Security One Monitoring Plans Explained
Security One offers three monitoring plans and their features are clearly laid out on the company's website. Unfortunately, they are not as transparent when it comes to pricing. The only way to know the monthly rate offered in your area is by calling Security One's sales department or leaving your contact information on their website and wait for their call. A sales rep will contact you, discuss pricing, and then guide you through the rest of the sales process.
The three monitoring plans offered by Security One are Simply Security, Energy Plus, and Ultimate Home. They also takeover monitoring of existing security systems, but there are no standard features for takeover monitoring.
Simply Security is the most basic of the three monitoring plans. It includes professional monitoring using cellular signal as well as smartphone access. It also provides a free equipment package consisting of a touchscreen control panel and remote keypad, motion sensors, door/window sensors, and remote key fob controllers.
Energy Plus takes things up a notch by offering energy management features in addition to what's already included in Simply Security. Energy management features are made possible by smart home devices, such as smart thermostats and smart light/appliance modules. Using the companion app provided by Security One, you can control your home's temperature and lighting from anywhere. You can also create automated rules. For example, when you arm your security system, the smart thermostat can automatically adjust itself to a more economical setting.
Finally, Ultimate Home goes all out. It includes everything included in Energy Plus and then adds in security camera access. Using the smartphone app, you can watch live videos, playback event recordings, and even interact with anyone close to the camera using two-way talk.
Other Fees You Should Know About
With Security One, there are other fees associated to using the system besides the monitoring and equipment fee. Let's talk about some of them.
First is the installation fee. Security One requires professional installation, so an installation fee is expected. Regarding the exact cost, we don't know for sure, but other companies charge anywhere between $100 to several hundred dollars for installation.
Second, expect to pay a hefty cancellation fee if you terminate the service before the end of your contract. The contract locks you into a multi-year monitoring agreement with Security One, and if you break that agreement, the cancellation fee serves as a penalty.
Third, there's a moving fee if you relocate your system within the first year of use. Although Security One allows the relocation of your security system and continuation of the monitoring agreement in your new address, a $99 move fee is required if you're with the company for less than a year.
Ways To Save
Security One also provides ways to save on the equipment or monitoring cost, but like their pricing plans, finding ways to save isn't an easy task to do. Here are a few tips we'd like to share with you.
Negotiate
Security One requires that you speak with a sales rep to get a quote and you can use this opportunity to negotiate. You likely won't get any monitoring discount, but if you push hard enough, you might be able to get free equipment or discounts on the equipment cost.
Time Your Purchase
Most alarm companies take part in sale seasons, wherein they offer great deals and promotions during certain days of the year to entice customers to sign up. We're not sure exactly when they offer promotions, but your chances of getting a sweet deal are pretty good during Black Friday and year-end sales.
Rate Lock-In
Rather than a way to save, this is an information that you should know to avoid any upcharges. Security One offers what they call rate lock-in, which means your monthly rate in the beginning of the contract won't change until the end of the contract term. If you see any increase in your monthly bill, you have all the rights to question and dispute it. Simply give Security One a call.
Insurance Discount
Finally, don't forget to claim your insurance discount once your security system is up and running. Insurance companies give homeowners discounts on their homeowners insurance premium if they can show proof that they hired a monitoring service to protect their homes. The discount will be computed by your insurance company, but you'll need to provide a monitoring certificate from Security One. Security One can send the certificate to your address or directly to your insurance company on your behalf.
