on YouTube.

It is therefore better to rely on a branded product which, with a new price of around €2,000 - €4,000, is significantly more expensive, but which provides reliable security and is also recognized by your insurance company.
Good brand safes are available from companies such as Wertheim, Putz or PRIMAT from Slovenia.

Used safes & own brands

Many retailers of safes and vaults mask the actual manufacturer's name with their own brands. However, it is often possible to find out the actual manufacturer with a quick online search.

One way to save money without sacrificing security is to buy a second-hand safe. On the various online platforms, used safes are available at significantly lower prices (between €200 - €1000) - albeit with signs of wear and tear.

However, when buying used safes, also consider transportation, statics and clarify your insurance in advance! Otherwise a bargain on the Internet can quickly turn into a price bomb or a pipe burst. It may be that a new purchase including delivery is cheaper than a used safe with self-organized transport.

The heavier the safe, the more secure?

When choosing your safe, make sure that it is solidly built, but also consider the statics of the planned installation site. You also need to plan how the safe will get to its location (Will it fit through all wall openings? Can it be transported by elevator? ...)

Modern safes weigh significantly less than older safes of the same class, while offering the same level of resistance thanks to new filling materials, and can therefore also be installed on upper floors.
However, up to a weight of around 600 kilograms, the safe should be firmly anchored to the floor by a professional craftsman, who is best liable for this in writing, so that burglars cannot simply carry it away completely.

Safe transportation is delicate, dangerous & therefore expensive

It is usually not absolutely necessary to hire a professional safe transportation company for every safe. This is because even for weights under 500 kg, they can quickly charge 2000 euros.
For simple transportation routes, a lift in the stairwell or a ground-level location, a heavy-duty removal company or a piano transporter can also take care of the transport for 25% of the price.
However, if transporting a safe yourself could be tricky for any reason (crane installation, necessary road closures, many stairs, no elevator, old building, etc.), you should definitely hire a professional. Remember that a sliding safe can break through walls! Always make sure that the company has insurance to cover damage to transportation routes, floors, etc.

Insurance cover

The insurance cover also depends on the design of your safe and its security class. But be careful! - The VDS/EN classes of old safes often no longer correspond to the current standards; they usually have to be classified one class lower.

Also ask what percentage your insurance will cover in the event of investment gold (not gold jewelry) and have this entered in the policy. The safe size should correspond to the insured value of the contents and, if necessary, higher cover should be negotiated with the insurance company.

Also bear in mind that the value of your vault contents may change due to the fluctuating gold price and that the sum insured may have to be adjusted from year to year.