Installation Times: Monday - Thursday: 7:30am to 6pm | Friday: 7:30am to 3pm | Saturday & Sunday: Closed
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2nd January 2019
At Safe & Sound, we understand that choosing a Thatcham and insurance-approved car tracking system can be a minefield. You may not know what you want or what your insurance company requires. This article aims to answer all your questions to help you make a more informed decision about your next car tracker.
All Thatcham-approved tracking systems are designed and built to meet their qualifying Thatcham Category criteria before they are approved for installation. We have broken down each Thatcham tracker category below to help you understand exactly what they mean and how to choose the best tracker for your car.
The Thatcham Category 7 was a real entry-level system and has been around for a good 15 years; it will merge into the category S7 as of January 2019.
Pros:
Cons:
View our newer S7 devices by clicking here.
Thatcham Category 6—This is a good, reliable entry-level system that has been around for around 15 years but never had GPS built in until it was introduced about 10 years ago.
*Thatcham Category 6 is now superseded by Thatcham Category S7*
Pros:
Cons:
View our newer S7 devices by clicking here.
Insurers often requested Thatcham Category 5 for vehicles over a certain value, £70,000 if insured on a private policy or £50,000 if insured on a fleet policy.
Pros:
Driver ID - this makes the system proactive and means that should the vehicle be stolen by key theft or key replicating while you’re in bed at 5 am then you will receive a call within minutes of the vehicle driving. This driver ID card is to be kept away from the vehicle keys, nor is it to be left in the vehicle, as this renders the system ineffective.
Remote Engine Immobilisation - Should the vehicle be involved in a high-speed chase or the police do not have the resources to get to it they can put in the request for the vehicle to be remotely immobilised. This means once the engine is turned off it then cannot be restarted and allows effective recovery of the vehicle.
Cons:
View our newer Thatcham Category S5 systems by clicking here.
Thatcham Category S5 is the new classification for vehicle trackers previously in Category 5.
S5 trackers use GPS and GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) technology to provide in-depth location information about stolen vehicles. They are an enhanced version of the S7, hence their higher security grade.
Pros:
Driver ID cards can be kept on the keys for maximum convenience.
Proactive system alerts vehicle owner of theft within minutes.
Cons:
If the keys are stolen with the driver ID card attached, the system becomes useless and relies upon the owner realising it's missing.
Engine immobilisation is optional, so those looking for a cheaper installation may have less chance of successful vehicle recovery in the event of a theft.
View our full range of Thatcham Category S5 systems by clicking here.
Thatcham Category S7 is the new classification for vehicle trackers previously in Category 7 or 6 without ADR.
Thatcham-approved S7 trackers are the standard requirement for theft recovery systems. They have a movement sensor that will trigger an alert if motion is detected when the ignition is off, or power is interrupted by means of tampering or battery disconnection.
Pros:
Small and easy to concea
Highly effective recovery rate
Great value for money and cost-effective
Cons:
Does not allow for remote immobilisation.
View our full range of S7 devices by clicking here.
A standard S7 tracking system does not use driver ID and is simply a reactive system. Other than being towed away or detecting a power disconnection, the vehicle can be driven away without alerting you.
Let’s say you’re asleep in bed with your alarm set for 7 am. At 5 am., you are broken into, your vehicle keys are taken, and your car is subsequently stolen. The tracking system wouldn’t know the difference between you driving it and a thief with your keys or cloned keys.
Now, let’s say the same scenario happens with a Thatcham Category 5 or S5 installed—as soon as the vehicle is driven away, the tracking system will recognise that the driver ID card is not present and silently alert the control room, at which point you will be contacted within minutes to clarify the vehicle's location.
This way, you will be aware of the theft within minutes and have the best chance of recovering your vehicle.
In our opinion, a vehicle security system with driver ID is always the best option.
We hope this article helps clarify the differences between Thatcham tracker categories and features. If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch.
