Plenty of Australian homeowners discover what their insurance policy says about locks at the worst possible moment: after a break-in, when the assessor asks how the intruder got in and whether the door had a key-operated lock. The answers can affect the claim.
This guide sorts out the lock types by their real names, explains what insurers commonly expect, and lays out a sensible upgrade order for a normal budget, because a few hundred dollars at the front and back doors buys most of the benefit.
Knob sets, deadlatches and deadlocks: the actual differences
The names get used interchangeably in conversation, but they describe very different levels of security. A knob set or lever set with a key is entry hardware, not security hardware: the latch is spring-loaded and the mechanism can often be forced or slipped. On its own it is the weakest common arrangement on an external door.
A deadlatch looks like a standard latch but locks solid once the door closes, so the latch cannot be pushed back with a card or blade, and most can be deadlocked with a key so the internal snib stops working too. A deadbolt (or deadlock) throws a solid bolt into the frame with a full key turn and has no spring to attack at all. Double-cylinder versions need a key from both sides, which stops an intruder who breaks glass from simply reaching in and turning a knob, though a key must stay accessible inside for fire escape whenever people are home.
What insurers commonly expect
Policies vary, so the only authority on yours is the product disclosure statement, but the recurring pattern across Australian home insurance is this: key-operated locks on all external doors, and key-operated or purpose-built locks on accessible windows. Some policies offer premium discounts where deadlocks and window locks are fitted throughout, and some ask the question directly at quote time.
The part that matters at claim time is honesty and evidence. If you answered yes to deadlocks on all external doors, that needs to be true of the laundry door and the garage access door as well as the front entrance. After any upgrade, keep the locksmith's invoice with your policy documents; it is exactly the evidence an assessor wants to see.
Lock grades, in plain terms
Australian door hardware is covered by standards that grade locksets on durability and security, and manufacturers label their ranges accordingly, from light residential duty up to commercial grades. You do not need to memorise standard numbers to shop well. The practical takeaways are simpler.
Buy recognised brands from locksmiths or established hardware retailers rather than unbranded imports, look for wording indicating the product meets Australian lockset standards, and put your money into the doors first. A high-grade cylinder in a hollow door with a short strike plate screwed into soft pine is a strong lock on a weak door; a locksmith fitting long screws through the strike into the stud costs almost nothing extra and matters more than one grade level on the lock.
Sliding doors and windows: the forgotten entries
Break-ins favour the openings nobody upgraded. Aluminium sliding doors with their factory latch can often be lifted or flexed open; the fixes are a key-operated patio bolt at the top or bottom of the slider, and anti-lift blocks in the top track so the panel cannot be jimmied upward off its rollers.
Windows deserve the same attention as doors on the ground floor and anywhere reachable from a roof, fence or wheelie bin. Key-operated sash locks suit most timber and aluminium windows, keyed alike so one small key does the lot. Fit them to every accessible window, not just the obvious ones; the bathroom window left open for steam is a classic entry point.
Upgrading on a budget: the sensible order
If the budget will not stretch to everything at once, spend it in this order:
- Deadlocks or key-lockable deadlatches on the main external doors: front, back, garage access
- Reinforce the strikes and hinges: long screws into framing, security strike plates, hinge screws checked
- Key-operated locks on all accessible windows, keyed alike
- Patio bolts and anti-lift blocks on sliding doors
- Then the extras: sensor lighting, a door viewer or camera doorbell, and a lockable meter box if keys are ever left inside
Frequently asked questions
Will my insurance claim be refused if I did not have deadlocks?+
Not automatically. The risk arises when the policy required specific security you said you had, or when a door was left unlocked and the policy excludes unforced entry. Read your PDS, answer security questions accurately, and keep receipts for any lock upgrades.
Are double-cylinder deadlocks a fire risk?+
They can be if the internal key is missing when someone needs to get out fast. The standard practice is to leave the key in or beside the internal cylinder whenever people are home, and remove it only when the house is empty. Discuss the layout with your locksmith, especially for households with children or older residents.
What does it cost to upgrade the locks on a typical house?+
As a general guide, quality deadbolts or deadlatches supplied and fitted commonly run in the low hundreds per door, window locks are much cheaper per unit and are often fitted in a batch visit, and a whole-house upgrade for an average home is frequently a high-hundreds to low-thousands project. A locksmith can quote the lot after a walk-around.
Do security screen doors count as a lock upgrade?+
A properly fitted security screen door with a triple-lock adds a genuine layer, and some insurers view it favourably. It complements rather than replaces a deadlock on the main door: the screen slows and discourages entry, the deadlock secures the actual barrier.