BT have announced their decision to close all BT Redcare Operations from 1 August 2025.
BT have notified intruder and fire alarm providers and have recommended that they begin planning and working to move all customers currently using BT Redcare over to alternative service providers.
This means thousands of people (both businesses and residential customers) will have to find alternative fire and intruder alarm solutions to ensure their insurance policies are not invalidated.
In this blog, we’ll look at what this means for business owners and their business insurance.
What is BT Redcare?
BT Redcare is a system that supports alarm solutions throughout the UK via a standard analogue BT telephone line. BT Redcare has been around for more than 30 years and was a trusted provider of monitoring and signalling alarm services during this time and recommended by many insurance companies and insurance brokers. It works by sending an alert to the property owner and/or the police if an alarm is triggered within a property. The signals are carried via analogue phone lines.
Why is BT Redcare ending?
BT has made this announcement as part of their ‘switch-off’ of the Public Switched Telephone Network and removal of analogue phone lines and services. It is part of the UK migration from analogue to new fibre networks across the UK.
Which BT Redcare systems will be discontinued?
All current and past BT Redcare systems will be withdrawn including the following systems:
- Redcare Essential
- Redcare Advanced
- Redcare Advanced Extra
- Redcare Classic
- Redcare GSM
How does the removal of BT Redcare affect my insurance?
Many commercial property insurance policies require fire and intruder alarm systems to be an ‘approved system’ as a condition of the policy cover. BT Redcare has been one of the widely used approved monitoring systems, so many commercial insurance customers will have policies that may no longer be valid.
What should I do to prepare for the withdrawal of BT Redcare?
Your business insurance may be invalidated by this withdrawal so, it’s important that you seek advice initially from your insurance broker or insurance provider to check your insurance policy details. They should be able to give advice on which systems your current insurance provider will accept as a like-for-like replacement to your current BT Redcare system.
Here at Harborough Portas, we’ll be working with our customers to advise them of the consequences of the BT Redcare removal and the affect this will have on their policies. We’ll also be working with third party providers such as our alarm provider Fireserv UK to advise customers on alternative systems available to them.
Although the withdrawal of BT Redcare doesn’t happen until 2025, it’s advisable to begin to plan now for this to avoid any issues with supply of alternative alarm systems or lack of availability of alarm providers to install new equipment nearer the deadline date.
So, our advice is:
- Speak to your insurance broker now about your current policy requirements.
- Speak to a recommended fire and security provider such as Fireserv UK about alternative systems.
- Act now to get your system changed well in advance of the August 2025 BT Redcare switch off.
Liam Walters, MD of Fireserv UK said “We’re already seeing an increase in enquiries and quotes required for new fire and intruder alarm systems from current BT Redcare customers and expect demand to increase the nearer we get to the 1 August 2025 closure of BT Redcare services. Our advice to any business or homeowners that currently use a BT Redcare monitoring system is begin the switch over process as soon as possible.”
If you currently have a BT Redcare fire or intruder alarm system and will be impacted by the closure of BT Redcare operations, or you’re uncertain if a new systems meets the requirements of your insurance policy, please contact Harborough Portas today email: mail@harboroughportas.com or call: 0116 260 0506.
Contact Fireserv UK by calling 0116 429 9422 or email: Fire@fire-serv.com
