Time to buy a safe

I've gotten to the point where my collection more than justifies a safe to keep it in. I'll also be getting Hugh Wood insurance through the ANA. Anybody know off the top of their heads what kinds of safes get discounts from Hugh Wood? I'm looking at B rated safes around 500 lbs (I live in a second floor apartment, which limits the weight I can put on the floors, sadly.)

Thanks

 

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Not sure about the brand your asking about but be 100% sure you get one that is "UL Rated" for "theft" AND "fire". I shy away from the electric solenoid ones as well. Pay more money for a good one and it is well worth it.

 

I didn't know that Hugh Wood can get you discounts on safes. They do on the price of the insurance.

I would not put a 500# safe on a second floor. Moving it in is going to damage the steps or flooring.

 

@Paul M.

What ever safe you finally select, it might be wise to have it delivered in the wee hours of the morning, say 3am or so. It would be less likely that others would be watching at those hours. ~ Chris

 

I think having a large delivery at 3am would more suspicious. The only things that get delivered at that time of day are drugs and dead bodies.

 

This is what I remember from when I got insurance through them.
I can't find it on their website but I believe Hugh Wood wants a Class B (2-hour) safe.
And that's just for coins.
If you also have a significant holding of paper money you'll need a Class C safe.

Then there are levels that are related to how you handle your collection.
-- Home only
-- Home and safe deposit boxes (travel between home and bank)
-- Home, safe deposit boxes and shows (mostly for dealers)

And if you are thinking about using homeowner's insurance, do a price comparison.
Hugh Wood is WAY less expensive.
If I recall correctly about one-third to one-fourth of what homeowner's insurance charges.

 

That safe is too heavy for a second floor apartment. You can move it by yourself so I would have concerns about any possible damage. The weight you give is empty. How much will it weigh after you put your collection in it?

It may make it to the first floor all by itself.

 

I could not help but laugh at this...but I definitely agree. Too heavy!

 

I mean it's an apartment. Who knows what is under it to support something that heavy.

 

When my wife and I were in college we did the apartment living. Often times I thought those above us were stomping so much they were going to come through. I'd imagine a 500 pound safe would not be great. That said, apartments do hold refrigerators, beds, dressers, etc. Some of that stuff can get pretty heavy.

 

Yeah, I've seen some 500-pound residents heading in and out of apartments around here.

I'd be a bit nervous about putting a 500-pound safe in a second-floor room, but it's a static load, and it's likely to be near a supporting wall, so I wouldn't expect it to cave things in.

You should most definitely talk to your landlord first, though.

 

Be careful and get an OK from your landlord in writing.
My experience in building room additions the floor joist will hold approx. 40 to 45lbs per square feet with well distributed weight. The 500lb weight of your safe is going to be approx. 80+ lbs per square feet. That's a lot of weight on a small footprint.
It was mentions that water beds are heavy but the weight is over a larger square foot area and supported by multiple floor joist.
Beware my friend

 

Firearms safes can be modified/used to store coins. I keep firearms/coins together.

 

Speaking as someone that lives in an apartment, I have a smaller safe I received as a gift (one person can move it, but not easily) that I use more for fire protection than theft protection. My especially valuable coins (especially anything gold) I keep in my safe deposit box in the bank. Not sure how large or valuable your collection is but that could work if you don't live somewhere that can reasonably support a large safe.

 

Yes but they are designed so that all those heavy appliances are well supported.

 

I completely agree with all of the caution around putting such a large safe in an apartment building. It raises so many questions. How old is the building? How well has it been kept up? What other heavy items will you keep in the same room? Have any repairs been done on your floor that may compromise its structural integrity? You really don't want to find yourself liable for building damages because that could potentially even bring in legal proceedings (and you may have to sell your collection to pay for all of that nonsense) and the risk really isn't worth it, though I also don't know anything about your collection. Not to mention if any personal injuries resulted from an incident. That could get extremely ugly. People always say "it'll never happen" until it actually does.

If you ask the building owner for permission to put in a safe of that magnitude, I'm guessing that the answer would be "no" (I would say no in that situation, or at least make you sign a waiver that would make you liable for everything and anything, but the owner is also putting himself at risk by allowing it) and if you don't ask the building owner and something happens then you could find yourself in a real heap of trouble.

A safe deposit box is probably the much safer option, though it also makes your collection inaccessible. But it pretty much removes all of the potential risks of the unknowns of having a large safe in a second floor apartment.

 

I have coins and firearms so I am curious about the modifications to a gun safe that you referred to.

 

Honestly, no time is a good time to have a safe delivered, especially to an apartment building. I keep thinking about the Ohio collector who had his 4,000 lb. safe stolen while he was on vacation. ~ Chris

 

If you decide to ask for permission have you just defeated the purpose of having a safe? How many people will know l? Who will the person you asked tell? And should is going to see it delivered?